- 


S  E  L  E  C  T 


PRACTICAL    WRITINGS 


LIFE    OF    THE    AUTHOR. 


BY    LEONARD    BACON, 

PASTOR   OF   THE    FIRST    CHURCH    IN    NEW    HAVEN. 


IN    TWO    VOLUMES. 
VOLUME    II. 

H 

* 

SECOND    EDITION,    WITH     ADDITIONS. 


NEW    HAVEN: 
PUBLISHED  BY  DURRIE  &  PECK. 

1835. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1834, 

BY  DURRIE  &,  PECK, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Connecticut. 


Printed  by  Hezekiah  Howe  &  Co. 


Stack 
Annex 


CONTENTS  OF  THE  SECOND   VOLUME. 


DYING  THOUGHTS.    Upon  Phil.  i.  23. 

[The  reader  of  the  "  Dying  Thoughts  "  may  sometimes  find  himself  perplexed,  if  not  lost, 
among  the  complicated  divisions  and  subdivisions  of  the  subject,— divisions  and  sub- 
divisions not  always  clearly  indicated.  Some  attempt  might  have  been  made  to  mark 
the  progress  of  meditation  and  discussion  in  that  work,  and  to  point  out  the  relations 
of  one  part  to  another,  and  of  the  several  parts  to  the  whole,  if  the  editor  had  deemed 
it  proper  far  him  to  use  such  liberty  with  the  text  of  his  author.  If,  however /the  reader, 
in  studying  that  work, — for  it  is  a  work  to  be  studied, — will  occasionally  advert  to  the 
full  syllabus  exhibited  in  this  Table  of  Contents,  made  out  by  Baxter  himself,  and  not 
by  the  editor,' — he  will  find  a  clew  to  guide  him  easily  through  all  its  labyrinths.] 

Page. 
Preface, 12 

Introduction, 13 

DOCTRINE    FIRST. 

That  the  souls  of  believers,  when  departed  hence,  shall  be  with  Christ,. ...  23 

/.  The  necessity  of  believing  this,  proved, 23 

//.  Whether  it  be  best  believing  it,  without  consideration  of  the  difficulties 

or  proofs, 26 

777.  The  certainty  of  it  manifested, 28 

I.  From  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  which  is  proved, 

1 .  The  soul  is  a  substance, 28 

2.  It  is  a  substance  formally  differenced  from  lower  substance,  by  the  vir- 

tue of  special  vital  activity,  intellect,  and  free  will, 30 

3.  It  is  not  annihilated  at  death, 30 

4.  Nor  destroyed  by  dissolution  of  parts, 31 

5.  Nor  loseth  its  formal  power  or  virtue, 31 

6.  Nor  doth  sleep  or  cease  to  act, 32 

7.  To  cease  to  be  individuate  by  union  with  any  other  common  spirit,  is 

not  to  be  feared,  were  it  true, 35 

But  it  is  not  like  to  be  true, 40 

II.  The  second  proof :  it  is  a  natural  notice, 41 

III.  From  the  duty  of  all  men  to  seek  a  future  happiness, 42 

IV.  From  man's  capacity  of  knowing  God,  etc.  as  differenced  from  brutes,.     43 


4  CONTENTS. 

Page. 

V.  From  God's  governing  justice, 44 

VI.  From  revelation  supernatural, 45 

VII.  From  God's  answering  prayers, 46 

VIII.  From  our  present  communion  with  angels, 47 

IX .  From  Satan's  temptations,  etc 48 

X.  Specially  from  the  operations  of  God's  Spirit  on  our  souls,  preparing  them 

for  glory.     (Faith  excited,  and  objections  answered  in  the  application),  48 

The  proofs  summed  up  in  order, 59 

Why  this  happiness  is  described  by  our  "  BEING  WITH  CHRIST," 60 

What  is  included  in  our  "  being  with  Christ," GO 

I.  Presence  with  Christ's  glorified  body  and  soul,  and  Godhead, 60 

II.  United  with  him  in  each.     Too  near  union  not  to  be  feared  as  destroying 

individuation, 61 

III.  Communion  with  him  in  each,  opened,. . . . ; G3 

We  must  "  DEPART,"  that  we  may  be  with  Christ, 67 

From  what, 67 

I.  From  this  body  and  life  ;  yet  it  is  far  better  so  to  do, 67 

II.  From  all  the  fleshly  pleasures  of  this  life — yet  best, 71 

III.  From  the  more  manly  delights  of  study,  books,  friends,  etc 73 

Considered, 

1.  Of  knowledge  and  books  :  the  vanity, 73 

2.  Of  sermons, 78 

3.  Of  friends  and  converse, 78 

4.  Of  God's  word  and  worship, 80 

5.  Of  Theology, 81 

Of  my  own  labors  herein, 83 

6.  Notice  of  the  affairs  of  the  world, 87 

7.  From  our  service  to  the  living, ; 89 

The  application  to  myself, 91 

DOCTRINE    SECOND. 

To  depart  and  be  with  Christ  is  far  better ;  or  rather  to  be  chosen, 94 

I.  Simply  better,  and  properly,  as  it  is  the  fulfilling  of  God's  will, 95 

II.  Analogically  better,  as  it  tendeth  to  the  perfection  of  the  universe  and 

the  church, 96 

III.  Better  to  myself,  as  to  my  own  felicity, 96 

Proved, 

/.  By  general  reasons  from  the  efficients  and  means, 97 

//.  The  final  reasons, 100 


CONTENTS.  5 

Page. 

///.  The  constitutive  reasons  from  the  state  of  my  intellect,  as  to  the  intui- 
tive manner  of  knowledge,  and  as  to  the  matter, 105 

Both  opened, 

1.  I  shall  know  God  better, 112 

2.  And  God's  works — the  universe, 113 

3.  And  Je'sus  Christ, 114 

4.  And  the  church  triumphant,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem, 115 

5.  And  all  God's  word,  for  matter  and  method, 117 

6.  God's  present  works  of  providence, 117 

7.  The  nature  and  worth  of  mercies, 118 

8.  And  myself  body  and  soul, 118 

9.  And  my  fellow  creatures, 120 

10.  And  what  the  evil  was  from  which  I  was  delivered,  enemies,  dangers, 

sins,  etc 120 

IV.  The  constitutive  reasons  from  the  state  of  my  will, 120 

i.  Negatively, 

1.  Freed  from  temptations  of  the  flesh,  world,  and  devil. 

2.  There  will  be  nothing  in  it  that  is  against  God,  my  neighbor,   or 

myself, 121 

ii.  Positively, 

1.  It  will  be  conformed  to  God's  will.     The  benefits  of  this  fruition — a 

fixed  will.    The  object — God ;  to  love  him,  and  be  beloved  of  him,  is  " 
one  end.     He  is  a  suitable,  full,  near  object, 121 

2.  The  next  object — God's  glorious  image  in  the  perfection  of  the  universe,  125 

3.  The  church  triumphant, 126 

The  will's  reception  in  glory, 128 

1.  What  it  is  to  be  loved  of  God, 128 

Excitations, 130 

2.  How  blessed  to  be  under  the  love  of  Christ, 131 

Excitations,  desires, 131 

3."  Communion  with  angels  and  saints  by  reception, 136 

More  of  the  good  of  union,  and  communion,  as  distinct  from  singular 

propriety, 137 

V.  The  constitutive  reasons  from  our  heavenly  practice, 140 

Better  works  for  us  there  than  here. 

Proved, 
What  they  are  in  general :  what  particularly, 

1 .  Concordant  praising   God, 140 

Excitations  and  petitions, 141 

2.  The  blessed  probably  used  for  the  good  of  men,  and  things  below, 142 


6  CONTENTS. 

Page. 

Their  opinion  rejected  that  assert  the  cessation  of  sense  ;  proof.     Objec- 
tions from  brutes  answered, 143 

The  concluding  application, 144 

APPENDIX. 

A  BREVIATE  OF  THE  HELPS  OF  FAITH,  HOPE,  AND  LOVE  FOR  A  DYING  MAN. 

I.  The  gospel  evidence  on  1  Tim.  iii.  16.     A  breviate  of  the  proof  of  super- 

natural revelation,  and  the  truth  of  Christianity, 181 

II.  The  difference  between  the  world  which  I  am  leaving,  and  the  world 

which  I  am  going  to ;  with  reasons  of  my  comfortable  hope, 195 

III.  More  reasons  and  helps  of  my  faith  and  hope 199 

IV.  A  discourse  of  the  sensible  manifestation  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  at 
his  transfiguration,  which  is  expounded  and  applied  for  the  help  of  faith 
and  patience, 205 

V.  Short  meditations  on  Romans  v.  1 — 5,  of  the  shedding  abroad  God's  love 

in  the  heart,  that  we  may  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God, 242 

TRUE  CHRISTIANITY  ;  or  Christ's  absolute  dominion  and  man's  neces- 
sary self-resignation  and  subjection  :  in  two  assize  sermons. 
To  the  Right  Honorable  Serjeant  Glyn, 259 

I.  THE  ABSOLUTE     DOMINION  OF    GoD-REDEEMER,  AND    THE    NECESSITY    OF 

BEING   DEVOTED  AND    LIVING    TO    HIM.       1    Cor.  vi.   19,    20, 263 

II.  THE   ABSOLUTS   SOVEREIGNTY  OF    CHRIST;  AND  THE   NECESSITY   OF   MAIt's 

SUBJECTION,     DEPENDENCE     AND     CHIEFEST    LOVE    TO    HIM.       Psalm     ii. 

10—12 297 

A  SERMON  OF  REPENTANCE.     Ezekiel  xxxvi.  31, 325 

RIGHT  REJOICING  :  A  SERMON.     Luke  x.  20 353 

THE  LIFE  OF  FAITH  :  A  Sermon  formerly  preached  before  his  Majesty, 
and  published  by  his  command  ;  with  another  added  for  the  fuller  appli-» 
cation.  Heb.  xi.  1. 

I.  THE  SERMON. 

What  Faith  is, 389 

The  text  opened, 390 

The  grounds  of  the  certainty  of  Faith,  briefly  intimated. 391 

Why  God  will  have  us  live  by  Faith  and  not  by  sight, 395 

Use  1.  To  inform  us  what  a  Christian  or  believer  is ;   described 397 

Use  2.  The  reason  why  believers  are  more  serious  in  matters  of  religion  than 

unbelievers  are, 403 


CONTENTS.  7 

Page. 
Use  3.  Of  examination, 404 

The  misery  of  unbelievers, 405 

Marks  of  a  true  Faith, 406 

Use  4.  Exhortation  to  the  serious  exercise  of  Faith, 409 

Some   assisting  suppositions, 410 

How  those  will  live,  who  thus  believe,  opened  in  certain  questions,..  415 

Motives  to  live  by  a  foreseeing  Faith  on  things  not  seen, 419 

The  conclusion.     1.  Exhorting  to  live  by  Faith.    2.  And  to  promote  this 

life   in  others, 425 

II.  THE  AD-DITIONS. 

CHAP.  I.  The  conviction  and  reproof  of  hypocrites  who  live  contrary  to  the 

Faith  which  they  profess, 428 

CHAP.  II.  A  general  exhortation  to  live  as  believers, ~. 434 

CHAP.  III.  An  exhortation  to  the  particular  duties  of  believers, 440 

WHAT  LIGHT  MUST  SHINE  IN  OUR  WORKS :  A  SERMON.    Matt. 

v.  16, 455 

THE  FAREWELL  SERMON  OF  RICHARD  BAXTER;  prepared  to 
have  been  preached  to  his  hearers  at  Kidderminster,  at  his  departure, 
but  forbidden 495 

HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY  :  OR  THE  PUBLIC  GOOD  IS  THE 
CHRISTIAN'S  LIFE.  Galatians  vi.  10.  Directions  and  motives  to 
it :  Intended  for  an  auditory  of  London  citizens ;  and  published  for 
them,  for  want  of  leave  to  preach  them, 534 

GOD'S  GOODNESS  VINDICATED, 577 


MR.  BAXTER'S 


DYING    THOUGHTS 


PHIL1PPIANS  I.  23. 


WITH   AN  APPENDIX. 


WRITTEN     FOR     HIS     OWN     USE     IN     THE     LATTER    TIMES     OF    HIS 
CORPORAL    PAINS    AND    WEAKNESS. 


VOL.    II. 


THE  exercise  of  three  sorts  of  love,  to  God,  to  others,  and  to 
myself,  afford  me  a  threefold  satisfaction,  conjunct  to  be  willing  to 
depart. 

I.  I  am  sure  my  departure  will  be  the  fulfilling  of  that  will  which 
is  love  itself,  which  I  am  bound,  above  all  things,  to  love  and 
please,  and  which  is  the  beginning,  rule  and  end  of  all.     Antonine 
could  hence  fetch  good  thoughts  of  death. 

II.  The  world  dieth  not  with  me  when  I  die ;  nor  the  church, 
nor  the  praise  and  glory  of  God,  which  he  will  have  in  and  from 
this  world  unto  the  end ;  and  if  I  love  others  as  myself,  their  lives 
and  comforts  will  now  be  to  my  thoughts,  as  if  I  were  to  live  my- 
self in  them.     God  will  be  praised  and  honored  by  posterity,  when 
I  am  dead  and  gone.     Were  I  to  be  annihilated,  this  would  com- 
fort me  now,  if  I  lived  and  died  in  perfect  love. 

III.  But  a  better,  glorious  world  is  before  me,  into  which  I  hope, 
by  death,  to  be  translated,  whither  all  these  three  sorts  of  love 
should  wrap  up  the  desires  of  my  ascending  soul ;  even  the  love  of 
myself,  that  I  may  be  fully  happy ;  the  love  of  the  triumphant 
church,  Christ,  angels,  and  glorified  man,  and  the  glory  of  all  the 
universe,  which  I  shall  see ;  and  above  all,  the  love  of  the  most 
glorious  God,  infinite  life,  and  light,  and  love,  the  ultimate,  amiable 
object  of  man's  love  ;  in  whom  to  be  perfectly  pleased  and  delight- 
ed, and  to  whom  to  be  perfectly  pleasing  forever,  is  the  chief  and 
ultimate  end  of  me,  and  of  the  highest,  wisest,  and  best  of  creatures. 
Amen. 


THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  READER. 


READER, 

I  HAVE  no  other  use  for  a  preface  to  this  book,  but  to  give 
you  a  true  excuse  for  its  publication.  I  wrote  it  for  myself,  unre- 
solved whether  any  one  should  ever  see  it,  but  at  last  inclined  to 
leave  that  to  the  will  of  my  executors,  to  publish  or  suppress  it 
when  I  am  dead,  as  they  saw  cause.  But  my  person  being  seiz- 
ed on,  and  my  library,  and  all  my  goods  distrained  on  by  consta- 
bles, and  sold,  and  I  constrained  to  relinquish  my  house,  (for  preach- 
ing and  being  in  London,)  I  knew  not  what  to  do  with  multitudes  of 
manuscripts  that  had  long  lain  by  me  ;  having  no  house  to  go  to, 
but  a  narrow  hired  lodging  with  strangers :  wherefore  I  cast  away 
whole  volumes,  which  I  could  not  carry  away,  both  controversies 
and  letters  practical,  and  cases  of  conscience ;  but  having  newly 
lain  divers  weeks,  night  and  day,  in  waking  torments,  nephritic 
and  colic,  after  other  long  pains  and  languor,  I  took  this  book  with 
me  in  my  removal,  for  my  own  use  in  my  further  sickness.  Three 
weeks  after,  falling  into  another  extreme  fit,  and  expecting  death, 
where  I  had  no  friend  with  me  to  commit  my  papers  to,  merely 
lest  it  should  be  lost,  I  thought  best  to  give  it  to  the  printer.  I 
think  it  is  so  much  of  the  work  of  all  men's  lives  to  prepare  to  die 
with  safety  and  comfort,  that  the  same  thoughts  may  be  needful 
for  others  that  are  so  for  me.  If  any  mislike  the  title,  as  if  it  im- 
ported that  the  author  is  dead,  let  him  know  that  I  die  daily,  and 
that  which  quickly  will  be,  almost  is :  it  is  suited  to  my  own  use : 
they  that  it  is  unsuitable  to,  may  pass  it  by.  If  those  men's  lives 
were  spent  in  serious,  preparing  thoughts  of  death,  who  are  now 
studying  to  destroy  each  other,  and  tear  in  pieces  a  distressed 
land,  they  would  prevent  much  dolorous  repentance. 

RICHARD  BAXTER. 


THE   INTRODUCTION. 


PHIL.  L  23. 

FOR   I   AM    IN   A    STRAIT    BETWIXT    TWO,    &C. 

1  WRITE  for  myself,  and  therefore,  supposing  the  sense  of  the 
text,  shall  only  observe  what  is  useful  to  my  heart  and  practice. 

It  was  a  happy  state  into  which  grace  had  brought  this  apostle, 
who  saw  so  much,  not  only  tolerable,  but  greatly  desirable,  both 
in  living  and  dying.  To  live,  to  him,  was  Christ,  that  is,  Christ's 
interest  or  work.  To  die,  would  be  gain,  that  is,  his  own  interest 
and  reward.  His  strait  was  not  whether  it  would  be  good  to  live, 
or  good  to  depart ;  both  were  good ;  but  which  was  more  desirable 
was  the  doubt. 

1 .  Quest.  But  was  there  any  doubt  to  be  made  between  Christ's 
interest  and  his  own?  Ans.  No,  if  it  had  been  a  full  and  fixed 
competition ;  but  oy  Christ,  or  Christ's  interest,  he  meaneth  his 
work  for  his  church's  interest  in  this  world ;  but  he  knew  that 
Christ  also  had  an  interest  in  his  saints  above,  and  that  he  could 
raise  up  more  to  serve  him  here ;  yet,  because  he  was  to  judge  by 
what  appeared,  and  he  saw  a  defect  of  such  on  earth,  this  did  turn 
the  scales  in  his  choice ;  and  for  the  work  of  Christ  and  his 
church's  good,  he  more  inclined  to  the  delay  of  his  reward,  by 
self-denial ;  yet  knowing  that  the  delay  would  tend  to  its  increase. 
It  is  useful  to  me  here  to  note, 

That,  even  in  this  world,  short  of  death,  there  is  some  good  so 
much  to  be  regarded,  as  may  justly  prevail  with  believers  to  pre- 
fer it  before  the  present  hastening  of  their  reward. 

I  the  rather  note  this,  that  no  temptation  carry  me  into  that  ex- 
treme, of  taking  nothing  but  heaven  to  be  worthy  of  our  minding 
or  regard,  and  so  to  cast  off  the  world  in  a  sinful  sort,  on  pretense 
of  mortification,  and  a  heavenly  mind  and  life. 

As  to  the  sense,  the  meaning  is  not  that  any  thing  on  earth  is 
better  than  heaven,  or  simply,  and  in  itself,  to  be  preferred  before 
it.  The  end  is  better  than  the  means  as  such,  and  perfection  bet- 
ter than  imperfection. 

But  the  present  use  of  the  means  may  be  preferred  sometimes 
before  the  present  possession  of  the  end,  and  the  use  of  means  for 

*fc  ' 


14  BAXTCH'S   DYCIG  THIM.  <IMTS. 

• 

a  higher  end  may  be  preferred  before  the  present  possession  of  a 
lower  end,  and  every  thing  hath  its  season.  Planting,  and  sowing, 
and  building,  are  not  so  good  as  reaping,  and  fruit-gathering,  and 
dwelling,  but  in  their  season,  they  must  be  first  done. 

2.   Quest.  But  what  is  there  so  desirable  in  this  life? 

Answ.  I.  While  it  continueth,  it  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  will  of 
God,  who  will  have  us  here;  and  that  is  best  which  God  willeth. 

II.  The  life  to  come  dependeth  upon  this,  as  the  life  of  man  in 
the  world  upon  his  generation  in  the  womb  ;  or  as  the  reward  upon 
the  work ;  or  the  runner's  or  soldier's  prize  upon  his  race  or  fight- 
ing ;  or  as  the  merchant's  gain  upon  his  voyage.     Heaven  is  won 
or  lost  on  earth.     The  possession  is  there,  but  the  preparation   is 
here.     Christ  will  judge  all  men  according  to  their  works  on  earth. 
"Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant,"  must  go  before  "Enter 
thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord."     "  I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I 
have  finished  my  course,"  goeth  before  "  the  crown  of  righteous- 
ness which  God,  the  righteous  Judge,  will  give."     All  that  ever 
must  be  done  for  salvation  by  us,  must  here  be   done.     It  was  on 
earth  that  Christ  himself  wrought  the  work  of  our  redemption,  ful- 
filled all  righteousness,  became  our  ransom,  and  paid  the  price  of 
our  salvation  ;  and  it  is  here  that  our  part  is  to  be  done. 

And  the  bestowing  of  the  reward  is  God's  work,  who,  we  are 
sure,  will  never  fail.  There  is  no  place  for  the  least  suspicion  or 
fear  of  his  misdoing,  or  failing,  in  any  of  his -undertaken  work. 
But  the  danger  and  fear  is  of  our  own  miscarrying,  lest  we  be  not 
found  capable  of  receiving  what  God  will  certainly  give  to  all  that 
are  disposed  receivers.  To  distrust  God  is  heinous  sin  and  folly ; 
but  to  distrust  ourselves  we  have  great  cause.  So  that  if  we  will 
make  sure  of  heaven,  it  must  be  by  giving  all  diligence  to  make 
firm  our  title,  our  calling,  and  our  election,  here  on  earth.  If  we 
fear  hell,  we  must  fear  being  prepared  for  it. 

And  it  is  great  and  difficult  work  that  must  be  here  done.  It  is 
here  that  we  must  be  cured  of  all  damning  sin  ;  that  we  must  be 
regenerate  and  new  born ;  that  we  must  be  pardoned  and  justified 
by  faith.  It  is  here  that  we  must  be  united  to  Christ,  made  wise 
to  salvation,  renewed  by  his  Spirit,  and  conformed  to  his  likeness. 
It  is  here  that  we  must  overcome  all  the  temptations  of  the  devil, 
the  world,  and  the  flesh,  and  perform  all  the  duties  towards  God 
and  man,  that  must  be  rewarded.  It  is  here  that  Christ  must  be 
believed  in  with  the  heart  to  righteousness,  and  with  the  mouth 
confessed  to  salvation.  It  is  here  that  we  must  suffer  with  him, 
that  we  may  reign  with  him,  and  be  faithful  to  the  death,  that  \\c 
may  receive  the  crown  of  life.  Here  we  must  so  run  that  we  may 
obtain. 

III.  Yea,  we  have  greater  work  here  to  do  than  mere  securing 


INTRODrCTION.  15 

our  own  salvation.  We  are  members  of  the  world  and  church,  and 
we  must  labor  to  do  good  to  man.  We.  are  trusted  with  our  Ma^- 
ter's  talents  for  his  service,  in  our  places  to  do  our  best  to  prepay* 
gate  his  truth,  and  grace,  and  church  ;  and  to  bring  home  souls, 
and  honor  his  cause,  and  edify  his  flock,  and  further  the  salvation 
of  as  many  as  we  can.  All  this  is  to  be  done  on  earth,  if  we  will 
secure  the  end  of  all  in  heaven. 

Use  1.  It  is,  then,  an  error  (though  it  is  but  few,  I  think,  that 
are  guilty  of  it)  to  think,  that  all  religion  lieth  in  minding  only  the 
life  to  come,  and  disregarding  all  things  in  this  present  life  :  all  true 
Christians  must  seriously  mind  both  the  end  and  the  means,  or  way. 
If  they  mind  not,  believingly,  the  end,  they  will  never  be  faithful 
in  the  use  of  means.  If  they  mind  not,  and  use  not  diligently,  the 
means,  they  will  never  obtain  the  end.  None  can  use  earth  well 
that  prefer  not  heaven,  and  none  come  to  heaven,  at  age,  that  are 
not  prepared  by  well  using  earth.  Heaven  must  have  the  deepest 
esteem,  and  habitual  love,  and  desire,  and  joy  ;  but  earth  must 
have  more  of  our  daily  thoughts  for  present  practice.  A  man  that 
travelleth  to  the  most  desirable  home,  hath  a  habit  of  desire  to  it 
all  the  way,  but  his  present  business  is  his  travel ;  and  horse,  and 
company,  and  inns,  and  ways,  and  weariness,  &,c.,  may  take  up 
more  of  his  sensible  thoughts,  and  of  his  talk,  and  action,  than  his 
home. 

Use  2.  I  have  oft  marveled  to  find  David,  in  the  Psalms,  and 
other  saints,  before  Christ's  coming,  to  have  expressed  so  great  a 
sense  of  the  things  of  this  present  life,  and  to  have  said  so  little  of 
another ;  to  have  made  so  great  a  matter  of  prosperity,  dominions, 
and  victories,  on  one  hand,  and  of  enemies,  success,  and  persecu- 
tion, on  the  other.  But  I  consider  that  it  was  not  for  mere  per- 
sonal, carnal  interest,  but  for  the  church  of  God,  and  for  his  honor, 
word,  and  worship.  And  they  knew  that  if  things  go  well  with 
us  on  earth,  they  will  be  sure  to  go  well  in  heaven.  If  the  mili- 
tant church  prosper  in  holiness,  there  is  no  doubt  but  it  will  tri- 
umph in  glory.  God  will  be  sure  to  do  his  part  in  receiving  souls, 
if  they  be  here  prepared  for  his  receipt.  And  Satan  doth  much  of 
his  damning  work  by  men :  if  we  escape  their  temptations,  we  es- 
cape much  of  our  danger.  If  idolaters  prospered,  Israel  was  tempt- 
ed to  idolatry.  The  Greek  church  is  almost  swallowed  up  by 
Turkish  prosperity  and  dominion.  Most  follow  the  powerful  and 
prosperous  side.  And,  therefore,  for  God's  cause,  and  for  heaven- 
ly, everlasting  interest,  our  own  state,  but  much  more  the  church's, 
must  be  greatly  regarded  here  on  earth. 

Indeed,  if  earth  be  desired  only  for  earth,  and  prosperity  loved 
but  for  the  present  welfare  of  the  flesh,  it  is  the  certain  mark  of 
damning  carnality,  and  an  earthly  mind.  But  to  desire  peace,  and 


16  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

prosperity,  and  power,  to  be  in  the  hands  of  wise  and  faithful  men, 
for  the  sake  of  souls,  and  the  increase  of  the  church,  and  the  honor 
of  God,  that  his  name  may  be  hallowed,  his  kingdom  come,  and 
his  will  done  on  earth,  as  it  is  in  heaven ;  this  is  to  be  the  chief 
of  our  prayers  to  God. 

Use  3.  Be  not  unthankful,  then,  O  my  soul,  for  the  mercies  of 
this  present  life,  for  those  to  thy  body,  to  thy  friends,  to  the  land 
of  thy  nativity,  and  especially  to  the  church  of  God. 

1 .  This  body  is  so  nearly  united  to  thee,  that  it  must  needs  be 
a  great  help  or  hindrance.  Had  it  been  more  afflicted,  it  might 
have  been  a  discouraging  clog ;  like  a  tired  horse  in  a  journey,  or 
an  ill  tool  to  a  workman,  or  an  untuned  instrument  in  music.  A 
sick  or  bad  servant  in  a  house  is  a  great  trouble,  and  a  bad  wife 
much  more ;  but  thy  body  is  nearer  thee  than  either,  and  will  be 
more  of  thy  concern. 

And  yet  if  it  had  been  more  strong  and  healthful,  sense  and  ap- 
atite would  have  been  strong,  and  lust  would  have  been  strong, 
and  therefore  danger  would  have  been  greater,  and  victory  and 
salvation  much  more  difficult.  Even  weak  senses  and  temptations 
have  too  oft  prevailed.  How  knowest  thou,  then,  what  stronger 
might  have  done  ?  When  I  see  a  thirsty  man  in  a  fever  or  drop- 
sy, and  especially  when  I  see  strong  and  healthful  youths,  bred  up 
in  fullness,  and  among  temptations,  how  mad  they  are  in  sin,  and 
how  violently  they  are  carried  to  it,  bearing  down  God's  rebukes, 
and  conscience,  and  parents,  and  friends,  and  all  regard  to  their 
salvation,  it  tells  me  how  great  a  mercy  I  had  even  in  a  body  not 
liable  to  their  case. 

And  many  a  bodily  deliverance  hath  been  of  great  use  to  my 
soul,  renewing  my  time,  and  opportunity,  and  strength,  for  service, 
and  bringing  frequent  and  fresh  reports  of  the  love  of  God. 

If  bodily  mercies  were  not  of  great  use  to  the  soul,  Christ  would 
not  so  much  have  showed  his  saving  love,  by  healing  all  manner 
of  diseases,  as  he  did.  Nor  would  God  promise  us  a  resurrection 
of  the  body,  if  a  congruous  body  did  not  further  the  welfare  of  the 
soul. 

2.  And  I  am  obliged  to  great  thankfulness  to  God  for  the  mer- 
cies of  this  life  which  he  hath  showed  to  my   friends  ;    that  which 
furthers  their  joy  should  increase  mine.     I  ought  to  rejoice  with 
them  that  rejoice.     Nature  and  grace  teach  us  to  be  glad  when  our 
friends  are  well,  and  prosper,  though  all  in  order  to  better  things 
than  bodily  welfare. 

3.  And  such  mercies  of  this  life  to    the  land  of  our  habitation 
must  not  be  undervalued.     The  want  of  them  are   parts  of  God's 
threatened  curse  ;  and  godliness  hath  the  promise  of  this  life,  and 
of  that  which  is  to  corne,  and  so  is  profitable  to  all  things.     And 


17 

when  God  sends  on  a  land  the  plagues  of  famine,  pestilence,  war, 
persecution,  especially  a  famine  of  the  word  of  God,  it  is  a  great 
sin  to  be  insensible  of  it.  If  any  shall  say,  '  While  heaven  is  sure, 
we  have  no  cause  to  accuse  God,  or  to  cast  away  comfort,  hope, 
or  duty,'  they  say  well ;  but  if  they  say,  '  Because  heaven  is  all, 
we  must  make  light  of  all  that  befalleth  us  on  earth,'  they  say 
amiss. 

Good  princes,  magistrates,  and  public  spirited  men,  that  promote 
the  safety,  peace,  and  true  prosperity  of  the  commonwealth,  do 
hereby  very  much  befriend  religion,  and  men's  salvation,  and  are 
greatly  to  be  loved  and  honored  by  all.  If  the  civil  state,  called 
the  commonwealth,  do  miscarry,  or  fall  into  ruin  and  calamity,  the 
church  will  fare  the  worse  for  it,  as  the  soul  doth  by  the  ruins 
of  the  body.  The  Turkish,  Muscovite,  and  such  other  empires, 
tell  us  how  the  church  consumed),  and  dwindles  away  into  con- 
tempt, or  withered  ceremony  and  formality,  where  tyranny  brings 
slavery,  beggary,  or  long  persecution  on  the  subjects.  Doubtless, 
divers  passages  in  the  Revelations  contain  the  church's  glorifying 
of  God,  for  their  power  and  prosperity  on  earth,  when  emperors 
became  Christians :  what  else  can  be  meant  well  by  Rev.  v.  10. 
"  Hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  to  God,  and  we  shall  reign  on 
the  earth  ;  "  but  that  Christians  shall  be  brought  from  under  hea- 
then persecution,  and  have  rule  and  sacred  honor  in  the  world, 
some  of  them  being  princes ;  some  honored  church  guides ;  and 
all  a  peculiar,  honored  people.  And  had  not  Satan  found  out  that 
cursed  way  of  getting  wicked  men,  that  hate  true  godliness  and 
peace,  into  the  sacred  places  of  princes  and  pastors,  to  do  his  work 
against  Christ,  as  in  Christ's  name,  surely  no  good  Christians 
would  have  grudged  at  the  power  of  rulers  of  state  or  church. 
Sure  I  am,  that  many,  called  Fifth  Monarchy  men,  seem  to  make 
this  their  great  hope,  that  rule  shall  be  .in  the  hands  of  righteous 
men ;  and  I  think  most  religious  parties  would  rejoice  if  those 
had  very  great  power,  whom  they  take  to  be  the  best  and  trustiest 
men  ;  which  shows  that  it  is  not  the  greatness  of  power  in  most 
princes,  or  sound  bishops,  that  they  dislike,  but  the  badness,  real  or 
supposed,  of  those  whose  power  they  mislike.  Who  will  blame 
power  to  do  good  ? 

Sure  the  three  first  and  great  petitions  of  the  Lord's  prayer  in- 
clude some  temporal  welfare  of  the  world  and  church,  without 
which  the  spiritual  rarely  prospereth  extensively,  (though  inten- 
sively in  a  few  it  may,)  since  miracles  ceased. 

4.  Be  thankful,  therefore,  for  all  the  church's  mercies  here  on 
earth  ;  for  all  the  protection  of  magistracy ;  the  plenty  of  preach- 
ers :  the  preservation  from  enemies ;  the  restraint  of  persecution  ; 
•  he  concord  of  Christians  :  and  increase  of  godliness  ;  which,  in  this 

VOL.  II.  •'{ 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 


land,  it  hath  had  in  our  ages  ;  notwithstanding  all  Satan's  malig- 
nant rage,  and  all  the  bloody  wars  that  have  interrupted  our  tran- 
quillity. How  many  Psalms  of  joyful  thanksgiving  be  there  for 
Israel's  deliverances,  and  the  preservation  of  Zion,  and  God's  wor- 
ship in  his  sanctuary  !  Pray  for  the  peace  of  Jerusalem :  they 
shall  prosper  that  love  it.  Especially  that  the  gospel  is  continued, 
while  so  many  rage  against  it,  is  a  mercy  not  to  be  made  light  of. 

Use  4.  Be  especially  thankful,  O  my  soul,  that  God  hath  made 
any  use  of  thee  for  the  service  of  his  church  on  earth.  My  God, 
my  soul  for  this  doth  magnify  thee,  and  my  spirit  rejoiceth  in  the 
review  of  thy  great  undeserved  mercy  !  Oh  !  what  am  I,  whom 
thou  tookest  up  from  the  dunghill  or  low  obscurity,  that  I  should 
live,  myself,  in  the  constant  relish  of  thy  sweet  and  sacred  truth, 
and  with  such  encouraging  success  communicate  it  to  others  ! 
That  I  must  say,  now  my  public  work  seems  ended,  that  these 
forty-three  or  forty-four  years,  I  have  no  reason  to  think  that  ever 
I  labored  in  vain !  O,  with  what  gratitude  must  I  look  upon  all 
places  where  I  lived  and  labored  ;  but,  above  all,  that  place  that 
had  my  strength.  I  bless  thee  for  the  great  numbers  gone  to 
heaven,  and  for  the  continuance  of  piety,  humility,  concord,  and 
peace  among  them. 

And  for  all  that  by  my  writings  have  received  any  saving  light  and 
grace.  O  my  God  !  let  not  my  own  heart  be  barren  while  I  labor 
in  thy  husbandry,  to  bring  others  unto  holy  fruit.  Let  me  not  be  a 
stranger  to  the  life  and  power  of  that  saving  truth  which  1  have 
done  so  much  to  communicate  to  others.  O,  let  not  my  own  words 
and  writings  condemn  me,  as  void  of  that  divine  and  heavenly  na- 
ture and  life  which  I  have  said  so  much  for  to  the  world. 

Use  5.  Stir  up,  then,  O  my  soul,  thy  sincere  desires,  and  all  thy 
faculties,  to  do  the  remnant  of  the  work  of  Christ  appointed  thee 
on  earth,  and  then  joyfully  wait  for  the  heavenly  perfection  in  God's 
own  time. 

Thou  canst  truly  say,  "  To  live,  to  me,  is  Christ."  It  is  his 
work  for  \\hich  thou  livest:  thou  hast  no  other  business  in  the 
world  ;  but  thou  dost  his  work  with  the  mixture  of  many  oversights 
and  imperfections,  and  too  much  troublest  thy  thoughts  distrust- 
fully about  God's  part,  who  never  faileth.  If  thy  work  be  done,  be 
thankful  for  what  is  past,  and  that  thou  art  come  so  near  the  port 
of  rest :  if  God  will  add  any  more  to  thy  days,  serve  him  with 
double  alacrity,  now  thou  art  so  near  the  end  :  the  prize  is  almost 
within  sight :  time  is  swift  and  short.  Thou  hast  told  others  that 
there  is  no  working  in  the  grave,  and  that  it  must  be  now  or  never. 
Though  the  conceit  of  meriting  of  commutative  justice  be  no  bet- 
ter than  madness,  dream  not  that  God  will  save  the  wicked,  no, 
nor  (>iju;illv  reward  the  slothful  and  the  diligent,  because  Christ's 


INTRODUCTION^ 

righteousness  was  perfect.  Paternal  justice  maketh  difference 
according  to  that  worthiness  which  is  so  denominated  by  the  law 
of  grace.  And  as  sin  is  its  own  punishment,  holiness  and  obedi- 
ence is  much  of  its  own  reward.  Whatever  God  appointed!  thee 
to  do,  see  that  thou  do  it  sincerely,  and  with  all  thy  might.  If  sin 
dispose  men  to  be  angry  because  it  is  detected,  disgraced,  and  re- 
sisted, if  God  be  pleased,  their  wrath  should  be  patiently  borne, 
who  will  shortly  be  far  more  angry  with  themselves.  If  slander 
and  obloquy  survive,  so  will  the  better  effects  on  those  that  are 
converted ;  and  there  is  no  comparison  between  these.  I  shall 
not  be  hurt,  when  I  am  with  Christ,  by  the  calumnies  of  men  on 
earth ;  but  the  saving  benefit  will,  by  converted  sinners,  be  enjoy- 
ed everlastingly.  Words  and  actions  are  transient  things,  and,  be- 
ing once  past,  are  nothing ;  but  the  effects  of  them,  on  an  immor- 
tal soul,  may  be  endless.  All  the  sermons  that  I  have  preached  are 
nothing  now;  but  the  grace  of  God,  on  sanctified  souls,  is  the  be- 
ginning of  eternal  life.  It  is  unspeakable  mercy  to  be  sincerely 
thus  employed  with  success  ;  therefore,  I  had  reason,  all  this  while, 
to  be  in  Paul's  strait,  and  make  no  haste  in  my  desires  to  depart. 
The  crown  will  come  in  its  due  time  ;  and  eternity  is  long  enough 
to  enjoy  it,  how  long  soever  it  be  delayed:  but  if  I  will  do  that 
which  must  obtain  it  for  myself  and  others,  it  must  be  quickly  done, 
before  my  declining  sun  be  set. 

O  that  I  had  no  worse  causes  of  my  unwillingness  yet  to  die, 
than  my  desire  to  do  the  work  of  life  for  my  own  and  other  men's 
salvation,  and  to  finish  my  course  with  joy,  and  the  ministry  com- 
mitted to  me  by  the  Lord. 

Use  6.  And  as  it  is  on  earth  that  I  must  do  good  to  others,  so  it 
must  be  in  a  manner  suited  to  their  state  on  earth.  Souls  are  here 
closely  united  to  bodies,  by  which  they  must  receive  much  good 
or  hurt :  do  good  to  men's  bodies,  if  thou  wouldest  do  good  to  their 
souls  :  say  not,  things  corporeal  are  worthless  trifles,  for  which  the 
receivers  will  be  never  the  better ;  they  are  things  that  nature  is 
easily  sensible  of;  and  sense  is  the  passage  to  the  mind  and  will. 
Dost  not  thou  find  what  a  help  it  is  to  thyself  to  have,  at  any  time, 
any  ease  and  alacrity  of  body  ?  And  what  a  burden  and  hin- 
drance pains  and  cares  are  ?  Labor,  then,  to  free  others  from  such 
burdens  and  temptations,  and  be  not  regardless  of  them.  If  thou 
must  rejoice  with  them  that  rejoice,  and  mourn  with  them  that 
mourn,  further  thy  own  joy  in  furthering  theirs,  and  avoid  thy 
own  sorrows  in  avoiding  or  curing  theirs. 

But,  alas  !  what  power  hath  selfishness  in  most !  How  easily  do 
we  bear  our  brethren's  pains,  reproaches,  wants,  and  afflictions,  in 
comparison  of  our  own  !  how  few  thoughts,  and  how  little  cost  or 
labor,  do  we  use  for  their  supply,  in  comparison  of  what  we  do  for 


•-:••  BAXTER'S   UTINC  THOUGHT-. 

ourselves  '.  Nature,  indeed,  teacbeth  us  to  be  most  sensible  of  our 
own  case  ;  but  grace  tells  u?.  that  we  should  not  make  so  s:reat  a 
difference  as  we  do,  but  should  love  our  neighbors  as  ourselves. 

Use  1.  And  now,  O  my  soul,  consider  how  mercifully  God  hath 
dealt  with  thee,  that  thy  strait  should  be  between  two  conditions 
so  desirable.  I  shall  either  die  speedily,  or  stay  yet  lons:er  upon 
eartb  ;  whichever  it  be.  it  will  be  a  merciful  and  comfortable  state ; 
that  it  is  desirable  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ,  I  must  not  doubt, 
and  shall  anon  more  copiously  consider.  And  if  my  abode  on 
eartb  yet  longer  be  so  great  a  mercy  as  to  be  put  in  the  balance 
against  my  present  possession  of  heaven,  surely  it  must  be  a  state 
which  obligeth  me  to  great  thankfulness  to  God.  and  comfortable 
acknowledgment ;  and  surely  it  is  not  my  pain,  or  sickness,  my 
sufferings  from  malicious  men.  that  should  make  this  life  on  earth 
unacceptable,  while  God  will  continue  it.  Paul  had  his  prick  or 
tbom  in  the  flesh,  the  messenger  of  Satan  to  buffet  him.  and  suffered 
more  from  men  (though  less  in  his  health)  than  I  have  done ;  and 
yet  he  gloried  in  such  infirmities,  and  rejoiced  in  his  tribulations,  and 
was  in  a  strait  between  living  and  dying ;  yea.  rather  chose  to  live 
yet  longer. 

Alas !  h  is  another  kind  of  strait  that  most  of  the  world  are  in. 
The  strait  of  most  is  between  the  desire  of  life  for  fleshly  interest, 
and  the  fear  of  death,  as  ending  their  felicity.  The  strait  of  many 
is,  between  a  tiring  world  and  body,  which  maketh  them  weary  of 
living,  and  the  dreadful  prospect  of  future  danger,  which  makes 
them  afraid  of  dying :  if  they  live,  it  is  in  misery  ;  if  they  must  die, 
they  are  afraid  of  greater  misery.  Which  way  ever  they  look,  be- 
hind or  before  them,  to  this  world  or  the  next,  fear  and  trouble  is 
their  lot.  Yea,  many  an  upright  Christian,  through  the  weakness 
of  his  trust  in  God,  doth  live  in  this  perplexed  strait ;  wear)-  of 
living,  and  afraid  of  dying  ;  between  grief  and  fear,  they  are  press- 
ed continually.  But  Paul's  strait  was  between  two  joys ;  which 
of  them  he  should  desire  most;  and  if  that  be  my  case,  what 
should  much  interrupt  my  peace  or  pleasure  1  If  I  live,  it  is  for 
Christ ;  for  his  work,  and  for  his  church  :  for  preparation  for  my 
own  and  others'  everlasting  felicity :  and  should  any  suffering, 
which  maketh  me  not  unserviceable,  make  me  impatient  with  such 
a  work  and  such  a  life  1  If  I  die  presently,  it  is  my  gain  ;  God, 
who  appointeth  me  my  work,  doth  limit  my  time  ;  and  sure  his  glo- 
rious reward  can  never  be  unseasonable,  or  come  too  soon,  if  it  be 
the  time  that  he  appointeth.  When  I  first  engaged  myself  to 
preach  the  gospel,  I  reckoned  (as  probable)  but  upon  one  or  two 
years ;  and  God  hath  continued  me  yet  above  forty-four ;  (with 
such  interruptions  as  others  in  these  times  have  had  ;)  and  what 
reason  have  I  now  to  be  unwilling,  either  to  live  or  die :  God's 


INTRODUCTION. 


„ 


service  hath  been  so  sweet  to  me,  that  it  bath  overcome  the  trou- 
ble of  constant  pains,  or  weakness  of  the  flesh,  and  all  that  men 
have  said  or  done  against  me. 

But  the  following  crown  exceeds  this  pleasure,  more  than  I  am 
here  capable  to  conceive.  There  is  some  trouble  in  all  this  pleas- 
ant work,  from  which  the  soul  and  flesh  would  rest ;  and  blessed 
are  the  dead,  that  die  m  the  Lord ;  even  so  saith  the  Spirit ;  for 
they  rest  from  their  labcas,  and  their  works  follow  tbem. 

But.  O  my  soul,  what  needest  thou  be  troubled  in  this  kind  of 
strait  ?  It  is  not  left  to  thee  to  choose  whether  or  when  tbou  wilt 
live  or  die.  It  is  God  that  will  determine  it,  who  is  infinitely  fitter 
to  choose  than  thou.  Leave,  therefore,  his  own  work  to  himself, 
and  mind  that  which  is  thine :  whilst  thou  livest,  live  to  Christ ; 
and  when  thou  diest.  thou  shall  die  to  Christ ;  even  into  his  bless- 
ed hands  :  so  live  that  thou  mayest  say.  ••  It  is  Christ  liveth  in  me, 
and  the  life  that  I  live  m  the  flesh.  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of 
God,  who  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me  ; "  and  then,  as  tbou 
bast  lived  in  the  comfort  of  hope,  thou  sbalt  die  unto  the  comfort  of 
vision  and  fruition.  And  when  thou  canst  say.  "  He  is  the  God 
whose  I  am,  and  whom  I  serve,"  thou  mayest  boldly  add,  •  and 
whom  I  trust,  and  to  whom  I  commend  my  departing  soul ;  and 
I  know  whom  I  have  trusted.1 


MR.  BAXTER'S 
DYING   THOUGHTS 


PHIL.  i.  23. 

FOR  I  AM  IN  A  STRAIT  BETWIXT  TWO,  HAVING  A  DESIRE  TO  DEPART, 
AND  TO  BE  WITH  CHRIST,  WHICH  IS  FAR  BETTER.  (Or,  FOR  THIS 
IS  MUCH  RATHER  TO  BE  PREFERRED,  OR  BETTER.) 

"  MAN  that  is  born  of  a  woman  is  of  few  days,  and  full  of  trou- 
ble. He  cometh  forth  like  a  flower,  and  is  cut  down  :  he  fleeth 
also  as  a  shadow,  and  continueth  not.  And  dost  thou  open  thine 
eyes  upon  such  a  one,  and  bringest  me  into  judgment  with  thee  ? " 
saith  Job,  xiv.  1 — 3.  As  a  watch  when  it  is  wound  up,  or  as  a 
candle  newly  lighted,  so  man,  newly  conceived  or  born,  beginneth 
a  motion,  which  incessantly  hasteth  to  its  appointed  period.  And 
an  action,  and  its  time  that  is  past,  is  nothing ;  so  vain  a  thing 
would  man  be,  and  so  vain  his  life,  were  it  not  for  the  hopes  of  a 
more  durable  life,  which  this  referreth  to.  But  those  hopes,  and 
the  means,  "do  not  only  difference  a  believer  from  an  infidel,  but  a 
man  from  a  beast.  When  Solomon  describeth  the  difference,  in 
respect  to  the  time  and  things  of  this  life  only,  he  truly  tells  us, 
that  one  end  here  befalling  both,  doth  show  that  both  are  here 
but  vanity,  but  man's  vexation  is  greater  than  the  beasts'.  And 
Paul  truly  saith  of  Christians,  that  if  our  hope  were  only  in  this 
life,  (that  is,  in  the  time  and  things  of  this  life  and  world,)  we  were, 
of  all  men,  the  most  miserable.  Though  even  in  this  life,  as  re- 
lated to  a  better,  and  as  we  are  exercised  about  things  of  a  higher 
nature  than  the  concerns  of  temporal  life,  we  are  far  happier  than 
any  worldlings. 

Being  to  speak  to  myself,  I  shall  pass  by  all  the  rest  of  the  mat- 
ter of  this  text,  and  suppose  its  due  explication,  and  spread  before 
my  soul  only  the  doctrine  and  uses  of  these  two  propositions  con- 
tained in  it.  FIRST,  That  the  souls  of  believers,  when  departed 
hence,  shall  be  with  Christ.  SECONDLY,  That  so  to  be  with 
Christ  is  far  better  for  them  than  to  be  here  in  the  body. 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  23 


THE    SOULS    OF    BELIEVERS,    WHEN    DEPARTED    HENCE,  SHALL  BE 
WITH   CHRIST. 

Concerning  the  FIRST,  my  thoughts  shall  keep  this  order. 
/.  I  shall  consider  the  necessity  of  believing  it.  //.  Whether  it 
be  best  believing  jt,  without  consideration  of  the  proofs  or  difficul- 
ties. HI.  The  certainty  of  it  manifested  for  the  exercise  of  faith. 

7.  Whether  the  words  signify  that  we  shall  be  in  the  same  place 
with  Christ,  (which  Grotius  groundlessly  denieth,)  or  only  in  his 
hand,  and  care,  and  love,  I  will  not  stay  to  dispute.  Many  other 
texts,  concurring,  do  assure  us  that  "we  shall  be  with  him  where 
he  is;"  John  xii.  26,  and  xvii.  24,  &c.  At  least,  "with  him," 
can  mean  no  less  than  a  state  of  communion,  and  a  participation 
of  felicity.  And  to  believe  such  a  state  of  happiness  for  departed 
souls,  is  of  manifold  necessity  or  use. 

1.  If  this  be  not  soundly  believed,  a  man  must  live  besides,  or 
below,  the  end  of  life.     He  must  have  a  false  end,  or  be  uncertain 
what  should  be  his  end. 

I  know  it  may  be  objected,  that  if  I  make  it  my  end  to  please 
God,  by  obeying  him,  and  doing  all  the  good  I  can,  and  trust  him 
with  my  soul,  and  future  estate,  as  one  that  is  utterly  uncertain 
what  he  will  do  with  me,  I  have  an  end  intended,  which  will  make 
me  godly,  charitable,  and  just,  and  happy,  so  far  as  I  am  made  for 
happiness ;  for  the  pleasing  of  God  is  the  right  end  of  all. 

But,  1.  Must  I  desire  to  please  him  no  better  than  I  do  in  this 
imperfect  state,  in  which  I  have  and  do  so  much  which  is  displeas- 
ing to  him?  He  that  must  desire  to  please  him,  must  desire  to 
please  him  perfectly  ;  and  our  desire  of  our  ultimate  end  must  have 
no  bounds,  or  check.  Am  I  capable  of  pleasing  God  no  better 
than  by  such  a  sinful  life  as  this  ? 

2.  God  hath  made  the  desire  of  our  own  felicity  so  necessary  to 
the  soul  of  man,  that  it  cannot  be  expected  that  our  desire  to  please 
him  should  be  separated  from  this. 

3.  Therefore,  both  in  respect  of  God,  as  the  end,  and  of  our  feli- 
city, as  our  second  end,  we  must  believe  that  he  is  the  beatifying 
rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek  him. 

For,  1.  If  we  make  such  an  ill  description  of  God,  as  that  he 
will  turn  our  pleasing  him  to  our  loss,  or  will  not  turn  it  to  our 
gain  and  welfare,  or  that  we  know  not  whether  he  will  do  so  or 
not,  it  will  hinder  our  love,  and  trust,  and  joy,  in  him,  by  wyhich 
we  must  please  him,  and,  consequently,  hinder  the  alacrity,  .and 
soundness,  and  constancy,  of  our  obedience. 

2.  And  it  will  much  dismiss  that  self-love,  which  must  excite  us  ; 
and  it  will  take  off  part  of  our  necessary  end.  And  I  think  the 
objectors  "~nu!<l  r-onfrsK,  tlint  if  they  have  no  certainty  what  God 


24  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

will  do  with  them,  they  must  have  some  probability  and  hope,  be- 
fore they  can  be  sincerely  devoted  here  to  please  him. 

And,  1.  If  a  man  be  but  uncertain  what  he  should  make  the 
end  of  his  life,  or  what  he  should  live  for,  how  can  he  pitch  upon 
an  uncertain  end  ?  And  if  he  waver  so  as  to  have  no  end,  he  can 
use  no  means  ;  and  if  end  and  means  be  all  laid  by,  the  man  liveth 
not  as  a  man  but  as  a  brute :  and  what  a  torment  must  it  be  to  a 
considering  mind  to  be  uncertain  what  to  intend  and  do  in  all  the 
tenor  and  actions  of  his  life  !  Like  a  man  going  out  at  his  door, 
not  knowing  whither  or  what  to  do,  or  which  way  to  go ;  either  he 
will  stand  still,  or  move  as  brutes  do,  by  present  sense,  or  as  a  wind- 
mill, or  weathercock,  as  he  is  moved. 

2.  But  if  he  pitch  upon  a  wrong  end,  it  may  yet  be  worse  than 
none  ;  for  he  will  but  do  hurt,  or  make  work  for  repentance  :  and 
all  the  actions  of  his  life  must  be  formally  wrong,  how  good  soever 
materially,  if  the  end  of  them  be  wrong. 

II.  And  if  I  fetch  them  not  from  this  end,  and  believe  not  in 
God  as  a  rewarder  of  his  servants,  in  a  better  life,  what  motives 
shall  I  have,  which,  in  our  present  difficulties,  will  be  sufficient  to 
cause  me  to  live  a  holy,  yea,  or  a  truly  honest  life  ?  All  piety  and 
honesty,  indeed,  is  good,  and  goodness  is  desirable  for  itself;  but 
the  goodness  of  a  means  is  its  aptitude  for  the  end ;  and  we  have 
here  abundance  of  impediments,  competitors,  diversions,  and  temp- 
tations, and  difficulties  of  many  sorts  ;  and  all  these  must  be  over- 
come by  him  that  will  live  in  piety  or  honesty  ;  and  our  natures, 
we  find,  are  diseased,  and  greatly  indisposed  to  unquestionable  du- 
ties ;  and  will  they  ever  discharge  them,  and  conquer  all  these  dif- 
ficulties and  temptations,  if  the  necessary  motive  be  not  believed  ? 
Duty  to  God  and  man  is  accidentally  hard  and  costly  to  the  flesh, 
though  amiable  in  itself.  It  may  cost  us  our  estates,  our  liberties, 
our  lives.  The  world  is  not  so  happy  as  commonly  to  know  good 
men  from  bad,  or  to  encourage  piety  and  virtue,  or  to  forbear  op- 
posing them.  And  who  will  let  go  his  present  welfare,  without 
some  hope  of  better,  as  a  reward?  Men  use  not  to  serve  God  for 
nought ;  nor  that  think  it  will  be  their  loss  to  serve  him. 

A  life  of  sin  will  not  be  avoided  upon  lower  ends  and  motives  : 
nay,  those  lower  ends,  when  alone,  will  be  a  constant  sin  them- 
selves. A  preferring  vanity  to  glory,  the  creature  to  God,  and  a 
setting  our  heart  on  that  which  will  never  make  us  happy  :  and 
when  lust  and  appetite  incline  men,  strongly  and  constantly,  to 
their  several  objects,  what  shall  sufficiently  restrain  them,  except 
the  greater  and  more  durable  delights  or  motives  fetched  from  pre- 
ponderating things  ?  Lust  and  appetite  distinguish  not  between 
lawful  and  unlawful.  We  may  see  in  the  brutish  politics  of  Ben- 


BAXTER'S   DYING  THOUGHT-.  25 

edictus  Spiuosa,  in  his  Tractat.  Theolog.  Polit.,  whither  the  prin- 
ciples of  infidelity  tend.  If  sin  so  overspread  the  earth,  that  the 
whole  world  is  as  drowned  in  wickedness,  notwithstanding  all  the 
hopes  and  fears  of  a  life  to  come,  what  would  it  do  were  there  no 
such  hopes  and  fears  ? 

III.  And  no  mercy  can  be   truly  known  and  estimated,  nor 
rightly  used  and  improved,  by  him  that  seeth  not   its  tendency  to 
the  end,  and  perceiveth  not  that  it  leadeth  to  a  better  life,  and 
useth  it  not  thereunto.     God  dealeth  more  bountifully  with  us  than 
worldlings  understand.     He  giveth  us  all  the  mercies  of  this  life,  as 
helps  to  an  immortal  state  of  glory,  and  as  earnests  of  it.     Sensual- 
ists know  not  what  a  soul  is,  nor  what  soul  mercies  are  ;  and,  there- 
fore, not  what  the  soul  of  all  bodily  mercies  are,  but  take  up  only 
with  the  carcass,  shell,  or  shadow.     If  the  king  would  give  me  a 
lordship,  and  send  me  a  horse  or  coach  to  carry  me  to  it,   and  1 
should  only  ride  about  the  fields  for  my  pleasure,  and  make  no 
other  use  of  it,  should  I  not  undervalue  and  lose  the  principal  bene- 
fit of  my  horse  or  coach  ?     No  wonder  if  unbelievers  be  unthank- 
ful, when  they  know  not  at  all  that  part  of  God's  mercies  which 
is  the  life  and  real  excellency  of  them. 

IV.  And,  alas  !  how  should  I  bear  with  comfort  the  sufferings 
of  this  wretched  life,  without  the   hopes  of  a  life  with  Christ? 
What  should  support  and  comfort  me  under  my  bodily  languishings 
and  pains,  my  weary  hours,  and  my  daily  experience  of  the  vanity 
and  vexation  of  all  things  under  the  sun,  had  I  not  a  prospect  of  a 
comfortable  end  of  all  ?     I,  that  have  lived  in  the  midst  of  great  and 
precious  mercies,  have  all  my  life  had   something  to  do  to  over- 
come the  temptation  of  wishing  that  I  had  never  been  born,   and 
had  never  overcome  it  but  by  the  belief  of  a  blessed  life  hereafter. 
Solomon's  sense  of  vanity  and   vexation  hath  long  made  all  the 
business,  and  wealth,  and  honor,  and  pleasure,  of  this  world,  as 
such,  appear  such  a  dream  and  shadow  to  me,  that  were  it  not  for 
the  end,  I  could  not  have  much  differenced  men's  sleeping  and 
their  waking  thoughts,  nor  have  much  more  have  valued  the  wak- 
ing than  the  sleeping  part  of  life,  but  should  have  thought  it  a 
kind  of  happiness  to  have  slept  from   the  birth  unto  the  death. 
Children  cry  when  they  come  into  the  world  ;  and  I  am  often  sorry 
when  I  am  awakened  out  of  a  quiet  sleep,  especially  to  the  busi- 
ness of  an  unquiet  day.     We  should  be  strongly   tempted,  in  our 
considering  state,  to  murmur  at  our  Creator,  as  dealing  much  hard- 
lier  by  us  than  by  the  brutes,  if  we  must  have  had  all  those  cares, 
and  griefs,  and  fears,  by  the  knowledge  of  what  we  want,  and  the 
prospect  of  death,  and  future  evils,  which  they  are  exempted  from, 
and  had  not,  withal,  had  the  hopes  of  a  future  felicity  to  support 
us.     Seneca  and  his  stoics  had  no  better  argument  to  silence  such 

VOL.    II.  4 


26  BAXTER'S  DTING  THOUGHTS. 

murmurers  who  believed  not  a  better  life,  than  to  tell  them,  that  if 
this  life  had  more  evil  than  good,  and  they  thought  God  did  them 
wrong,  they  might  remedy  themselves  by  ending  it  when  they 
would.  But  that  would  not  cure  the  repinings  of  a  nature  which 
found  itself  necessarily  weary  of  the  miseries  of  life,  and  yet  afraid 
of  dying.  And  it  is  no  great  wonder  that  many  thought  that  pre- 
existent  souls  were  put  into  these  bodies  as  a  punishment  of  some- 
thing done  in  a  former  life,  while  they  foresaw  not  the  hoped  end 
of  all  our  fears  and  sorrows.  '  O,  how  contemptible  a  thing  is  man  ! ' 
saith  the  same  Seneca;  'unless  he  lift  up  himself  above  human 
things.'  Therefore,  saith  Solomon,  when  he  had  glutted  himself 
with  all  temporal  pleasures,  "I  hated  life,  because  the  work  that 
is  wrought  under  the  sun  is  grievous  to  rne;  for  all  is  vanity  and 
vexation  of  spirit;"  Eccles.  ii.  17. 

//.  I  have  often  thought  whether  an  implicit  belief  of  a  future 
happiness,  without  any  search  into  its  nature,  and  thinking  of  any 
thing  that  can  be  said  against  it,  or  the  searching,  trying  way,  be 
better.  On  the  one  side,  1  have  known  many  godly  women  that 
never  disputed  the  matter,  but  served  God,  comfortably,  to  a  very 
old  age,  (between  eighty  and  one  hundred,)  to  have  lived  many 
years  in  a  cheerful  readiness  and  desire  of  death,  and  such  as  few 
learned,  studious  men  do  ever  attain  to  in  that  degree,  who,  no 
doubt,  had  this  as  a  divine  reward  of  their  long  and  faithful  service 
of  God,  and  trusting  in  him.  On  the  other  side,  a  studious  man 
can  hardly  keep  off  all  objections,  or  secure  his  mind  against  the 
suggestions  of  difficulties  and  doubts ;  and  if  they  come  in,  they 
must  be  answered,  seeing  we  give  them  half  a  victory  if  we  cast 
them  off  before  we  can  answer  them.  And  a  faith  that  is  not  up- 
held by  such  evidence  of  truth  as  reason  can  discern  and  justify,  is 
oft  joined  with  much  secret  doubting,  which  men  dare  not  open, 
but  do  not,  therefore,  overcome ;  and  its  weakness  may  have  a  weak- 
ening deficiency,  as  to  all  the  graces  and  duties  which  should  be 
strengthened  by  it.  And  who  knoweth  how  soon  a  temptation 
from  Satan,  or  infidels,  or  our  own  dark  hearts,  may  assault  us, 
which  will  not,  without  such  evidence  and  resolving  light,  be  over- 
come? And  yet  many  that  try,  and  reason,  and  dispute  most, 
have  not  the  strongest  or  most  powerful  faith. 

And  rny  thoughts  of  this  have  had  this  issue.  1.  There  is  a 
great  difference  between  that  light  which  showeth  us  the  thing  it- 
self, and  that  artificial  skill  by  which  we  have  right  notions,  names, 
definitions,  and  formed  arguments,  and  answers  to  objections. 
This  artificial,  logical,  organical  kind  of  knowledge  is  good  and  use- 
ful in  its  kind,  if  right;  like  speech  itself:  but  he  that  hath  much 
of  this,  may  have  little  of  the  former  ;  and  unlearned  persons  that 
have  little  of  t hi*,  may  have  more  of  the  former,  and  may  have 


BAXTERS  DYING  THOL'UHT*.  27 

those  inward  perceptions  of  the  verity  of  the  promises  and  rewards 
of  God,  which  they  cannot  bring  forth  into  artificial  reasonings  to 
themselves  or  others ;  who  are  taught  of  God,  by  the  effective  sort 
of  teaching  which  reacheth  the  heart,  or  will,  as  well  as  the  un- 
derstanding, and  is  a  giving  of  what  is  taught,  and  a  making  us  such 
as  we  are  told  we  must  be.*  And  who  findeth  not  need  to  pray 
hard  for  this  effective  teaching  of  God,  when  he  hath  got  all  or- 
ganical  knowledge,  and  words  and  arguments  in  themselves  most 
apt,  at  his  fingers'  ends,  as  we  say  ?  When  I  can  prove  the  truth 
of  the  word  of  God,  and  the  life  to  come,  with  the  most  convin- 
cing, undeniable  reasons,  I  feel  need  to  cry  and  pray  daily  to  God, 
to  increase  my  faith,  and  to  give  me  that  light  which  may  satisfy 
the  soul,  and  reach  the  end. 

2.  Yet  man,  being  a  rational  wight,  is  not  taught  by  mere  in- 
stinct and  inspiration,  and  therefore  this  effective  teaching  of  God 
doth  ordinarily  suppose  a  rational,  objective,  organical  teaching 
and  knowledge.  And  the  aforesaid  unlearned  Christians  are  con- 
vinced, by  good  evidence,  that  God's  word  is  true,  and  his  rewards 
are  sure,  though  they  have  but  a  confused  conception  of  this  evi- 
dence, and  cannot  word  it,  nor  reduce  it  to  fit  notions.  And  to 
drive  these  that  have  fundamental  evidence,  unseasonably  and 
hastily  to  dispute  their  faith,  and  so  to  puzzle  them  by  words  and 
artificial  objections,  is  but  to  hurt  them,  by  setting  the  artificial, 
organical,  lower  part,  which  is  the  body  of  knowledge,  against  the 
real  light  and  perception  of  the  thing,  (which  is  as  the  soul,)  even 
as  carnal  men  set  the  creatures  against  God,  that  should  lead  us  to 
God,  so  do  they  by  logical,  artificial  knowledge. 

But  they  that  are  prepared  for  such  disputes,  and  furnished  with 
all  artificial  helps,  may  make  good  use  of  them  for  defending  and 
clearing  up  the  truth  to  themselves  and  others,  so  be  it  they  use 
them  as  a  means  to  the  due  end,  and  in  a  right  manner,  and  set 
them  not  up  against,  or  instead  of,  the  real  and  effective  light. 

But  the  revealed  and  necessary  part  must  here  be  distinguished 
from  the  unrevealed  and  unnecessary.  To  study  till  we,  as  clear- 
ly as  may  be,  understand  the  certainty  of  a  future  happiness,  and 
wherein  it  consisteth,  (in  the  sight  of  God's  glory,  and  in  perfect, 
holy,  mutual  love,  in  union  with  Christ,  and  all  the  blessed,)  this 
is  of  great  use  to  our  holiness  and  peace.  But  when  w7e  will  know 
more  than  God  would  have  us,  it  doth  but  tend  (as  gazing  on  the 
sun)  to  make  us  blind,  and  to  doubt  of  certainties,  because  we 
cannot  be  resolved  of  uncertainties.  To  trouble  our  heads  too 
much  in  thinking  how  souls,  out  of  the  body,  do  subsist  and  act, 

*  This  is  the  true  mean  between  George  Keith  the  Quaker's  doctrine  of 
continued  inspiration  and  intuition;  and  that  on  the  other  extreme. 


•M  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

sensitively  or  not,  by  organs  or  without;  how  far  they  are  one,  and 
how  far  still  individuate  ;  in  what  place  they  shall  remain,  and  where 
is  their  paradise  or  heaven  ;  how  shall  they  be  again  united  to  the 
body,  whether  by  their  own  emission,  as  the  sunbeams  touch  their 
objects  here,  and  whether  the  body  shall  be  restored,  as  the  con- 
sumed flesh  of  restored  sick  men,  aliunde,  or  only  from  the  old 
materials.  A  hundred  of  these  questions  are  better  left  to  the 
knowledge  of  Christ,  lest  we  do  but  foolishly  make  snares  for  our- 
selves. Had  all  these  been  needful  to  us,  they  had  been  revealed. 
In  respect  to  all  such  curiosities,  and  needless  knowledge,  it  is  a 
believer's  wisdom  implicitly  to  trust  his  soul  to  Christ,  and  to  be 
satisfied  that  he  knoweth  what  we  know  not,  and  to  fear  that  vain, 
vexatious  knowledge,  or  inquisitiveness  into  good  and  evil,  which 
is  selfish,  and  savoreth  of  a  distrust  of  God,  and  is  that  sin,  and 
fruit  of  sin,  which  the  learned  world  too  little  feareth. 

III.  That  God  is  the  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek 
him,  and  that  holy  souls  shall  be  in  blessedness  with  Christ,  these 
following  evidences,  conjoined,  do  evince,  on  which  my  soul  doth 
raise  its  hopes. 

I.  The  soul,  which  is  an  immortal  spirit,  must  be  immortally  in 
a  good  or  bad  condition  :  but  man's  soul  is  an  immortal  spirit,  and 
the  good  are  not  in  a  bad  condition.  Its  immortality  is  proved 
thus :  A  spiritual,  or  most  pure,  invisible  substance,  naturally  en- 
dowed with  the  power,  virtue,  or  faculty  of  vital  action,  intel- 
lection and  volition,  which  is  not  annihilated  nor  destroyed  by  sep- 
aration of  parts,  nor  ceaseth,  or  loseth,  either  its  power,  species, 
individuation,  or  action,  is  an  immortal  spirit.  But  such  is  the  soul 
of  man,  as  shall  be  manifested  by  parts. 

1.  The  soul  is  a  substance;  for  that  which  is  nothing  can  do 
nothing :  but  it  doth  move,  understand,  and  will.  No  man  will 
deny  that  this  is  done  by  something  in  us,  and  by  some  substance, 
and  that  substance  is  it  which  we  call  the  soul.  It  is  not  nothing, 
and  it  is  within  us. 

As  to  them  that  say,  it  is  the  temperament  of  several  parts  con- 
junct, I  have  elsewhere  fully  confuted  them,  and  proved,  (1.)  That 
it  is  some  one  part  that  is  the  agent  on  the  rest,  which  all  they 
confess  that  think  it  to  be  the  material  spirits,  or  fiery  part.  It  is 
not  bones  ancl  flesh  that  understand,  but  a  purer  substance,  as  all 
acknowledge.  (2.)  What  part  soever  it  be,  it  can  do  no  more 
than  it  is  able  to  do,  and  a  conjunction  of  many  parts,  of  which  no 
one  hath  the  power  of  vitality,  intellection  or  volition,  formally  or 
eminently,  can  never,  by  contemperation,  do  those  acts  ;  for  there 
can  be  no  more  in  the  effect  than  is  in  the  cause,  otherwise  it  were 
no  effect. 

The  vanity  of  their  objections  that  tell  us,  a  lute,  a  watch,  a 


BAXTERS   DYING  THOUGHTS* 


book,  perform  that  by  cooperation  which  no  one  part  can  do,  I 
have  elsewhere  manifested.  (1.)  Many  strings,  indeed,  have  many 
motions,  and  so  have  many  effects  on  the  ear  and  fantasy,  which 
in  us  are  sound  and  harmony  :  but  all  is  but  a  percussion  of  the 
air  by  strings,  and  were  not  that  motion  received  by  a  sensitive 
soul,  it  would  be  no  music  or  melody  ;  so  that  there  is  nothing 
done  but  what  each  part  had  power  to  do.  But  intellection  and 
volition  are  not  the  conjunct  motions  of  all  parts  of  the  body,  re- 
ceiving their  form  in  a  nobler  intellective  nature,  as  the  sound  of 
the  strings  maketh  melody  in  man  :  if  it  were  so,  that  receptive 
nature  still  would  be  as  excellent  as  the  effect  impotteth.  (2.) 
And  the  watch,  or  clock,  doth  but  move  according  to  the  action  of 
the  spring,  or  poise  ;  but  that  it  moveth  in  such  an  order  as  be- 
cometh  to  man  a  sign  and  measure  of  time,  this  is  from  man  who 
ordereth  it  to  that  use.  But  there  is  nothing  in  the  motion  but 
what  the  parts  have  their  power  to  cause  ;  and  that  it  signifieth 
the  hour  of  the  days  to  us,  is  no  action,  but  an  object  used  by  a 
rational  soul,  as  it  can  use  the  shadow  of  a  tree,  or  house,  that  yet 
doth  nothing.  (3.)  And  so  a  book  doth  nothing  at  all,  but  is  a 
mere  objective  ordination  of  passive  signs,  by  which  man's  active 
intellect  can  understand  what  the  writer,  or  orderer,  did  intend  ; 
so  that  here  is  nothing  done  beyond  the  power  of  the  agent,  nor 
any  thing  in  the  effect  which  was  not  in  the  cause,  either  formally 
or  eminently.  But  for  a  company  of  atoms,  of  which  no  one  hath 
sense  or  reason,  to  become  sensitive  and  rational  by  mere  conjunct 
motion,  is  an  effect  beyond  the  power  of  the  supposed  cause. 

But  as  some  think  so  basely  of  our  noblest  acts,  as  to  think  that 
contempered  agitated  atoms  can  perform  them,  that  have  no  natural 
intellective,  or  sensitive,  virtue  or  power  in  themselves,  so  others 
think  so  highly  of  them,  as  to  take  them  to  be  the  acts  only  of 
God,  or  some  universal  soul  in  the  body  of  man  ;  and  so  that  there 
is  no  life,  sense,  or  reason,  in  the  world  but  God  himself,  (or  such 
an  universal  soul  ;)  and  so,  that  either  every  man  is  God,  as  to  his 
soul,  or  that  it  is  the  body  only  that  is  to  be  called  man,  as  distinct 
from  God.  But  this  is  the  self-ensnaring  and  self-perplexing  te- 
merity of  busy,  bold,  and  arrogant  heads,  that  know  not  their  own 
capacity  and  measure.  And  on  the  like  reasons,  they  must  at  last 
come,  with  others,  to  say,  that  all  passive  matter  also  is  God,  and 
that  God  is  the  universe,  consisting  of  an  active  soul  and  passive 
body.  As  if  God  were  no  cause,  and  could  make  nothing,  or 
nothing  with  life,  or  sense,  or  reason. 

But  why  depart  we  from  things  certain,  by  such  presumptions 
as  these  ?  Is  it  not  certain  that  there  are  baser  creatures  in  the 
world  than  men  or  angels  ?  Is  it  not  certain  that  one  man  is  not 


30  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

another  ?  Is  it  not  certain  that  some  men  are  in  torment  of  body 
and  mind  ?  And  will  it  be  a  comfort  to  a  man  in  such  torment  to 
tell  him  that  he  is  God,  or  that  he  is  part  of  an  universal  soul  ? 
Would  not  a  man  on  the  rack,  or  in  the  stone,  or  other  misery,  say, 
'  Call  me  by  what  name  you  please,  that  easeth  not  my  pain.  If 
I  be  a  part  of  God,  or  an  universal  soul,  I  am  sure  I  am  a  torment- 
ed, miserable  part.  And  if  you  could  make  me  believe  that  God 
hath  some  parts  which  are  not  serpents,  toads,  devils,  or  wicked 
or  tormented  men,  you  must  give  me  other  senses,  and  perceptive 
powers,  before  it  will  comfort  me  to  hear  that  I  am  not  such  a 
part.  And  if  God  had  wicked  and  tormented  parts  on  earth,  why 
may  he  not  have  such,  and  I  be  one  of  them,  hereafter?  And  if 
I  be  a  holy  and  happy  part  cf  God,  or  of  an  universal  soul  on 
earth,  why  may  not  I  hope  to  be  such  hereafter  ? ' 

We  deny  not  but  that  God  is  the  continued,  first  cause  of  all 
being  whatsoever ;  and  that  the  branches  and  fruit  depend  not, 
as  effects,  so  much  on  the  causality  of  the  stock  and  roots,  as  the 
creature  doth  on  God  ;  and  that  it  is  an  impious  conceit  to  think 
that  the  world,  or  any  part  of  it,  is  a  being  independent,  and  sepa- 
rated totally  from  God,  or  subsisting  without  his  continued  causa- 
tion. But  cannot  God  cause,  as  a  creator,  by  making  that  which 
is  not  himself?  This  yieldeth  the  self-deceiver  no  other  honor 
nor  happiness  but  what  equally  belongeth  to  a  devil,  to  a  fly,  or 
worm,  to  a  dunghill,  or  to  the  worst  and  most  miserable  man  ? 

2.  As  man's  soul  is  a  substance,  so  is  it  a  substance  differenced 
formally  from  all  inferior  substances,  by  an  innate  (indeed  essen- 
tial) power,  virtue  or  faculty,  of  vital  action,  intellection,  and  free- 
will ;  for  we  find  all  these  acts  performed  by  it,  as  motion,  light, 
and  heat  are  by  the  fire  or  sun.    And  if  any  should  think  that  these 
actions  are,  like  those  of  a  musician,  compounded  of  the  agent's 
(principal  and  organical  several)  parts,  could  he  prove  it,  no  more 
would  follow,  but  that  the  lower  powers  (the  sensitive,  or  spirits) 
are  to  the  higher  as  a  passive  organ,  receiving  its  operations ;  and 
that  the  intellectual  soul  hath  the  power  of  causing  intellection  and 
volition  by  its  action  on  the  inferior  parts,  as  a  man  can  cause  such 
motions  of  his  lute,  as  shall  be  melody  (not  to  it,  but)  to  himself; 
and,  consequently,  that  as  music  is  but  a  lower  operation  of  man, 
(whose  proper  acts  of  intellection  and  volition  are  above  it,)  so 
intellection  and  volition  in  the  body  are  not  the  noblest  acts  of  the 
soul ;  but  it  performed  them  by  an  eminent  power,  which  can  do 
greater  things.     And  if  this  could  be  proved,  what  would  it  tend 
to  the  unbeliever's  ends,  or  to  the  disadvantage  of  our  hopes  and 
comforts  ? 

3.  That  man's  soul,  at  death,  is  not  annihilated,  even  the  atom- 


BAXTER'S  DTING  THOUGHTS.  31 

ists  and  epicureans  will  grant,  who  think  that  no  atom  in  the  uni- 
verse is  annihilated  ;  and  we  that  see,  not  only  the  sun  and  heavens 
continued,  but  every  grain  of  matter,  and  that  compounds  are 
changed  by  dissolution  of  parts,  and  rarefaction,  or  migration,  See., 
and  not  by  annihilation,  have  no  reason  to  dream  that  God  will 
annihilate  one  soul,  (though  he  can  do  it,  if  he  please,  yea,  and 
annihilate  all  the  world :)  it  is  a  thing  beyond  a  rational  ex- 
pectation. 

4.  And  a  destruction  by  the  dissolution  of  the  parts  of  the  soul, 
we  need  not  fear.     For,  (1.)   Either  an  intellectual  spirit  is  divis- 
ible and  partible,  or  not :  if  not,  we  need  not  fear  it :  if  it  be,  either 
it  is  a  thing  that  nature  tendeth  to,  or  not ;  but  that  nature  doth 
not  tend  to  it,  is  evident.     For  there  is  naturally  so  strange  and 
strong  an  inclination  to  unity,  and  averseness  to  separation  in  all 
things,  that  even  earth   and  stones,  that  have  no  other  (known) 
natural  motion,  have  yet  an  aggregate  motion  in  their  gravitation  : 
but  if  you  will  separate  the  parts  from  the  rest,  it  must  be  by  force. 
And  water  is  yet  more  averse  from  partition  without  force,  and 
more  inclined  to  union  than  earth,  and  air  than  water,  and  fire  than 
air ;  so  he  that  will  cut  a  sunbeam  into  pieces,  and  make  many 
of  one,  must  be  an  extraordinary  agent.     And,  surely,  spirits,  even 
intellectual  spirits,  will  be  no  less  averse  from  partition,  and  in- 
clined to  keep  their  unity,  than  fire  or  a  sunbeam  is ;  so  that  nat- 
urally it  is  not  a  thing«to  be  feared,  that  it  should  fall  into  pieces. 

(2.)  And  he  that. will  say,  that  the  God  of  nature  will  change, 
and  overcome  the  nature  that  he  hath  made,  must  give  us  good 
proofs  of  it,  or  it  is  not  to  be  feared.  And  if  he  should  do  it  as  a 
punishment,  we  must  find  such  a  punishment  somewhere  threaten- 
ed, either  in  his  natural  or  supernatural  law,  which  we  do  not,  and 
therefore  need  not  fear  it. 

(3.)  But  if  it  were  lo  be  feared  that  souls  were  partible,  and 
would  be  broken  into  parts,  this  would  be  no  destruction  of  them, 
either  as  to  their  substance,  powers,  form,  or  action,  but  only  a 
breaking  of  one  soul  into  many ;  for,  being  not  compounded  of 
heterogeneal  parts,  but,  as  simple  elements,  of  homogeneal  only, 
as  every  atom  of  earth  is  earth,  and  every  drop  of  water  in  the  sea 
is  water,  and  every  particle  of  air  and  fire  is  air  and  fire,  and  have 
all  the  properties  of  earth,  water,  air,  and  fire ;  so  would  it  be  with 
every  particle  of  an  intellectual  spirit.  But  who  can  see  cause  to 
dream  of  such  a  partition,  never  threatened  by  God  ? 

5.  And  that  souls  lose  not  their  formal  powers,  or  virtues,  we 
have  great  reason  to  conceive  ;  because  they  are  their  natural  es- 
sence, not  as  mixed,  but  simple  substances :  and  though  some  im- 
agine that  the  passive  elements  may,  by  attenuation  or  incrassation, 
be  transmuted  one  into  another,  yet  we  see  that  earth  is  still  earth, 


RU^. 

32  BAXTERS    DYING    THOUGHTS. 

and  water  is  water,  and  air  is  air ;  and  their  conceit  hath  no  proof; 
and,  were  it  proved,  it  would  but  prove  that  none  of  these  are  a  first 
or  proper  element :  but  what  should  an  intellectual  spirit  be  chang- 
ed into  ?  how  should  it  lose  its  formal  power  ?  Not  by  nature  ;  for 
its  nature  hath  nothing  that  tendeth  to  deterioration,  or  decay,  or 
self-destruction.  The  sun  doth  not  decay  by  its  wonderful  motion, 
light,  and  heat ;  and  why  should  spirits  ?  Not  by  God's  destroy- 
ing them,  or  changing  their  nature ;  for,  though  all  things  are  in 
constant  motion,  or  revolution,  he  continueth  the  natures  of  the 
simple  beings,  and  shovveth  us,  that  he  delighteth  in  a  constancy 
of  operations,  insomuch  that,  hence,  Aristotle  thought  the  world 
eternal.  And  God  hath  made  no  law  that  threatened!  to  do  it  as 
a  penalty.  Therefore,  to  dream  that  intellectual  spirits  shall  be 
turned  into  other  things,  and  lose  their  essential,  formal  powers, 
which  specify  them,  is  without  and  against  all  sober  reason.  Let 
them  first  but  prove  that  the  sun  loseth  motion,  light  and  heat,  and 
is  turned  into  air,  or  water,  or  earth.  Such  changes  are  beyond  a 
rational  fear. 

6.  But  some  men  dream  that  souls  shall  sleep,  and  cease  their 
acts,  though  they  lose  not  their  powers.  But  this  is  more  unrea- 
sonable than  the  former.  For  it  must  be  remembered  that  it  is 
not  a  mere  obediential,  passive  power  that  we  speak  of,  but  an 
active  power,  consisting  in  as  great  an  inclination  to  act,  as  pas- 
sive natures  have  to  forbear  action.  So  that  if  such  a  nature  act 
not,  it  must  be  because  its  nacural  inclination  is  hindered  by  a 
stronger :  and  who  shall  hinder  it  ? 

(1.)  God  would  not  continue  an  active  power,  force,  and  in- 
clination in  nature,  and  forcibly  hinder  the  operation  of  that  nature 
which  he  himself  continueth  ;  unless  penally,  for  some  special  cause, 
which  he  never  gave  us  any  notice  of  by  any  threatening,  but  the 
contrary. 

(2.)  Objects  will  not  be  wanting,  for  all  the  world  will  be  still 
at  hand,  and  God  above  all.  It  is,  therefore,  an  unreasonable 
conceit  to  think  that  God  will  continue  an  active,  vital,  intellective, 
volitive  nature,  form,  power,  force,  inclination,  in  a  noble  substance, 
which-shall  use  none  of  these  for  many  hundred  or  thousand  years, 
and  so  continue  them  in  vain. 

Nay,  (3.)  It  is  rather  to  be  thought  that  some  action  is  their 
constant  state,  without  which  the  cessation  of  their  very  form 
would  be  inferred. 

But  all  that  can  be  said,  with  reason,  is,  that  separated  souls,  and 
souls  hereafter  in  spiritual  bodies,  will  have  actions  of  another  mode, 
and  very  different  from  these  that  we  now  perceive  in  flesh :  and 
be  it  so.  They  will  yet  be,  radically,  of  the  same  kind,  and  they 
will  be,  formally  or  eminently,  such  as  we  now  call  vitality,  intel- 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  33 

lection,  and  volition  ;  and  they  will  be  no  lower,  or  less  excellent,  if 
not  far  more ;  and  then  what  the  difference  will  be,  Christ  know- 
eth,  whom  I  trust,  and  in  season  I  shall  know.  But  to  talk  of  a 
dead  life,  and' an  unactive  activity,  or  a  sleeping  soul,  is  fitter  for  a 
sleeping  than  a  waking  man. 

It  is  true,  that  diseases  or  hurts  do  now  hinder  the  souFs  intel- 
lectual perceptions  in  the  body ;  and  in  infancy,  and  sleep,  they 
are  imperfect.  Which  proveth,  indeed,  that  the  acts,  commonly 
called  intellection  and  volition,  have  now  something  in  them  also 
of  sensation,  and  that  sensitive  operations  are  diversified  by  the  or- 
gans of  the  several  senses.  And  that  bare  intellection  and  volition, 
without  any  sensation,  is  now  scarce  to  be  observed  in  us,  though 
the  soul  may  have  such  acts  intrinsically,  and  in  its  profundity. 
For  it  is  no\v  so  united  to  this  body,  that  it  acteth  on  it  as  our 
fonn  ;  and,  indeed,  the  acts  observed  by  us  cannot  be  denied  to  be 
such  as  are  specified,  or  modified,  at  least,  by  the  agents,  and  the 
recipients,  and  sub-agents'  parts  conjunct.  But,  (1.)  As  the  sun 
would  do  the  same  thing,  ex  parte  sui,  if  in  vacua  only  it  sent  forth 
its  beams,  though  this  were  no  illumination,  or  calefaction,  because 
there  were  no  recipient  to  be  illuminated  and  heated  by  it.  And 
it  would  lose  nothing  by  the  want  of  objects ;  so  the  soul,  had  it 
no  body  to  act  on,  would  have  its  profound  immanent  acts  of  self- 
living,  self-perceiving,  and  self-loving,  and  all  its  external  acts  on 
other  objects,  which  need  not  organs  of  sense  for  their  approxi- 
mation. And,  (2.)  Its  sensitive  faculty  is  itself,  or  such  as  it  is 
not  separated  from,  though  the  particular  sorts  of  sensation  may 
be  altered  with  their  uses  ;  and  therefore  it  may  still  act  on,  or 
with,  the  sense;  and  if  one  way  of  sensation  be  hindered,  it  hath 
another.  (3.)  And  how  far  this  lantern  of  flesh  doth  help,  or 
hinder,  its  operations,  we  know  not  yet,  but  shall  know  hereafter. 
Sondius  de  Orig.  AnimtK  (though  an  heretical  writer)  hath  said 
much  to  prove  that  the  body  is  a  hindrance,  and  not  a  help,  to  the 
soul's  intuition.  And  if  ratiocination  be  a  compound  act,  yet  in- 
tuition may  be  done  forever  by  the  soul  alone.  (4.)  But  as  we  are 
not  to  judge  what  powers  the  soul  hath,  when  the  acts  are  hinder- 
ed, but  when  they  are  done  ;  nor  what  souls  were  made  by  God 
for,  by  their  state  in  the  womb,  or  infancy,  or  diseases,  but  by  our 
ordinary,  mature  state  of  life  ;  so  we  have  little  reason  to  think  that 
the  same  God  who  made  them  for  life,  intellection  and  volitions 
here,  will  not  continue  the  same  powers  to  the  same,  or  as  noble 
uses  hereafter,  whether  with  organs,  or  without,  as  pleaseth  him. 
If  in  this  flesh  our  spirits  were  not  inactive  and  useless,  we  have 
no  reason  to  think  that  they  will  be  so  hereafter,  and  that  forever. 

This  greatest  and  hardest  of  all  objections  doth  not  make  us  con- 
fess, (with  Contarenus,  contra  Pomponatium  de  Anim.  Immortalit.,} 
TOL.  n.  5 


34  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

that  though,  by  the  light  of  nature,  we  may  know  the  immortality 
of  souls,  (and  that  they  lose  not  their  powers  or  activity,)  yet, 
without  supernatural  light,  we  know  not  what  manner  of  action 
they  will  have  in  their  separated  state,  or  in  another  world,  because 
here  they  act  according  to  objective  termination,  and  the  recep- 
tivity of  the  sense  and  fantasy,  and  recipitur  ad  modum  recipi- 
entis ;  and  in  the  womb  we  perceive  not  that  it  acteth  intellectu- 
ally at  all. 

But  we  know,  That,  (1.)  If  even  then  it  differed  not  in  its  for- 
mal power  from  the  souls  of  brutes,  it  would  not  so  much  afterward 
differ  in  act ;  and  it  would  never  be  raised  to  that  which  was  not 
virtually  in  its  nature  at  the  first.  (2.)  And  we  find  that  even 
very  little  children  have  quick  and  strong  knowledge  of  such  ob- 
jects as  are  brought  within  their  reach ;  and  that  their  ignorance  is 
not  for  want  of  an  intellectual  power,  but  for  want  of  objects,  or 
images  of  things,  which  time,  and  use,  and  conversation  among  ob- 
jects, must  furnish  their  fantasies  and  memories  with.  And  so  a 
soul  in  the  womb,  or  in  an  apoplexy,  hath  not  objects  of  intellec- 
tion within  its  reach  to  act  upon  ;  but  is  as  the  sun  to  a  room  that 
hath  no  windows  to  let  in  its  light.  (3.)  And  what  if  its  pro- 
found vitality,  self-perception,  and  self-love,  be  by  a  kind  of  sensa- 
tion and  intuition,  rather  than  by  discursive  reason  ;  I  doubt  not  but 
some  late  philosophers  make  snares  to  themselves  and  others,  by 
too  much  vilifying  sense  and  sensitive  souls,  as  if  sense  were  but 
some  losable  accident  of  contempered  atoms  :  but  sensation  (though 
diversified  by  organs  and  uses,  and  so  far  mutable)  is  the  act  of 
a  noble,  spiritual  form  and  virtue.  And  as  Charnbre,  and  some 
others,  make  brutes  a  lower  rank  of  rationals,  and  man  another  high- 
er species,  as  having  his  nobler  reason  for  higher  ends;  so  for  man 
to  be  the  noblest  order  (here)  of  sensitives,  and  to  have  an  intel- 
lect to  order,  and  govern  sensations,  and  connect  them  and  improve 
them,  were  a  noble  work,  if  we  had  no  higher.  And  if  intellec- 
tion and  volition  were  but  a  higher  species  of  internal  sensation 
than  imagination  and  the  fantasy  and  memory  are,  it  might  yet  be 
a  height  that  should  set  man  specifically  above  the  brutes.  And  I 
am  daily  more  and  more  persuaded, -that  intellectual  souls  are  es- 
sentially sensitive  and  more,  and  that  their  sensation  never  ceaseth. 
(4.)  And  still  I  say,  that  it  is  to  nature  itself  a  thing  unlikely,  that 
the  God  of  nature  will  long  continue  a  soul  that  hath  formally  or 
naturally  an  intellective  power,  in  a  state  in  which  it  shall  have  no 
use  of  it.  Let  others,  that  will,  inquire  whether  it  shall  have  a  ve- 
hicle or  none  to  act  in,  and  whether  aerial,  or  igneous,  and  ethereal, 
and  whether  it  be  really  an  intellectual  sort  of  fire,  as  material  as 
the  solar  fire,  whose  (not  compounding,  but)  inudequate-concepttis  ob- 
/eef*e»'are,an  igneous  susbtance,  and  formal  virtue  of  life,  sense,  and 


BAXTER'S   DYING  THOUOHTS.  •••"> 

intellection,  with  other  such  puzzling  doubts  ;  it  satisfied!  me.  th;it 
God  will  not  continue  its  nobler  powers  in  vain ;  and  how  they 
shall  be  exercised,  is  known  to^him;  and  that  God's  word  tells  us 
more  than  nature.  And  withal,  life,  intuition,  and  love,  (or  voli- 
tion,) are  acts  so  natural  to  the  soul,  (as  motion,  light,  and  heat, 
quoad  actum  to  fire,)  that  1  cannot  conceive  how  its  separation 
should  hinder  them,  but  rather  that  its  incorporation  hinderetu. 
the  two  latter,  by  hiding  objects,  whatever  be  said  of  abstractive 
knowledge  and  memory. 

7.  But  the  greatest  difficulty  to  natural  knowledge  is,  whether 
souls  will  continue  their  individuation,  or  rather  fall  into  one  com- 
mon soul,  or  return  so  to  God  that  gave  them,  as  to  be  no  more 
divers  (or  many)  individuals,  as  now  ;  as  extinguished  candles  are 
united  to  the  illuminated  air,  or  to  the  sunbeams  ;  but  of  this  I  have 
elsewhere  said  much  for  others ;  and  for  myself,  I  find  I  need  but 
this  :  1.  That,  as  I  said  before,  either  souls  are  partible  substances, 
or  not ;  if  not  partible,  how  are  they  unible  ?  If  many  may  be  made 
one,  by  conjunction  of  substances,  then  that  one  may  (by  God) 
be  made  many  again,  by  partition.  Either  all  (or  many)  souls  are 
now  but  one,  (individuate  only  by  matter,  as  many  gulfs  in  the 
sea,  or  many  candles  lighted  by  the  sun,)  or  not ;  if  they  are  not 
one  now  in  several  bodies,  what  reason  have  we  to  think  that  they 
will  be  one  hereafter,  any  more  than  now  ?  Augustine  (de  Anim.} 
was  put  on  the  question,  1.  Whether  souls  are  one,  and  not  many. 
And  that  he  utterly  denied.  2.  Whether  they  are  many,  and  not 
one.  And  that,  it  seemeth,  he  could  not  digest.  3.  Whether  they 
were  at  once  both  one  and  many.  Which  he  thought  would  seem 
to  some  ridiculous,  but  he  seemeth  most  to  incline  to.  And  as 
God  is  the  God  of  nature,  so  nature  (even  of  the  devils  themselves) 
dependeth  on  him,  as  I  said,  more  than  the  leaves,  or  fruit  do  on 
the  tree  ;  and  we  are  all  his  offspring,  and  live,  and  move,  and  are 
in  him;  Acts  xvii.  But  we  are  certain,  for  all  this,  1.  That 
we  are  not  God.  2.  That  we  are  yet  many  individuals,  and  not 
all  one  soul  or  man.  If  our  union  should  be  as  near  as  the  leaves 
and  fruit  on  the  same  tree,  yet  those  leaves  and  fruit  are  numerous, 
and  individual  leaves  and  fruits,  though  parts  of  the  tree.  And 
were  this  proved  of  our  present  or  future  state,  it  would  not  alter 
our  hopes  or  fears ;  for,  as  now,  though  we  all  live,  move,  and  be 
in  God,  (and,  as  some  dream,  are  parts  of  a  common  soul,)  yet  it 
is  certain,  that  some  are  better  and  happier  than  others  ;  some  wise 
and  good  ;  and  some  foolish  and  evil ;  some  in  pain  and  misery, 
and  some  at  ease,  and  in  pleasure  ;  and  (as  I  said)  it  is  now  no 
ease  to  the  miserable,  to  be  told  that,  radically,  all  souls  are  one ; 
no  more  will  it  be  hereafter,  nor  can  men  reasonably  hope  for,  or 
fear  such  an  union,  as  shall  make  their  state  the  same.  We  see 


36  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

in  nature,  as  I  have  elsewhere  said,  that  if  you  graft  many  sorts 
of  scions  (some  sweet,  some  bitter,  some  crabs)  on  the  same  stock, 
they  will  be  one  tree,  and  yet  have  diversity  of  fruit.  If  souls  be 
not  unible  nor  partible  substances,  there  is  no  place  for  this  doubt : 
if  they  be,  they  will  be  still  what  they  are,  notwithstanding  any 
such  union  with  a  common  soul.  As  a  drop  of  water  in  the  sea 
is  a  separable  part,  and  still  itself;  and  as  a  crab  upon  the  foresaid 
stock,  or  tree.  And  the  good  or  bad  quality  cease ih  not  by  any 
union  with  others. 

Sure  we  are,  that  all  creatures  are  in  God,  by  close  dependence, 
and  yet  that  the  good  are  good,  and  the  bad  are  bad ;  and  that 
God  is  good,  and  hath  no  evil ;  and  that,  when  man  is  tormented, 
or  miserable,  God  sufiereth  nothing  by  it,  (as  the  whole  man  doth, 
when  but  a  tooth  doth  ache,)  for  he  would  not  hurt  himself  were 
he  passive.  Therefore,  to  dream  of  any  such  cessation  of  our  in- 
dividuation  by  any  union  with  a  creature,  as  shall  make^  the  good 
less  good  or  happy,  or  the  bad  less  bad  or  miserable,  is  a  ground- 
less folly. 

Yet  it  is  very  probable  that  there  will  be  a  nearer  union  of  holy 
souls  with  God  and  Christ,  and  one  another,  than  we  can  here  con- 
ceive of:  but  this  is  so  far  from  being  to  be  feared,  that  it  is  the 
highest  of  our  hopes.  (1.)  God  himself  (though  equally  every 
where  in  his  essence)  doth  operate  very  variously  on  his  creatures. 
On  the  wicked,  he  operateth  as  the  first  cause  of  nature,  as  his  sun 
shineth  on  them.  On  some,  he  operateth  by  common  grace :  to 
some  he  giveth  faith  to  prepare  them  for  the  indwelling  of  his 
Spirit.  In  believers  he  dwelleth  by  love,  and  they  in  him  ;  and  if 
we  may  use  such  a  comparison,  as  Satan  acteth  on  some  only  by 
suggestions,  but  on  others  so  despotically  as  that  it  is  called  his 
possessing  them,  so  God's  Spirit  worketh  on  holy  souls,  so  pow- 
erfully and  constantly,  as  is  called  his  possessing  them.  And  yet, 
on  the  human  nature  of  Christ,  the  divine  nature  of  the  second 
person  hath  such  a  further,  extraordinary  operation,  as  is  justly 
called  a  personal  union  ;  which  is  not  by  a  more  essential  presence, 
(for  that  is  every  where,)  but  by  a  peculiar  operation  and  relation  : 
and  so,  holy  souls,  being  under  a  more  felicitating  operation  of  God, 
may  well  be  said  to  have  a  nearer  union  with  them  than  now 
they  have. 

(2.)  And  I  observe  that  (as  is  aforesaid)  all  things  have  natur- 
ally a  strong  inclination  to  union  and  communion  with  their  like  : 
every  clod  and  stone  inclineth  to  the  earth  :  water  would  go  to 
water,  air  to  air,  fire  to  fire  :  birds  and  beasts  associate  with  their 
like  ;  and  the  noblest  natures  are  most  strongly  thus  inclined;  and 
therefore  I  have  natural  reason  to  think  that  it  will  be  so  with 
holy  souls. 


"'•£ 
BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  37 

(3.)  And  I  find,  that  the  inordinate  contraction  of  man  to  him- 
self, and  to  the  interest  of  this  individual  person,  with  the  defect  of 
love  to  all  about  us,  according  to  every  creature's  goodness,  and 
especially  to  God,  the  infinite  good,  whom  we  should  love  above 
ourselves,  is  the  very  sum  of  all  the  pravity  of  man.  And  all  the 
injustice  and  injury  to  others,  and  all  the  neglect  of  good  works 
in  the  world,  and  all  our  daily  terrors,  and  self-distracting,  self-tor- 
menting cares,  and  griefs,  and  fears,  proceed  from  this  inordinate 
love  and  adhesion  to  ourselves  ;  therefore  I  have  reason  to  think, 
that,  in  our  better  state,  we  shall  perfectly  love  others  as  ourselves, 
and  the  selfish  love  will  turn  into  a  common  and  a  divine  love, 
which  must  be  by  our  preferring  the  common,  and  the  divine  good 
and  interest. 

And  I  am  so  sensible  of  the  power  and  plague  of  selfishness, 
and  how  it  now  corrupteth,  tempteth,  and  disquieteth  me,  that 
when  I  feel  any  fears,  lest  individuation  cease,  and  my  soul  fall 
into  one  common  soul,  (as  the  stoics  thought  all  souls  did  at  death,) 
I  find  great  cause  to  suspect,  that  this  ariseth  from  the  power  of 
this  corrupting  selfishness ;  for  reason  seeth  no  cause  at  all  to  fear 
it,  were  it  so. 

(4.)  For  I  find,  also,  that  the  nature  of  love  is  to  desire  as  near 
a  union  as  possible  ;  and  the  strongest  love  doth  strongliest  desire 
it.  Fervent  lovers  think  they  can  scarce  be  too  much  one  :  and 
love  is  our  perfection,  and  therefore  so  is  union. 

(5.)  And  I  find,  that  when  Christians  had  the  first  and  full 
pourings  out  of  the  Spirit,  they  had  the  ferventest  love,  and  the 
nearest  union,  and  the  least  desire  of  propriety  and  distance. 

(6.)  And  I  find,  that  Christ's  prayer  for  the  felicity  of  his  dis- 
ciples, is  a  prayer  for  their  unity  ;  John  xvii.  22,  23.  And  in  this 
he  placeth  much  of  their  perfection. 

(7.)  And  I  find,  also,  that  man  is  of  a  social  nature,  and  that  all 
men  find  by  experience,  that  conjunction  in  societies  is  needful  for 
their  safety,  strength,  and  pleasure. 

(8.)  And  I  find,  that  my  soul  would  fain  be  nearer  God,  and 
that  darkness  and  distance  is  my  misery,  and  near  communion  is  it 
that  would  answer  all  the  tendencies  of  my  soul :  why,  then,  should 
I  fear  too  near  a  union  ? 

I  think  it  utterly  improbable,  that  my  soul  should  become  more 
nearly  united  to  any  creature  than  to  God ;  (though  it  be  of  the 
same  kind  with  other  souls,  and  infinitely  below  God ;)  for  God  is 
as  near  me  as  I  am  to  myself:  I  still  depend  on  him,  as  the  effect 
upon  its  total,  constant  cause  ;  and  that  not  as  the  fruit  upon  the  tree, 
which  borroweth  all  from  the  earth,  water,  air,  and  fire,  which  it 
communicateth  to  its  fruit ;  but  as  a  creature  on  its  Creator,  who 
hath  no  being  but  what  it  receiveth  totally  from  God,  by  constant 


38  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

communication.  Hence  Antonine,  Seneca,  and  the  rest  of  the 
stoics,  thought  that  all  the  world  was  God,  or  one  great  animal, 
consisting  of  divine  spirit  and  matter,  as  man  of  soul  and  body  ; 
sometimes  calling  the  supposed  soul  of  the  world  God  ;  and  some- 
times calling  the  whole  world  God;  but  still  meaning  that  the 
universe  was  but  one  spirit  and  body  united,  and  that  we  all  are 
parts  of  God,  or  of  the  body  of  God,  or  accidents,  at  least. 

And  even  the  Popish  mystical  divines,  in  their  pretensions  to  the 
highest  perfection,  say  the  same  in  sense  ;  such  as  Benedict. 
Anglus  in  his  Regula  Perfectionis,  (approved  by  many  doctors,) 
who  placed  much  of  his  supereminent  life  in  our  believing  verily 
that  there  is  nothing  but  God,  as  the  beams  are  to  the  sun,  and  as 
the  heat  is  to  the  fire ;  (which  really  is  itself;)  and  so  teaching  us 
to  rest  in  all  things  as  good,  as  being  nothing  but  God's  essential  will, 
which  is  himself,  (resolving  even  our  sins  and  imperfections  accord- 
ingly into  God,  so  that  they  are  God's  or  none.) 

And  all  these  men  have  as  fair  a  pretense  for  the  concjeits  of 
such  an  union  with  God  now,  as  for  such  an  union  after  death :  for 
their  reason  is,  1.  That  God  being  infinite,  there  can  be  no  more 
beings  than  his  own ;  but  God  and  the  smallest  being  distinct, 
would  be  more  entity  than  God  alone ;  but  infinity  can  have  no 
addition.  2.  Because  ens  et  bonum  convertuntur ;  but  God  only 
is  good. 

And  if  we  are,  notwithstanding  all  this,  distinct  beings  from  God 
now,  we  shall  not  be  so  advanced  as  to  be  deified,  and  of  crea- 
tures, or  distinct  beings,  turned  into  a  being  infinitely  above  us. 
If  we  be  not  parts  of  God  now,  we  shall  not  be  so  then. 

But  if  they  could  prove  that  we  are  so  now,  we  should  quickly 
prove  to  them,  1.  That  then  God  hath  material,  divisible  parts, 
(as  the  stoics  thought.)  2.  And  that  we  are  no  such  parts,  as  are 
not  distinct  from  one  another ;  but  some  are  tormented,  and  some 
happy.  And,  3.  That  (as  is  said)  it  will  be  no  abatement  of  the 
misery  of  the  tormented,  nor  the  felicity  of  the  blessed,  to  tell 
them  that  they  are  all  parts  of  God ;  for,  though  the  manner  of 
our  union  with  him,  and  dependence  on  him,  be  past  our  compre- 
hension, yet  that  we  are  distinct  and  distant  from  each  other, 
and  have  each  one  a  joy  or  misery  of  his  own,  is  past  all  doubt. 
Therefore,  there  is  no  union  with  God  to  be  feared  by  holy  souls, 
but  the  utmost  possible  to  be  highliest  desired. 

And  if  our  union  with  God  shall  not  cease  our  individuation,  or  re- 
solve us  into  a  principle  to  be  feared,  we  may  say  also  of  our  union 
with  any  common  soul,  or  many  :  if  we  be  unible,  we  are  partible, 
and  so  have  a  distinct,  though  not  a  divided  substance,  which 
will  have  its  proper  accidents.  All  plants  are  parts  of  the  earth, 
really  united  to  it,  and  radicated  in  it,  and  live  and  are  nourished 


BAXTER'S  DYINO  THOUGHTS.  39 

by  it ;  and  yet  a  vine  is  a  vine ;  and  an  apple  is  an  apple ;  and  a 
rose  is  a  rose ;  and  a  nettle  is  a  nettle.  And  few  men  would  be 
toiled  horses,  or  toads,  if  it  were  proved  that  they  are  animated  by 
a  common  soul. 

But  God  letteth  us  see,  that  though  the  world  be  one,  yet  he 
d  ^ighteth  in  a  wonderful  diversity  and  multiplicity  of  individuals. 
How  various  and  numerous  are  they  in  the  sea,  and  on  the  land, 
and  in  the  air!  And  are  there  none  in  the  other  world?  How 
come  the  stars  therein  to  be  so  numerous,  which  are  of  the  same 
element  ?  and  though,  perhaps,  Saturn,  or  some  other  planets,  or 
many  stars,  may  send  forth  their  radiant  effluvia,  or  parts,  into  the 
same  air,  which  the  sunbeams  seem  totally  to  fill  and  illuminate, 
yet  the  rays  of  the  sun,  and  of  other  stars,  are  not  the  same,  how 
near  soever  in  the  same  air. 

Were  there  now  no  more  contraction  by  egoityj  or  propriety 
among  men,  nor  mine  and  thine  did  signify  no  more,  nor  the  dis- 
tance were  greater  than  that  of  the  several  drops  of  water  in  the 
sea,  or  particles  of  light  in  the  illuminated  air,  but  I  had  all  my 
part  in  such  a  perfect  unity  and  communion  with  all  others,  and 
knew  that  all  were  as  happy  as  I,  so  that  there  were  no  divisions 
by  cross  interests  or  minds,  but  all  were  one,  certainly  it  would 
make  my  own  comforts  greater  by  far  than  they  are  now.  Are 
not  an  hundred  candles  set  together  and  united  as  splendid  a  flame 
as  if  they  were  all  set  asunder  ?  So  one  soul,  one  love,  one  joy, 
would  be.* 

****** 

Obj.  But  this  would  equalize  the  good  and  bad,  or,  at  least, 
those  that  were  good  in  several  degrtes ;  and  where,  then,  were 
the  reward  and  punishment  ? 

Answ.  It  would  not  equal  them  at  all,  any  more  than  distinct 
personality  would  do:  for,  1.  The  souls  of  all  holy  persons  may 
be  so  united,  as  that  the  souls  of  the  wicked  shall  have  no  part  in 
that  union.  Whether  the  souls  of  the  wicked  shall  be  united  in 
one  sinful,  miserable  soul,  or,  rather,  but  in  one  sinful  society,  or 
be  greatlier  separate,  disunited,  contrary  to  each  other,  and  mili- 
tant, as  part  of  their  sin  and  misery,  is  nothing  to  this  case.  2. 
Yet  natural  and  moral  union  must  be  differenced.  God  is  the 
root  of  nature  to  the  worst ;  and  however  in  one  sense  it  is  said, 
that  there  is  nothing  in  God  but  God,  yet  it  is  true,  that  in  him  all 
live,  and  move,  and  have  their  being ;  but  yet  the  wicked's  in- 
being  in  God  doth  afford  them  no  sanctifying  or  beatifying  com- 

*  Two  paragraphs  are  here  omitted  ; — they  contain  an  abstruse  answer  to  an 
abstruse  objection,  both  being  founded,  like  much  of  the  reasoning  in  the  con- 
text; on  a  philosophy  now  obsolete. — Ed. 

H 

v 


40  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

munion  with  him,  as  experience  showeth  us  in  this  life ;  which  yet 
holy  souls  have,  as  being  made  capable  recipients  of  it.  As  I  said, 
different  plants,  briers,  and  cedars,  the  stinking  and  the  sweet,  are 
implanted  parts  (or  accidents)  of  the  same  world  or  earth.  3. 
And  the  godly  themselves  may  have  as  different  a  share  of  hap- 
piness in  one  common  soul,  as  they  have  now  of  holiness,  and  so 
as  different  rewards,  (even  as  roses,  and  rosemary,  and  other  herbs, 
differ  in  the  same  garden,  and  several  fruits  in  the  same  orchard, 
or  on  the  same  tree.)  For,  if  souls  are  unible,  and  so  partible 
substances,  they  have,  neither  more  nor  less  of  substance  or  holi- 
ness for  their  union ;  and  so  will  each  have  his  proper  measure. 
As  a  tun  of  water  cast  into  the  sea  will  there  still  be  the  same, 
and  more  than  a  spoonful  cast  into  it. 

Obj.  But  spirits  are  not  as  bodies,  extensive  and  quantitative, 
and  so  not  partible  or  divisible ;  and  therefore  your  supposition 
is  vain. 

Answ.  1 .  My  supposition  is  but  the  objector's ;  for,  if  they  con- 
fess that  spirits  are  substances,  (as  cannot  with  reason  be  denied  ; 
for  they  that  specify  their  operations  by  motion  only,  yet  suppose 
a  pure,  proper  substance  to  be  the  substance  or  thing  moved,)  then 
when  they  talk  of  many  souls  becoming  one,  it  must  be  by  con- 
junction, and  increase  of  the  substance  of  that  one ;  or  when  they 
say,  that  they  were  always  one,  they  will  confess,  withal,  that  they 
now  differ  in  number,  as  individuate  in  the  body.  And  who  will 
say,  that  millions  of  millions  are  no  more  than  one  of  all  those 
millions  ?  Number  is  a  sort  of  quantity ;  and  all  souls  in  the  world 
are  more  than  Cain's  or  Abel's  only  ;  one  feeleth  not  what  another 
feeleth  ;  one  knoweth  not  What  another  knoweth.  And  indeed, 
though  souls  have  not  such  corporeal  extension  as  passive,  gross, 
bodily  matter  hath,  yet,  as  they  are  more  noble,  they  have  a  more 
noble  sort  of  extension,  quantity,  or  degrees,  according  to  which 
all  mankind  conceive  of  all  the  spiritual  substance  of  the  universe ; 
yea,  all  the  angels,  or  all  the  souls  on  earth,  as  being  more,  and 
having  more  substance  than  one  man's  soul  alone.  2.  And  the 
fathers,  for  the  most  part,  especially  the  Greeks,  (yea,  and  the 
second  council  of  Nice,)  thought  that  spirits  created  had  a  purer 
sort  of  material  being,  which  Tertullian  called  a  body  ;  and,  doubt- 
less, all  created  spirits  have  somewhat  of  passiveness  ;  for  they  do 
redpere  vel  pati  from  the  divine  influx  ;  only  God  is  wholly  im- 
passive. We  are  moved  when  we  move,  and  acted  when  we  act ; 
and  it  is  hard  to  conceive,  that  (when  matter  is  commonly  called 
passive)  that  which  is  passive  should  have  no  sort  of  matter  in  a 
large  sense  taken  ;  and  if  it  had  any  parts  distinguishable,  they  are 
by  Gi.fl  divisible.  3.  But  if  the  contrary  be  supposed,  that  all 


R'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  41 

souls  are  no  more  than  one.  and  so  that  there  is  no  place  for  uniting 
or  partition,  there  is  no  place  then  for  the  objection  of  all  souls 
becoming  one,  and  of  losing  individuation,  unless  they  mean  by 
annihilation. 

But  that  God  who  (as  is  said)  delighteth  both  in  the  union,  and 
yet  in  the  wonderful  multiplicity  of  creatures,  and  will  not  make 
all  stars  to  be  only  one  ;  though  fire,  have  a  most  uniting  or  aggre- 
gative inclination,  hath  further  given  experimental  notice  that  there 
is  individuatioa  in  the  other  world  as  well  as  here,  even  innu- 
merable angels  and  devils,  and  not  one  only  ;  as  apparitions  and 
witches,  and  many  other  evidences,  prove  ;  of  which  more  anon. 
So  that,  all  things  considered,  there  is  no  reason  to  fear  that  the 
souls  shall  lose  their  individuation  or  activity,  (though  they  change 
their  manner  of  action,)  any  more  than  their  being  or  formal 
power ;  and  so  it  is  naturally  certain  that  they  are  immortal. 

And  if  holy  souis  are  so  far  immprtal,  I  need  not  prove  that 
they  will  be  immortally  happy  ;  for  their  holiness  will  infer  it ; 
and  few  will  ever  dream  that  it  shall  there  go  ill  with  them  that 
are  good,  and  that  the  most  just  and  holy  God  will  not  use  those 
well  whom  he  maketh  holy. 

II.  That  holy  souls  shall  be  hereafter  happy,  seemeth  to  be  one 
of  the  common  notices  of  nature  planted  in  the  consciences  of 
mankind ;  and  it  is  therefore  acknowledged  by  the  generality  of 
the  world  that  freely  use  their  understandings.  Most,  yea,  almost 
all  the  heathen  nations  at  this  day  believe  it,  besides  the  Mahome- 
tans ;  and  it  is  the  most  barbarous  cannibals  and  Brazilians  that  do 
not,  whose  understandings  have  had  the  least  improvement,  and 
who  have  rather  an  inconsiderate  nescience  of  it,  than  a  denying 
opposition.  And  though  some  philosophers  denied  it,  they  were 
a  small  and  contemned  party :  and  though  many  of  the  rest  were 
somewhat  dubious,  it  was  only  a  certainty  which  they  professed 
to  want,  and  not  a  probability  or  opinion  that  it  was  true ;  and 
both  the  vulgar  and  the  deep-studied  men  believed  it,  and  those 
that  questioned  it  were  the  half-studied  philosophers,  who,  not-rest- 
ing in  the  natural  notice,  nor  yet  reaching  full  intellectual  evidence 
of  it  by  discourse,  had  found  out  matter  of  difficulty  to  puzzle  them, 
and  came  not  to  that  degree  of  wisdom  as  would  have  resolved  them. 

And  even  among  apostates  from  Christianity,  most,  or  many, 
still  acknowledge  the  soul's  immortality,  and  the  felicity  and  re- 
ward of  holy  souls,  to  be  of  the  common  notices,  known  by  nature 
to  mankind.  Julian  was  so  mucfi  persuaded  of  it,  that,  on  that 
account,  he  exhorteth  his  priests  and  subjects  to  great  strictness  and 
holiness  of  life,  and  to  see  that  the  Christian  did  not  exceed 
them :  and,  among  us,  the  Lord  Herbert  de.  Veritatc,  and  many 
others  that  seem  not  to  believe  our  supernatural  revelations  of 
vbi,.  n  fS 


42  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

Christianity,  do  fully  acknowledge  it.  Besides  those  philosophers 
who  most  opposed  Christianity,  as  Porphyrius,  Maximus  Tyrius, 
and  such  others. 

And  we  find  that  this  notice  hath  so  deep  a  root  in  nature,  that 
few  of  those  that  study  and  labor  themselves  into  bestiality  (or 
sadducisin)  are  able  to  excuse  the  fears  of  futuie  misery,  but  con- 
science overcometh,  or  troubleth  them  much,  at  least,  when  they 
have  done  the  worst  they  can  against  it.  And  whence  should  all 
this  be  in  man  and  not  in  beast,  if  man  had  no  further  reason  of 
hopes  and  fears  than  they  ?  Are  a  few  Sadducees  wiser,  by  their 
forced  or  crude  conceits,  than  all  the  world  that  are  taught  by  na- 
ture itself? 

III.  If  the  God  of  nature  have  made  it  every  man's  certain 
duty  to  make  it  his  chief  care  and  work  in  this  life  to  seek  for 
happiness  hereafter,  then  such  a  happiness  there  is  for  them  that 
truly  seek  it.  But  the  antecedent  is  certain,  as  I  have  elsewhere 
proved.  Ergo,  &,c. 

As  to  the  antecedent.  The  world  is  made  up  of  three  sorts  of 
men,  as  to  the  belief  of  future  retribution  ;  1.  Such  as  take  it  for 
a  certain  truth ;  such  are  Christians,  Mahometans,  and  most  hea- 
thens. 2.  Such  as  take  it  for  uncertain,  but  most  probable  or 
likeliest  to  be  true.  3.  Such  as  take  it  for  uncertain,  but  rather 
think  it  untrue.  For,  as  none  can  be  certain  that  it  is  false,  which 
indeed  is  true,  so  I  never  yet  met  with  one  that  would  say  he  was 
certain  that  it  was  false ;  so  that  I  need  not  trouble  you  with  the 
mention  of  any  other  party  or  opinion  ;  but  if  any  should  say  so, 
it  is  easy  to  prove  that  he  speaketh  falsely  of  himself. 

And  that  it  is  the  duty  of  all  these,  but  especially  of  the  two 
former  sorts,  to  make  it  their  chief  care  and  work  to  seek  their 
happiness  in  the  life  to  come,  is  easily  proved  thus  : — Natural 
reason  requireth  every  man  to  seek  that  which  is  best  for  himself, 
with  the  greatest  diligence ;  but  natural  reason  saith  that  probabil- 
ity, or  possibility,  of  the  future  everlasting  happiness  is  better  and 
more  worthy  to  be  sought,  than  any  thing  attainable  in  this  present 
life,  (which  doth  not  suppose  it.)  Ergo,  &.c. 

The  major  is  past  doubt.  Good  and  felicity  being  necessarily 
desired  by  the  will  of  man,  that  which  is  best,  and  known  so  to 
be,  must  be  most  desired. 

And  the  minor  should  be  as  far  past  doubt  to  men  that  use  not 
their  sense  against  their  reason.  For,  1.  In  this  life  there  is  noth- 
ing certain  to  be  continued  one  hour.  2.  It  is  certain  that  all  will 
quickly  end,  and  that  the  longest  life  is  short.  3.  It  is  certain 
that  time  and  pleasure  past  are  nothing,  properly  nothing ;  and  so 
no  better  to  us  than  if  they  had  never  been.  4.  And  it  is  certain 
that,  while  we  possess  them,  they  are  poor,  unsatisfactory  things, 


BAXTER'S  I>YI»O  THOUGHT*.  43 

the  pleasure  of  the  flesh  being  no  sweeter  to  a  man  than  to  a  beast, 
and  the  trouble  that  accompanieth  it  much  more.  Beasts  have  not 
the  cares,  fears,  and  sorrows,  upon  foresight,  which  man  hath. 
They  fear  not  death  upon  the  foreknowledge  of  it,  nor  fear  any 
misery  after  death,  nor  are  put  upon  any  labor,  sufferings,  or  trials, 
to  obtain  a  future  happiness,  or  avoid  a  future  misery.  All  which 
considered,  he  speaketh  not  by  reason,  who  saith  this  vain,  vexa- 
tious life  is  better  than  the  possibility  or  probability  of  the  everlast- 
ing glory. 

Now,  as  to  the  consequence,  or  major  of  the  first  argument,  it  is 
evident  of  itself,  from  God's  perfection,  and  the  nature  of  his 
works.  God  maketh  it  not  man's  natural  duty  to  lay  out  his  chief 
care  and  labor  of  all  his  life  on  that  which  is  not,  or  to  seek  that 
which  man  was  never  made  to  attain  ;  for,  then,  1.  All  his  duty 
should  result  from  mere  deceit  and  falsehood,  and  God  should 
govern  all  the  world  by  a  lie,  which  cannot  be  his  part  who  want- 
eth  neither  power,  wisdom,  nor  love,  to  rule  them  by  truth  and 
righteousness,  and  who  hath  printed  his  image  both  on  his  laws  and 
on  his  servants  ;  in  which  laws  lying  is  condemned,  and  the  better 
any  man  is,  the  more  he  hateth  it ;  and  liars  are  loathed  by  all 
mankind.  2.  And  then  the  better  any  man  is,  and  the  more  he 
doth  his  duty,  the  more  deluded,  erroneous,  and  miserable  should 
he  be.  For  he  should  spend  that  care  and  labor  of  his  life  upon 
deceit,  for  that  which  he  shall  never  have,  and  so  should  lose  his 
time  and  labor :  and  he  should  deny  his  flesh  those  temporal 
pleasures  which  bad  men  take,  and  suffer  persecutions  and  injuries 
from  the  wicked,  and  all  for  nothing,  and  on  mistake :  and  the 
more  wicked,  or  more  unbelieving,  any  man  is,  the  wiser  and 
happier  should  he  be,  as  being  in  the  right,  when  he  denieth  the 
life  to  come,  and  all  duty  and  labor  in  seeking  it,  or  in  avoiding 
future  punishment ;  and  while  he  taketh  his  utmost  pleasure  here, 
he  hath  all  that  man  was  made  for.  But  all  this  is  utterly  unsuita- 
ble to  God's  perfection,  and  to  his  other  works  :  for  he  maketh 
nothing  in  vain,  nor  can  he  lie ;  much  less  will  he  make  holiness 
itself,  and  all  that  duty  and  work  of  life  which  reason  itself 
obligeth  all  men,  to  be  not  only  in  vain  but  hurtful  to  them.  But 
of  this  argument  I  have  been  elsewhere  larger. 

IV.  Man  differeth  so  much  from  brutes  in  the  knowledge  of 
God,  and  of  his  future  possibilities,  that  ifproveth  that  he  differeth 
as  much  in  his  capacity  and  certain  hopes.  1 .  As  to  the  antece- 
dent, man  knoweth  that  there  is  a  God  by  his  works.  He  knoweth 
that  this  God  is  our  absolute  Lord,  our  ruler  and  our  end.  He 
knoweth  that,  naturally,  we  owe  him  all  our  love  and  obedience.  He 
knoweth  that  good  men  use  not  to  let  their  most  faithful  servants  be 
losers  by  their  fidelity  ;  nor  do  they  use  to  set  them  to  labor  in  vain. 


m 

44  BAXXEK  s  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

He  knovveth  that  man's  soul  is  immortal,  or,  at  least,  that  it  is  far 
more  probable  that  it  is  so ;  and  therefore  that  it  must  accordingly  be 
well  or  ill  forever,  and  that  this  should  be  most  cared  for.  2.  And 
why  should  God  give  him  all  this  knowledge  more  than  to  the  brutes, 
if  he  were  made  for  no  more  enjoyment  than  the  brutes,  of  what  he 
knoweth  ?  Every  wise  man  maketh  his  work  fit  for  the  use  that  he 
mtendeth  it  to ;  and  will  not  God  ?  So  that  the  consequence  also  is 
proved  from  the  divine  perfection  ;  and  if  God  were  not  perfect,  he 
were  not  God.  The  denial  of  a  God,  therefore,  is  the  result  of 
the  denial  of  man's  future  hopes. 

And,  indeed,  though  it  be  but  an  analogical  reason  that  brutes 
have,  those  men  seem  to  be  in  the  right  who  place  the  difference 
between  man  and  brutes  more  in  the  objects,  tendency,  and  work 
of  our  reason,  than  in  our  reason  itself  as  such,  and  so  make 
animal  religiosum  to  be  more  of  his  description  than  animal  ratio- 
nale. About  their  own  low  concerns,  a  fox,  a  dog,  yea,  an  ass,  and 
a  goose,  have  such  actions  as  we  know  not  well  how  to  ascribe  to 
any  thing  below  some  kind  of  reasoning,  or  a  perception  of  the  same 
importance.  But  they  think  not  of  God,  and  his  government,  and 
laws,  nor  of  obeying,  trusting,  or  loving  him,  nor  of  the  hopes  or 
fears  of  another  life,  nor  of  the  joyful  prospect  of  it.  These  are 
that  work  that  man  was  made  for,  which  is  the  chief  difference  from 
the  brutes ;  and  shall  we  unman  ourselves  ? 

V.  The  justice  of  God,  as  governor  of  the  world,  inferreth 
different  rewards  hereafter,  as  I  have  largely  elsewhere  proved. 
1.  God  is  not  only  a  mover  of  all  that  moveth,  but  a  moral  ruler  of 
man  by  laws,  and  judgment,  and  executions,  else  there  were  no 
proper  law  of  nature,  which  few  are  so  unnatural  as  to  deny ;  and 
man  should  have  no  proper  duty,  but  only  motion  as  he  is  moved. 
And,  then,  how  cometh  a  government  by  laws  to  be  set  up  under 
God  by  men  ?  And  then  there  were  no  sin  or  fault  in  any  ;  for  if 
there  were  no  law  and  duty,  but  only  necessitated  motion,  all 
would  be  moved  as  the  mover  pleased,  and  there  could  be  no  sin ; 
and  then  there  would  be  no  moral  good,  but  forced  or  necessary 
motion.  But  all  this  is  most  absurd;  and  experience  telleth  us 
that  God  doth,  dc  facto,  morally  govern  the  world  ;  and  his  right  is 
unquestionable. 

And  if  God  were  not  the  ruler  of  the  world,  by  law  and  judg- 
ment, the  world  would  have  no  universal  laws ;  for  there  is  no  man 
that  is  the  universal  ruler :  and  then  kings  and  other  supreme  pow- 
ers would  be  utterly  lawless  and  ungoverned,  as  having  none  above 
them  to  give  them  laws,  and  so  they  would  be  capable  of  no  sin 
or  fault,  and  of  no  punishment ;  which  yet  neither  their  subjects' 
interest,  nor  their  own  consciences,  will  grant,  or  allow  them  thor- 
oughly to  believe. 


.BAXTER'S  DYING   THOUGHTS.  45 

And  if  God  be  a  ruler,  he  is  just;  or  else  he  were  not  perfect, 
nor  so  good  as  he  requireth  princes  and  judges  on  earth  to  be. 
An  unjust  ruler  or  judge  is  abominable  to  all  mankind.  Right- 
eousness is  the  great  attribute  of  the  universal  King. 

But  how  were  he  a  righteous  ruler,  1.  If  he  drew  all  men  to 
obey  him  by  deceit  ?  2.  If  he  obliged  them  to  seek  and  expect  a 
felicity  or  reward  which  he  will  never  give  them  ?  3.  If  he  make 
man's  duty  his  misery  ?  4.  If  he  require  him  to  labor  in  vain  ? 
5.  If  he  suffer  the  wicked  to  persecute  his  servants  to  the  death, 
and  make  duty  costly,  and  give  no  after  recompense  ?  6.  If  he 
let  the  most  wicked  on  the  earth  pass  unpunished,  or  to  escape  as 
well  hereafter  as  the  best,  and  to  live  in  greater  pleasure  here  ? 
The  objections  fetched  from  the  intrinsical  good  of  duty  I  have 
elsewhere  answered. 

VI.  But  God  hath  not  left  us  to  the  light  of  mero  nature,  as 
being  too  dark  for  men  as  blind  as  we.  The  gospel  revelation  is 
the  clear  foundation  of  our  faith  and  hope.  Christ  hath  brought  life 
and  immortality  to  light.  One  from  heaven  that  is  greater  than  an 
angel  was  sent  to  tell  us  what  is  there,  and  which  is  the  way  to  se- 
cure our  hopes.  He  hath  risen,  and  conquered  death,  and  entered 
before  as  our  captain  and  forerunner  into  the  everlasting  habitations. 
And  he  hath  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth,  and  all  judgment  is 
committed  to  him,  that  he  might  give  eternal  life  to  his  elect.  He 
hath  frequently  and  expressly  promised  it  them,  that  they  shall  live 
because  he  liveth,  and  shall  not  perish  but  have  everlasting  life  ; 
Matt,  xxviii.  18.  John  v.  22.  xvii.  2.  xii.  26.  iii.  16.  Rom.  viii. 
35 — 38.  And  how  fully  he  hath  proved  and  sealed  the  truth  of 
his  word  and  office  to  us,  I  have  so  largely  opened  in  my  '  Reasons 
of  the  Christian  Religion,'  and  'Unreasonableness  of  Infidelity,' 
and  in  my 'Life  of  Faith,'  &c. ;  and  since,  in  my  'Household 
Catechising,'  that  I  will  not  here  repeat  it. 

And  as  all  his  word  is  full  of  promises  of  our  future  glory  at 
the  resurrection,  so  we  are  not  without  assurance  that  at  death  the 
departing  soul  doth  enter  upon  a  state  of  joy  and  blessedness. 
"They  that  died  to  (or  in)  the  flesh  according  to  men,  do  live  in 
the  Spirit  according  to  God  ;"  1  Pet.  iv.  6.  For, 

1 .  He  expressly  promised  the  penitent,  crucified  thief,  "  This  day 
shall  thou  be  with  me  in  paradise ; "  Luke  xxiii.  43. 

2.  He  gave  us  the  narrative  or  parable  of  the  damned  sensualist, 
and  of  Lazarus,  (Luke  xvi.)  to  instruct  us,  and  not  to  deceive  us. 

3.  He  tells  the  Sadducees  that  God  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead, 
(as  his  subjects  and  beneficiaries,)  but  of  the  living  ;  Matt.  xxii.  32. 

4.  Enoch  and  Elias  were  taken  up  to  heaven,  and  Moses  that 
died,  appeared  with  Elias  on  the  mount ;  Matt.  xvii. 

5.  He  telleth  us,  (Luke  xii.  4.)  that  they  that  kill  the  body,  are 


. 

46  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

not  able  to  kill  the  soul.  Indeed,  if  the  soul  were  not  immortal, 
the  resurrection  were  impossible.  It  might  be  a  new  creation  of 
another  soul,  but  not  a  resurrection  of  the  same,  if  the  same  be 
annihilated.  It  is  certain  that  the  Jews  believed  the  immortality 
of  the  soul,  in  that  they  believed  the  resurrection  and  future  life  of 
the  same  man. 

6.  And  Christ's  own   soul  was  commended  into  his  Father's 
hands,  (Luke  xxiii.  46.)  and  was  in  paradise,  when  his  body  was 
in  the  grave,  to  show  us  what  shall  become  of  ours. 

7.  And  he  hath  promised,  that  where  he  is,  there  shall  his  ser- 
vants be  also  ;  John  xii.   26.     And  that  the  life   here  begun  in 
us  is  eternal  life,  and  that  he  that  believeth  in  him  shall  not  die,  but 
shall  live  by  him,  as  he  liveth  by  the  Father,  for  he  dwelleth  in 
God,  and  God  in  him,  and  in  Christ,  and  Christ  in  him ;  John 
xvii.  3.  and  vi.  54.  and  iii.  16.  36.  and  vi.  47.  50.  56,  57.   1  John 
iv.  12,  13.  Luke  xvii.  21.  Rom.  xiv.  17. 

8.  And  accordingly,  Stephen  that  saw  heaven  opened,  prayed 
the  Lord  Jesus  to  receive  his  spirit ;  Acts  vii.  55.  59. 

9.  And  we  are  come  to  Mount  Sion,  &c.,  to  an  innumerable 
company  of  angels,  and  to  the  spirits   of  the  just  made  perfect ; 
Heb.  xii.  22,  23. 

10.  And  Paul  here  desireth  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ,  as  far 
better.     And  to  be  absent  from  the  body,  and  be  present  with  the 
Lord  ;  2  Cor.  v.  8. 

11.  And  the  dead  that  die  in  the  Lord  are  blessed,  from  hence- 
forth, that  they  may  rest  from  their  labors,  and  their  works  follow 
them. 

12.  And  if  the  disobedient  spirits  be  in  prison,  and  the  cities  of 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah  suffer  the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire,  (1  Pet. 
iii.  19.  Jude  7.)  then  the  just  have  eternal  life.     And  if  the  Jews 
had  not  thought  the  soul  immortal,  Saul  had  not  desired  the  witch 
to  call  up  Samuel  to  speak  with  him.     The  rest  I  now  pass  by. 
We  have  many  great  and  precious  promises,  on  which  a  departed 
soul  may  trust. 

13.  And  (Luke  xvi.  9.)  Christ  expressly  saith,  that  when  we 
fail,  (that  is,  must  leave  this  world,)  we  shall  be  received  into  the 
everlasting  habitations. 

VII.  And  it  is  not  nothing  to  encourage  us  to  hope  in  him  that 
hath  made  all  these  promises,  when  we  find  how  he  heareth  pray- 
ers in  this  life,  and  thereby  assureth  his  servants  that  he  is  their 
true  and  faithful  Savior.  We  are  apt,  in  our  distress,  to  cry  loud  for 
mercy  and  deliverances,  and  when  human  help  faileth,  to  promise 
God,  that  if  he  now  will  save  us,  we  will  thankfully  acknowledge  it 
his  work  ;  and  yet,  when  we  are  delivered,  to  return  not  only  to  secu- 
ritv.  but  to  ingratitude,  and  think  that  our  deliverance  came  but  in 


BAXTER'S  DYINO  THOUGHTS.  47 

the  course  of  common  providence,  and  not  indeed  as  an  answer  to 
our  prayers.  And  therefore  God  in  mercy  reneweth  both  our  dis- 
tresses and  our  deliverances,  that  what  once  or  twice  will  not  con- 
vince us  of,  many  and  great  deliverances  may.  This  is  my  own 
case.  O,  how  oft  have  I  cried  to  him  when  men  and  means  were 
nothing,  and  when  no  help  in  second  causes  did  appear,  and  how 
oft,  and  suddenly,  and  mercifully,  hath  he  delivered  me  !  What 
sudden  ease,  what  removal  of  long  afflictions,  have  I  had !  such 
extraordinary  changes,  and  beyond  my  own  and  others'  expectations, 
when  many  plain-hearted,  upright  Christians  have,  by  fasting  and 
prayer,  sought  God  on  my  behalf ;  as  have  over  and  over  convinced 
me  of  special  providence,  and  that  God  is  indeed  a  hearer  of  pray- 
ers. And  wonders  I  have  seen  done  for  others  also,  upon  such 
prayers,  more  than  for  myself;  yea,  and  wonders  for  the  church  and 
public  societies.  Though  I  and  others  are  too  like  those  Israelites, 
(Psalm  Ixxviii.)  who  cried  to  God  in  their  troubles,  and  he  oft 
delivered  them  out  of  their  distress,  but  they  quickly  forgot  his 
mercies,  and  their  convictions,  purposes,  and  promises,  when  they 
should  have  praised  the  Lord  for  his  goodness,  and  declared  his 
works  with  thanksgiving  to  the  sons  of  men. 

And  what  were  all  these  answers  and  mercies  but  the  fruits  of 
Christ's  power,  fidelity,  and  love,  the  fulfillings  of  his  promises,  and 
the  earnest  of  the  greater  blessings  of  immortality,  which  the  same 
promises  give  me  title  to  ? 

I  know  that  no  promise  of  hearing  prayer  setteth  up  our  wills  in 
absoluteness,  or  above  God's,  as  if  every  will  of  ours  must  be  ful- 
filled if  we  do  but  put  it  into  a  fervent  or  confident  prayer ;  but  if 
we  ask  any  thing  through  Christ,  according  to  his  will,  expressed 
in  his  promise,  he  will  hear  us.  If  a  sinful  love  of  this  present  life, 
or  of  ease,  or  wealth,  or  honor,  should  cause  me  to  pray  to  God 
against  death,  or  against  all  sickness,  want,  reproach,  or  other  trials, 
as  if  I  must  live  here  in  prosperity  forever  if  I  ask  it,  this  sinful 
desire  and  expectation  is  not  thfe  work  of  faith,  but  of  presumption. 
What  if  God  will  not  abate  me  my  last,  or  daily  pains  ?  What  if 
he  will  continue  my  life  no  longer,  whoever  pray  for  it,  and  how 
earnestly  soever  ?  Shall  I  therefore  forget  how  oft  he  hath  heard 
prayers  for  me,  and  how  wonderfully  he  hath  helped  both  me  and 
others  ?  My  faith  hath  oft  been  helped  by  such  experiences ;  and 
shall  I  forget  them,  or  question  them  without  cause  at  last  ? 

VIII.  And  it  is  a  subordinate  help  to  my  belief  of  immortality 
with  Christ,  to  find  so  much  evidence  that  angels  have  friendly  com- 
munion with  us  here,  and  therefore  we  shall  have  communion  with 
t !: em  hereafter  ;  Psalm  xxxiv.  7.  and  xci.  11,  12.  Luke  xv.  10. 
1  Cor.  xi.  10.  Heb.  i.  14.  and  xii.  22.  and  xiii.  2.  Matt,  xviii. 
10.  and  xxv.  31.  and  xiii.  39.  19.  Acts  v.  19.  and  viii.  26.  and  xii. 


48  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

7.  23.  They  have  charge  of  us,  and  pitch  their  tents  about  us ; 
they  bear  us  up ;  they  rejoice  at  our  repentance ;  they  are  the 
regardful  witnesses  of  our  behavior ;  they  are  ministering  spirits  for 
our  good ;  they  are  our  angels  beholding  the  face  of  our  heavenly 
Father.  They  will  come  with  Christ  in  glorious  attendance  at  the 
great  and  joyful  day,  and,  as  his  executioners,  they  will  separate 
the  just  from  the  unjust. 

And  it  is  not  only  the  testimony  of  Scripture  by  which  we  know 
their  communion  with  us,  but  also  some  degree  of  experience. 
Not  only  of  old  did  they  appear  to  the  faithful  as  messengers  from 
God,  but  of  late  times  there  have  been  testimonies  of  their  minis- 
tration for  us.  Of  which  see  Zanchy  de  Angelis  and  Mr.  J. 
Ambrose,  of  our  communion  with  angels.  Many  a  mercy  doth 
God  give  us  by  their  ministry,  and  they  that  are  now  so  friendly  to 
us.  and  suitable  to  our  communion  and  help,  and  make  up  one 
society  with  us,  do  hereby  greatly  encourage  us  to  hope  that  we  are 
made  for  the  same  region,  work,  and  company,  with  these  our  bless- 
ed, loving  friends.  They  were  once  in  a  life  of  trial,  it  seems,  as 
we  are  now,  though  not  on  earth  ;  Jude  6.  2  Pet.  ii.  4.  And 
they  that  overcame  and  are  confirmed  rejoice  in  our  victory  and 
confirmation.  It  is  not  an  uninhabited  world  which  is  above  us, 
nor  such  as  is  beyond  our  capacity  and  hope.  We  are  come  to  an 
innumerable  company  of  angels,  and  to  the  spirits  of  the  perfected 
just,  who  together  have  discreet  quantity,  or  numerical  difference, 
notwithstanding  their  happy  union  and  communion. 

IX.  And  Satan  himself,  though  unwillingly,  hath  many  ways 

helped  my  belief  of  our  immortality,  and  future  hopes.* 

****** 

Few  men,  I  think,  that-  observe  themselves,  have  not  at  some  time 
had  experience  of  such  inward  temptations,  as  show  that  the  author 
of  them  is  an  invincible  enemy.  All  which  tells  us,  1.  That 
there  are  individual  spirits.  2.  Yea,  devils  that  seek  man's  misery. 
3.  And  that  by  the  way  of  sin,  and  consequently  that  a  future 
happiness  or  misery  must  be  expected  by  us  all. 

X.  But  the  great  and  sure  prognostics  of  our  immortal  happiness 
is  from  the  renewing  operations  of  the  Spirit  of  holiness  on  the  soul.  1 . 
That  such  a  renewing  work  there  is,  all  true  believers  in  some  meas- 
ure feel.     2.  And  that  it  is  the  earnest  of  heaven,  is  proved  thus. 

1 .  If  it  be  a  change  of  greatest  benefit  to  a  man.  2.  And  if 
heaven  be  the  very  sum  and  end  of  it.  3.  And  if  it  overcome  all 
fleshy,  worldly  opposition.  4.  And  can  be  wrought  by  none  but 
God.  5.  And  was  before  promised  by  Jesus  Christ  to  all  sound 
believers.  6.  And  is  universally  wrought  in  them  all,  either  only, 


*  The  particulars  of  this  argument  are  omitted. — Ed. 


-   %'  i*v 

BAXTER  S    DYING    THOUGHTS.  49 

or  eminently  above  all  others.  7.  And  was  promised  them  as  a 
pledge  and  earnest  of  glory  ;  then  it  can  be  no  less  than  such  a 
pledge  and  earnest ;  but  the  former  are  all  true,  &,c. 

1.  That  the  change  is  of  grand  importance  unto  man,  appeared! 
in  that  it  is  the  renovation  of  his  mind,  and  will,  and   life.     It 
repaireth  his  depraved  faculties  ;  it  causeth  man  to  live  as  man,  who 
is  degenerated  to  a  life  too  like  to  brutes.     By  God's  permitting 
many  to  live  in  blindness,  wickedness,  and  confusion,  and  to  betor- 
m enters  of  themselves  and  one  another,  by  temptations,  injuries, 
wars,  and  cruelty,  we  the  fuller  see  what  it  is  that  grace  doth  save 
men  from,  and  what  a  difference  it  maketh  in  the  world.     Those 
that  have  lived  unholy  in  their  youth,  do  easily  find  the  difference 
in  themselves  when  they  are  renewed.     But  to  them  that  have 
been  piously  inclined  from  their  childhood,  it  is  harder  to  discern 
the  difference,  unless  they  mark  the  case  of  others.     If  man  be 
worth  any  thing,  it  is  for  the  use  that  his  faculties  were  made  ;  and 
if  he  be  not  good  for  the  knowledge,  love,  and  sendee  of  his  Crea- 
tor, what  is  he  good  for  ?     And  certainly  the  generality  of  ungodly 
worldlings  are  undisposed  to  all  such  works  as  this,  till  the  spirit  of 
Christ  effectually  change  them.     Men  are  slaves  to  sin  till  Christ 
thus  make  them  free ;   John  viii.   32,    33.    36.    Rom.    vi.   18. 
Acts  xxvi.  18.  Rom.  viii.  2.     But  where  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
is,  there  is  liberty  ;   2  Cor.  iii.  17.     If    the   divine   nature  and 
image,  and  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  on  the  heart,  be  not  our 
excellency,  health,  and  beauty,  what  is  ?     And  that  which  is  born 
of  the  flesh  is  flesh,  but  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit ; 
John    iii.  6.     Without  Christ  and  his  Spirit,  we  can  do  nothing. 
Our  dead  notions  and  reasons,  when  we  see  the  truth,  have  not 
power  to  overcome  temptations,  nor  to  raise  up  man's  soul  to  its 
original  and  end,  nor  to  possess  us  with  the  love  and  joyful  hopes 
of  future  blessedness.     It  were  better  for  us  to  have  no  souls,  than 
that  those  souls  should  be  void  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 

2.  And  that  heaven  is  the  sum  and  end  of  all  the  Spirit's  opera- 
tions, appeareth  in  all  that  are  truly  conscious  of  them  in  them- 
selves, and  to  them  and  others  by  all  God's  precepts,  which  the 
Spirit  causeth  us  to  obey,  and  the  doctrine  w'hich  it  causeth  us  to 
believe,  and  by  the  description  of  all  God's  graces  which  he  work- 
eth  in  us.     What  is  our  knowledge  and  faith,  but  our  knowledge 
and  belief  of  heaven,  as  consisting  in  the  glory  and  love  of  God 
there  manifested,  and  as  purchased  by  Christ,   and  given  by  his 
covenant  ?     What  is  our  hope  but  the  hope  of  glory  ?     See  Heb.  xi. 
1.  and  throughout.    1   Pet.  i.  3.  21.  Heb.  vi.  11.   18.  19.  and  iii. 
6.  Tit.  ii.  13.  and  iii.  7.    Col.   i.   5.  23.  27.     And 'through  the 
Spirit,  we  wait  for  all  this  hope  ;  Gal.  v.  5.     What  is  our  love  but 
a  desire  of  communion  with  the  blessed  God  initially  here,  and 

VOT.  ti.  7 


' 


50  FIAXYEK'S   DYING  THOUGHTS. 

perfectly  hereafter  ?  As  the  sum  of  Christ's  gospel  was,  "  Take 
up  the  cross,  forsake  all  here,  and  follow  me,  and  thou  shalt  have 
a  reward  in  heaven  ;  "  Luke  xiv.  26.  33.  and  xviii.  22,  23.  And 
the  consolation  of  his  gospel  is,  "  Rejoice,  and  be  exceedingly  glad, 
for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven;"  Matt.  v.  11,  12.  So  the 
same  is  the  sum  of  his  Spirit's  operations  ;  for  what  he  teacheth  and 
commandeth,  that  he  worketh.  For  he  worketh  by  that  word,  and 
the  impress  must  be  like  the  signet,  what  arm  soever  set  it  on. 
He  sendeth  not  his  Spirit  to  make  men  craftier  than  others  for  this 
world,  but  to  make  them  wiser  for  salvation,  and  to  make  them 
more  heavenly  and  holy.  For  the  children  of  this  world  are  wiser 
in  their  generation  than  the  children  of  light.  Heavenliness  is  the 
Spirit's  special  work. 

3.  And  in  working  this,  it  conquered)  the  inward  undisposedness 
and  averseness  of  a  fleshly .  wordly  mind  and  will,  and  the  customs  of 
a  carnal  life  ;  and  the  outward  temptations  of  Satan,  and  all  the  allure- 
ments of  the  world.     Christ  first  overcame  the  world,  and  teacheth 
and  causeth  us  to  overcome  it ;  even  its  flatteries  and  its  frowns  :  our 
faith  is  our  victory.     Whether  this  victory  be  easy,  and  any  honor 
to  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  let  our  experience  of  the  wickedness  of  the 
ungodly  world,  and  of  our  own  weakness,  and  of  our  falls  when  the 
Spirit -of  God  forsaketh  us,  be  our  informer. 

4.  And  that  none  but  God  can  do  this  work  on  the  soul  of  man, 
both   the  knowledge  of  causes  and  experience  prove.     The  most 
learned,  wise,  and  holy  teachers  cannot,  (as  they  confess  and  show;) 
the  wisest  and  most  loving  parents  cannot,  and  therefore  must  pray 
to  him  that  can  ;  the  greatest  princes  cannot ;  evil  angels  neither  can 
nor  will.     What  good  angels  can  do  on  the  heart  we  know  not; 
but  we  know  that  they  do  nothing,  but  as  the  obedient  ministers  of 
God.     And  (though  we  have  some  power  on  ourselves,  yet)  that  we 
ourselves  cannot  do  it ;  that  we  cannot  quicken,  illuminate,  or  sanc- 
tify ourselves,  and  that  we  have  nothing  but  what  we  have  receiv- 
ed, conscience  and  experience  fully  tell  us. 

5.  And  that  Christ  promised  this  Spirit  in  a  special  measure  to 
all  true  believers,  that  it  should   be  in  them  his  advocate,  agent, 
seal,  arid  mark,  is  yet  visible  in  the  gospel*  yea,  and  in  the  former 
prophets;   I.-a.  xliv.  34.     Ezek.  xxxvi.  26.  and  xxxvii.  14.    Joel 
ii.   28,  29.  Ezek.  xi.  19.  and  xviii.  31.    Eph.  i.  13.   John  iii.  5. 
and  iv.  '^3,  24.  and  vi.  63.  and  vii.  39.    John  i.  33.  and  xiv.  16. 
26.    Acts  i.  5.  8     John  xv.  26.  and  xvi.  7 — 9,  &c.     Indeed  the 
Spirit  here,  and  heaven  hereafter,  are  the  chief  of  all  the  promises 
of  Christ. 

6.  And   that  this  Spirit  is  given  (not  to  hypocrites  that  abuse 
Christ,  and  do  not  seriously  believe  him,  nor  to  mere  pretending, 

l  Christians,  but)  to  all  that  sincerely  believe  the  gospel,  is 


-*   •• 

«0UUJITS.  51 


evident  not  only  to  themselves  in  certainty,  (if  they  ;uv;  in  a  con- 
dition to  know  themselves,)  but  to  others  in  part  by  the  effects  ; 
they  have  other  ends,  other  affections,  other  lives,  than  the  rest  of 
mankind  have  ;  though  their  heavenly  nature  and  design  be  the 
less  discerned  and  honored  in  the  world,  because  their  chiefest 
difference  is  out  of  the  sight  of  man,  in  the  heart,  and  in  their  secret 
actions,  and  because  their  imperfections  blemisli  them,  and  because 
the  malignant  world  is  by  strangeness  and  enmity  an  incompetent 
judge  ;  yet  it  is  discernible  to  others,  that  they  live  upon  the  hopes 
of  a  better  life,  and  their  heavenly  interest  is  it  that  overruleth  all 
the  adverse  interests  of  this  world,  and  that  in  order  thereunto  they 
live  under  the  conduct  of  divine  authority,  and  that  God's  will  is 
highest  and  most  prevalent  with  them,  and  that  to  obey  and  please 
him  as  far  as  they  know  it,  is  the  greatest  business  of  their  lives, 
though  ignorance  and  adverse  flesh  do  make  their  holiness  and 
obedience  imperfect.  The  universal  noise  and  opposition  of  the 
world  against  them,  do  show  that  men  discern  a  very  great  differ- 
ence, which  error,  and  cross  interests,  and  carnal  inclinations,  ren- 
der displeasing  to  those  who  find  them  condemned  by  their  heav- 
enly designs  and  conversations. 

But  whether  others  discern  it,  or  deny  it,  or  detest  it,  the 
true  believer  is  conscious  of  it  in  himself;  even  when  he  groaneth 
to  be  better,  to  believe,  and  trust,  and  love  God  more,  and  to-  have 
more  of  the  heavenly  life  and  comforts,  those  very  desires  signify 
another  appetite  and  mind,  than  wordlings  have  ;  and  even  when 
his  frailties  and  weaknesses  make  him  doubt  of  his  own  sincerity,  he 
would  not  change  his  governor,  rule,  or  hopes,  for  all  that  the  world 
can  offer  him.  He  hath  the  witness  in  himself,  that  there  is  iu 
believers  a  sanctifying  Spirit,  calling  up  their  minds  to  God  and 
glory,  and  warring  victoriously  against  the  flesh  ;  (1  John  v.  9  — 
11.  Gal.  v.  17.  Rom.  vii.  Phil.  iii.  7  —  15.)  so  that  to  will  is 
present  with  them;  and  they  love  and  delight  in  a  holy  conformity 
to  their  rule  ;  and  it  is  never  so  well  and  pleasant  with  them  as 
when  they  can  trust  and  love  God  most  ;  and  in  their  worst  and 
weakest  condition,  they  would  fain  be  perfect.  This  Spirit  and  its 
renewing  work,  so  greatly  different  from  the  temper  and  desires  of 
worldly  men,  is  given  by  Christ  to  all  sound  believers. 

It  is  true,  that  some  that  know  not  of  an  incarnate  Savior,  have 
much  in  them  that  is  very  laudable  ;  whether  it  be  real  saving  holi- 
n<  ss,  and  whether  Abraham  were  erroneous  in  thinking  that  even  the 
Sodoms  of  the  world  were  likely  to  have  had  fifty  righteous  persons 
in  them,  I  am  not  now  to  inquire  :  but  it  is  sure,  1.  That  the  world 
had  really  a  Savior  about  four  thousand  years  before  Christ's  in- 
carnation ;  even  the  God  of  pardoning  mercy,  who  promised  and 
undertook  what  after  was  performed,  and  shall  be  to  the  end.  2. 


OX  BAXTEil  S    DYING    THOUGHTS. 

And  that  the  Spirit  of  this  Savior  did  sanctify  God's  elect  from  the 
beginning ;  and  gave  them  the  same  holy  and  heavenly  dispositions 
(in  some  degree)  before  Christ's  incarnation  as  is  given  since  ;  yea, 
it  is  called  "  The  Spirit  of  Christ,"  which  was  before  given ;  1 
Pet.  i.  11.  3.  That  this  Spirit  was  then  given  to  more  than  the 
Jews.  4.  That  Christ  hath  put  that  part  of  the  world  that  hear 
not  of  his  incarnation  into  no  worse  a  condition  than  he  found  them 
in :  that  as  the  Jews'  covenant  of  peculiarity  was  no  repeal  of  the 
universal  law  of  grace,  made  by  God  with  fallen  mankind,  in  Adam 
and  Noah ;  so  the  covenant  of  grace  of  the  second  edition,  made 
with  Christ's  peculiar  people,  is  no  repeal  of  the  foresaid  law  in  the 
first  edition,  to  them  that  hear  not  of  the  second.  5.  That  all 
that  wisdom  and  goodness,  that  is  in  any  without  the  Christian 
church,  is  the  work  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Redeemer ;  as  the  light 
which  goeth  before  sun-rising,  and  after  sun-setting,  and  in  a  cloudy 
day,  is  of  the  same  sun  which  others  see,  even  to  them  that  see 
not  the  sun  itself.  6.  That  the  liker  any  without  the  church  are 
to  the  sanctified  believers,  the  better  they  are,  and  the  more  unlike 
the  worse  ;  so  that  all  these  six  things  being  undeniable,  it  app'ear- 
eth,  that  it  is  the  same  Spirit  of  Christ,  which  now  giveth  all  men 
what  real  goodness  is  any  where  to  be  found.  But  it  is  notorious 
that  no  part  of  the  world  is,  in  heavenliness  and  virtue,  comparable 
to  true  and  serious  Christians. 

7.  And  let  it  be  added,  that  Christ,  (Eph.  i.  14.  2  Cor  i.  22 
and  v.  5.  Rom.  via.  23.  2  Tim.  ii.  19.  Eph.  i.  13.  and  iv.  30. 
1  John  v.  9,  10.  Heb.  x.  15.)  who  promised  the  greatest  measures 
of  the  Spirit,  (which  he  accordingly  hath  given,)  did  expressly 
promise  this,  as  a  means  and  pledge,  first  fruits,  and  earnest,  of  the 
heavenly  glory;  and,  therefore,  it  is  a  certain  proof,  that  such  a 
glory  we  shall  have.  He  that  can  and  doth  give  us  a  spiritual 
change  or  renovation,  which  in  its  nature  and  tendency  is  heaven- 
ly, and  sets  our  hopes  and  hearts  on  heaven,  and  turneth  the  en- 
deavors of  our  lives  to  the  seeking  of  a  future  blessedness,  and 
told  us,  beforehand,  that  he  would  give  us  this  preparatory  grace, 
as  the  earnest  of  that  felicity,  may  well  be  trusted  to  perform  his 
word  in  our  actual  glorification. 

And  now,  O  weak  and  fearful  soul !  why  shouldest  thou  draw 
back,  as  if  the  case  were  yet  left  doubtful  ?  Is  not  thy  foundation 
firm  ?  Is  not  the  way  of  life,  through  the  valley  of  death,  made 
safe  by  him  that  conquereth  death  ?  Art  thou  not  yet  delivered 
from  the  bondage  of  thy  fears,  when  the  gaoler  and  executioner, 
who  had  the  power  of  death,  hath  by  Christ  been  put  out  of  his 
power,  as  to  thee  ?  Is  not  all  this  evidence  true  and  sure  ?  Hast 
thou  not  the  witness  in  thyself?  Hast  thou  not  found  the  motions, 
the  effectual  operations,  the  renewing  changes,  of  this  Spirit  in  thee 


BAXTERS  DY.N»>  THOUGHTS. 


.    *  - 

long  ago  ?     And  is  he  not  still  the  agent  and  witness  of  Christ,  re- 

siding and  operating  in  thee  ?  Whence  else  are  thy  groanings  after 
God  ;  thy  desires  to  be  nearer  to  his  glory  ;  to  know  him  better  ;  to 
love  him  more  ?  Whence  came  all  the  pleasure  thou  hast  had 
in  his  sacred  truth,  and  ways,  and  service?  Who'else  overcame 
thy  folly,  and  pride,  and  vain  desires,  so  far  as  they  are  over- 
come ?  Who  made  it  thy  choice  to  sit  at  the  feet  of  Christ,  and 
hear  his  word,  as  the  better  part,  and  to  despise  the  honors  and- 
preferments  of  the  world,  and  to  account  them  all  as  dung  and 
dross  ?  Who  breathed  in  thee  all  those  requests  that  thou  hast 
sent  up  to  God  ?  Overvalue  not  corrupted  nature  ;  it  bringeth  not 
forth  such  fruits  as  these  :  if  thou  doubt  of  that,  remember  what 
thou  wast  in  the  hour  of  temptation,  even  of  poor  and  weak  temp- 
tations. And  how  small  a  matter  hath  drawn  thee  to  sin,  when 
God  did  but  leave  thee  to  thyself.  Forget  not  the  days  of  youth- 
ful vanity  :  overlook  not  the  case  of  the  miserable  world,  even  of 
thy  sinful  neighbors,  who,  in  the  midst  of  light,  still  live  in  dark- 
ness, and  hear  not  the  loudest  calls  of  God  :  look  about  on  thou- 
sands that,  in  the  same  land,  and  under  the  same  teaching,  and  after 
the  greatest  judgment  and  deliverance,  run  on  to  all  excess  of  riot, 
and,  as  past  feeling,  as  greedily  vicious  and  unclean.  Is  it  no  work 
of  Christ's  Spirit  that  hath  made  thee  to  differ?  Thou  hast  noth- 
ing to  boast  of,  and  much  to  be  humbled  for;  but  thou  hast  also 
much  to  be  thankful  for.  Thy  holy  desires  are,  alas!  too  weak; 
but  they  are  holy  :  thy  love  hath  been  too  cold  ;  but  it  is  holiness, 
and  the  most  holy  God,  that  thou  hast  loved.  Thy  hopes  in  God 
have  been  too  low  ;  but  it  is  God  thou  hast  hoped  in,  and  his  love 
and  glory  thou  hast  hoped  for.  Thy  prayers  have  been  too  dull 
and  interrupted  ;  but  it  is  holiness  and  heaven  that  thou  hast  most 
prayed  for.  Thy  labors  and  endeavors  have  been  too  slothful  ; 
but  it  is  God,  and  glory,  and  the  good  of  mankind,  that  thou  hast 
labored  for.  Though  thy  motion  were  too  weak  and  slow,  it  hath 
been  Godward  ;  and,  therefore,  it  was  from  God.  O  bless  the 
Lord,  that  hath  not  only  given  thee  a  word  that  beareth  the  image 
of  God,  and  is  sealed  by  uncontrolled  miracles,  to  be  the  matter  of 
thy  belief,  but  hath  also  fulfilled  his  promises  so  oft  and  notably  to 
thee,  in  the  answer  of  prayers,  and  in  great  and  convincing  deliver- 
ances of  thyself  and  many  others;  and  hath,  by  wonders,  oft  assist- 
ed thy  faith  !  Bless  that  God  of  light  and  love,  who,  besides  the 
universal  attestation  of  his  word,  long  ago  given  to  all  the  church, 
hath  given  thee  the  internal  seal,  the  nearer  in-dwelling  attestation, 
the  effects  of  power,  light,  and  love,  imprinted  on  thy  nature,  mind, 
and  will,  the  witness  in  thyself,  that  the  word  of  God  is  not  a 
human  dream,  or  lifeless  thing  ;  that  by  regeneration  hath  been 
here  preparing  thee  for  the  light  of  glory,  as  by  generation  he  pre- 


54  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

pared  thee  to  see  this  light,  and  converse  with  men.  And  wilt 
thou  yet  doubt  and  fear  against  all  this  evidence,  experience  and 
foretaste  ? 

I  think  it  not  needless  labor  to  confirm  my  soul  in  the  full  per- 
suasion of  the  truth  of  its  own  immortal  nature,  and  of  a  future  life 
of  joy  or  misery  to  mankind,  and  of  the  certain  truth  of  the  Christian 
faith  :  the  being  of  God,  and  his  perfection,  hath  so  great  evidence, 
that  I  find  no  great  temptation  to  doubt  of  it,  any  more  than  wheth- 
er there  be  an  earth,  or  a  sun  ;  and  the  atheist  seemeth  to  me  to 
be  in  that  no  better  than  mad.  The  Christian  verity  is  known  only 
by  supernatural  revelation  ;  but  by  such  revelation  it  is  so  attested 
externally  to  the  world,  and  internally  to  holy  souls,  as  maketh 
faith  the  ruling,  victorious,  consolatory  principle,  by  which  we  must 
live  and  not  by  sight ;  but  the  soul's  immortality  and  reward  here- 
after is  of  a  middle  nature,  viz.  of  natural  revelation,  but  incompar- 
ably less  clear  than  the  being  of  a  God ;  and  therefore,  by  the  ad- 
dition of  evangelical  (supernatural)  revelation,  is  made  to  us  much 
more  clear  and  sure.  And  I  find,  among  the  infidels  of  this  age, 
that  most  who  deny  the  Christian  verity,  do  almost  as  much  deny  or 
question  the  retribution  of  a  future  life.  And  they  that  are  fully 
satisfied  of  this,  do  find  Christianity  so  excellently  congruous  to  it, 
as  greatly  facilitated  the  work  of  faith.  Therefore,  I  think  that 
there  is  scarce  any  verity  more  needful  to  be  thoroughly  digested 
into  a  full  assurance,  than  this  of  the  soul's  immortality,  and  hope 
of  future  happiness. 

And  when  I  consider  the  great  unlikeness  of  men's  hearts  and 
lives  to  such  a  belief  as  we  all  profess,  1  cannot  but  fear,  that  not 
only  the  ungodly,  but  roost  that  truly  hope  for  glory,  have  a  far 
weaker  belief  (in  habit  and  act)  of  the  soul's  immortality,  and  the 
truth  of  the  gospel,  than  they  seem  to  take  notice  of  in  themselves. 
Can  I  be  certain,  or  fully  petsuaded,  (in  habit  and  act,)  of  the  future 
rewards  and  punishments  of  souls,  and  that  we  shall  be  all  shortly 
judged  as  we  have  lived  here,  and  yet  not  despise  all  the  vanities 
of  this  world,  and  set  my  heart,  with  resolution  and  diligence,  to 
the  preparation  which  must  be  made  by  a  holy,  heavenly,  fruitful 
life,  as  one  whose  soul  is  taken  up  with  the  hopes  and  fear  of  things 
of  such  unspeakable  importance  ?  Who  could  stand  dallying,  as 
most  men  do,  at  the  door  of  eternity,  that  did  verily  believe  his  im- 
mortal soul  must  be  shortly  there  ?  Though  such  an  one  had  no 
certainty  of  his  own  particular  title  to  salvation,  the  certainty  of 
such  a  grand  concernment  (that  joy  or  misery  is  at  hand)  would  sure- 
ly awaken  him  to  try,  cry,  or  search  ;  to  beg,  to  strive,  to  watch,  to 
spare  no  care,  or  cost,  or  labor,  to  make  all  sure  in  a  matter  of  such 
weight ;  it  could  not  be  but  he  would  do  it  with  speed,  and  do  it 
with  a  full  resolved  soul,  and  do  it  with  earnest  zeal  and  diligence. 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  55 

What  man  that  once  saw  the  things  which  we  hear  of,  even  heaven 
and  hell,  would  not  afterwards  (at  least  in  deep  regard  and  serious- 
ness) exceed  the  most  resolved  believer  that  you  know.  One 
would  think,  in  reason,  it  should  be  so  thought  :  I  confess  a  wicked 
heart  is  very  senseless. 

I  do  confess,  that  there  is  much  weakness  of  the  belief  of  things 
unseen,  where  yet  there  is  sincerity  ;  but  surely  there  will  be  some 
proportion  between  our  belief  and  its  effects.  And  where  there  is 
little  regard,  or  fear,  or  hopes,  or  sorrow,  or  joy,  or  resolved  dili- 
gence for  the  world  to  come,  I  must  think  that  there  is  (in  act  at 
least)  but  little  belief  of  it,  and  that  such  persons  little  know  them- 
selves, how  much  they  secretly  doubt,  whether  it  be  true.  I  know 
that  most  complain,  almost  altogether,  of  the  uncertainty  of  their 
title  to  salvation,  and  little  of  their  uncertainty  of  a  heaven  and 
hell ;  but  were  they  more  certain  of  this,  and  truly  persuaded  of 
it  at  the  heart,  it  would  do  more  to  bring  them  to  that  serious, 
resolved  faithfulness  in  religion,  which  would  help  them  more  easily 
to  be  sure  of  their  sincerity,  than  long  examinations,  and  many 
marks  talked  of,  without  this,  will  do. 

And  I  confess,  that  the  great  wisdom  of  God  hath  not  thought 
meet,  that  in  the  body  we  should  have  as  clear,  and  sensible,  and 
lively  apprehensions  of  heaven  and  hell,  as  sight  would  cause. 
For  that  would  be  to  have  too  much  of  heaven  or  hell  on  earth ; 
for  the  gust  would  follow  the  perception,  and  so  full  a  sense 
would  be  some  sort  of  a  possession,  which  we  are  not  fit  for  in  this 
world.  And,  therefore,  it  must  be  a  darker  revelation  than  sight 
would  be.  that  it  may  be  a  lower  perception,  lest  this  world  and  the 
next  should  be  confounded  ;  and  faith  and  reason  should  be  put 
out  of  office,  and  not  duly  tried,  exercised,  and  fitted  for  reward  ; 
but  yet  faith  is  faith,  and  knowledge  is  knowledge ;  and  he  that 
verily  believeth  such  great,  transcendent  things,  though  he  see 
them  not,  will  have  some  proportionable  affections  and  endeavors. 

I  confess  also,  that  man's  soul,  in  flesh,  is  not  fit  to  bear  so  deep 
a  sense  of  heaven  and  hell  as  sight  would  cause ;  because  it  here 
operateth  on  and  with  the  body,  and  according  to  its  capacity, 
which  cannot  bear  so  deep  a  sense  without  distraction,  by  screwing 
up  the  organs  too  high,  till  they  break,  and  so  overdoing,  would  undo 
all ;  but  yet  there  is  an  overruling  seriousness,  which  a  certain  be- 
lief of  future  things  must  needs  bring  the  soul  to,  that  truly  hath  it: 
and  he  that  is  careful  and  serious  for  this  world,  and  looketh  after  a 
better,  but  with  a  slight,  unwilling,  half-regard,  and,  in  the  second 
place,  must  give  me  leave  to  think,  that  he  believeth  but  as  he  liveth, 
and  that  his  doubting,  or  unbelief,  of  the  reality  of  a  heaven  and 
hell,  is  greater  than  his  belief. 

O,  then,  for  what  should  my  soul  more  pray  than  for  a  clearer 


. 


5C  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

and  stronger  faith  ?  I  believe  ;  Lord,  help  my  unbelief!  I  have 
many  a  thousand  times  groaned  to  thee  under  the  burden  of  this 
remnant  of  darkness  and  unbelief;  1  have  many  a  thousand  times 
thought  of  the  evidences  of  the  Christian  verity,  and  of  the  great  ne- 
cessity of  a  lively,  powerful,  active  faith  :  I  have  begged  it ;  I  have 
cried  to  thee  night  and  day,  Lord,  increase  my  faith  !  I  have  writ- 
ten and  spoken  that  to  others  which  might  be  most  useful  to  myself, 
to  raise  the  apprehensions  of  faith  yet  higher,  and  make  them  liker 
those  of  sense  ;-  but  yet,  yet,  Lord,  howdark  is  this  world  !  What  a 
dungeon  is  this  flesh  !  How  little  clearer  is  my  sight,  and  little 
quicker  are  my  perceptions,  of  unseen  things,  than  long  ago  !  Am 
I  at  the  highest  that  man  on  earth  can  reach,  and  that  when  I  am  so 
dark  and  low  ?  Is  there  no  growth  of  these  apprehensions  more  to 
be  expected  ?  Doth  the  soul  cease  its  increase  in  vigorous  percep- 
tion, when  the  body  ceaseth  its  increase,  or  vigor,  of  sensation  ? 
Must  I  sit  down  in  so  low  a  measure,  while  I  am  drawing  nearer  to 
the  things  believed,  and  am  almost  there,  where  belief  must  pass  in- 
to sight  and  love  ?  Or,  must  I  take  up  with  the  passive  silence  and 
inactivity,  which  some  friars  persuade  us  is  nearer  to  perfection  ; 
and,  under  pretense  of  annihilation  and  receptivity,  let  my  sluggish 
heart  alone,  and  say,  that  in  this  neglect  I  wait  for  thy  operations  ? 
O  let  not  a  soul,  that  is  driven  from  this  world,  and  weary  of  vani- 
ty, and  can  think  of  little  else  but  immortality,  that  seeks  and  cries 
both  night  and  day  for  the  heavenly  light,  and  fain  would  have 
some  foretaste  of  glory,  and  some  more  of  the  first-fruits  of  the 
promised  joys, — let  not  such  a  soul  either  long,  or  cry,  or  strive  in 
vain  !  Punish  not  my  former  grieving  of  thy  Spirit,  by  deserting 
a  soul  that  crieth  for  thy  grace,  so  near  its  great  and  inconceivable 
change.  Let  me  not  languish  in  vain  desires  at  the  door  of  hope  ; 
nor  pass  with  doubtful  thoughts  and  fears  from  this  vale  of  misery. 
Which  should  be  the  season  of  triumphant  faith,  and  hope,  and  joy, 
if  not  when  I  am  entering  on  the  world  of  joy  ?  O  thou  that  hast 
left  us  so  many  consolatory  words  of  promise,  that  our  joy  may 
be  full,  send,  O  !  send  the  promised  Comforter,  without  whose 
approaches  and  heavenly  beams,  wrhen  all  is  said,  and  a  thousand 
thoughts  and  strivings  have  been  essayed,  it  will  still  be  night  and 
winter  with  the  soul. 

But  have  I  not  expected  more  particular  and  more  sensitive 
conceptions  ef  heaven,  and  the  state  of  blessed  souls,  than  I  should 
have  done,  and  remained  less  satisfied,  because  I  expected  such 
di.stinc't  perceptions  to  my  satisfaction,  which  God  doth  not  ordina- 
rily give  to  souls  in  flesh  ?  I  fear  it  hath  been  too  much  so  ;  a 
distrust  of  God,  and  a  distrustful  desire  to  know  much  (good  and 
evil)  for  ourselves,  as  necessary  to  our  quiet  and  satisfaction,  was 
that  sin  which  hath  deeply  corrupted  man's  nature,  and  is  more  of 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  57 

our  common  pravity,  than  is  commonly  observed.  I  find  that  this 
distrust  of  God,  and  my  Redeemer,  hath  had  too  great  a  hand  in  my 
desires  of  a  distincter  and  more  sensible  knowledge.  1,  know  that  I 
should  implicitly,  and  absolutely,  and  quietly,  trust  my  soul  into  my 
Redeemer's  hands  ;  (of  which  I  must  speak  more  anon  ;)  and  it  is 
not  only  for  the  body,  but  also  for  the  soul,  that  a  distrustful  care  is 
our  great  sin  and  misery.  But  yet  \ve  must  desire  that  our  knowl- 
edge and  belief  may  be  as  distinct  and  particular  as  God's  revela- 
tions are  ;  and  we  can  love  no  further  than  we  know  ;  and  the  more 
we  know  of  God  and  glory,  the  more  we  shall  love,  desire  and  trust 
hirn.  It  is  a  known,  and  not  merely  an  unknown  God  and  happi- 
ness, that  the  soul  doth  joyfully  desire ;  and  if  I  may  not  be 
ambitious  of  too  sensible  and  distinct  perceptions  here,  of  the 
things  unseen  ;  yet  must  I  desire  and  beg  the  most  fervent  and 
sensible  love  to  them  that  1  am  capable  of.  I  am  willing  (in  part) 
to  take  up  with  that  unavoidable  ignorance,  and  that  low  degree  of 
such  knowledge,  which  God  confineth  us  to  in  the  flesh,  so  be  it  he 
will  give  me  but  such  consolatory  foretastes  in  love  and  joy,  which 
such  a  general,  imperfect  knowledge  may  consist  with,  that  my  soul 
may  not  pass  with  distrust  and  terror,  but  with  suitable,  triumph- 
ant hopes,  to  the  everlasting  pleasures. 

0  Father  of  lights  !  who  givest  wisdom  to  them  that  ask  it  of 
thee,  shut  not  up  this  sinful  soul  in  darkness  !  leave  me  not  to 
grope  in  unsatisfied  doubts,  at  the  door  of  the  celestial  light !  or,  if 
my  knowledge  must  be  general,  let  it  be  clear  and  powerful ;  and 
deny  me  not  now  the  lively  exercise  of  faith,  hope,  and  love, 
which  are  the  stirrings  of  the  new  creature,  and  the  dawnings  of 
the  everlasting  light,  and  the  earnest  of  the  promised  inheritance. 

But  we  are  oft  ready  to  say  with  Cicero,  when  he  had  been 
reading  such  as  Plato,  that,  while  the  book  is  in  our  hands,  we 
seem  confident  of  our  immortality,  and  when  we  lay  it  by,  our 
doubts  return  ;  so  our  arguments  seem  clear  and  cogent,  and  yet 
when  we  think  not  of  them,  with  the  best  advantage,  we  are  oft 
surprised  with  fear,  lest  we  should  be  mistaken,  and  our  hopes  be 
vain  ;  and  hereupon  (and  from  the  common  fear  of  death,  that 
even  good  men  too  often  manifest)  the  infidels  gather,  that  we  do 
but  force  ourselves  into  such  a  hope  as  we  desire  to  be  true, 
against  the  tendency  of  man's  nature,  and  that  we  were  not  made 
for  a  better  world. 

But  this  fallacy  ariseth  from  men's  not  distinguishing,  1.  Sensi- 
tive fears  from  rational  uncertainty,  or  doubts.  2.  And  the  mind 
that  is  in  the  darkness  of  unbelief,  from  that  which  hath  the  light 
of  faith. 

1  find  in  myself  too  much  "of  fear,  when  I  look  into  eternity,  in- 
terrupting and  weakening  my  desires  and  joy.     But  I  find  that  it  is 

VOL.    IT.  a 


58  BAXTER'S   imr.r;  THOUGHTS. 

very  much  an  irrational,  sensitive  fear,  which  the  darkness  of  man's 
mind,  the  greatness  of  the  change,  the  dreadful  majesty  of  God, 
and  man's  natural  averseness  to  die,  do,  in  some  degree,  necessitate, 
even  when  reason  is  fully  satisfied  that  such  fears  are  consistent 
with  certain  safety.  If  1  were  bound  with  the  strongest  chains,  or 
stood  on  the  surest  battlements,  on  the  top  of  a  castle  or  steeple,  I 
could  not  possibly  look  down  without  fear,  and  such  as  would  go 
near  to  overcome  me  ;  and  yet  I  should  be  rationally  sure  that  I 
arn  there  fast  and  safe,  and  cannot  fall.  So  is  it  with  our  prospect 
into  the  life  to  come :  fear  is  oft  a  necessitated  passion :  when  a 
man  is  certain  of  his  safe  foundation,  it  will  violently  rob  him  of 
the  comfort  of  that  certainty  :  yea,  it  is  a  passion  that  irrationally 
doth  much  to  corrupt  our  reason  itself,  and  would  make  us  doubt 
because  we  fear,  though  we  know  not  why  :  and  a  fearful  man  doth 
hardly  trust  his  own  apprehensions  of  his  safety,  but,  among  other 
fears,  is  still  ready  to  fear  lest  he  be  deceived  ;  like  timorous, 
melancholy  persons  about  their  bodies,  who  are  ready  still  to  think 
that  every  little  distemper  is  a  mortal  symptom,  and  that  worse  is 
still  nearer  them  than  they  feel,  and  they  hardly  believe  any  words 
of  hope. 

And  Satan,  knowing  the  power  of  these  passions,  and  having 
easier  access  to  the  sensitive  than  to  the  intellective  faculties,  doth 
labor  to  get  in  at  this  back  door,  and  to  frighten  poor  souls  into 
doubt  and  unbelief:  and  in  timorous  natures  he  doth  it  with  too 
great  success,  as  to  the  consolatory  acts  of  faith.  Though  yet 
God's  mercy  is  wonderfully  seen  in  preserving  many  honest,  tender 
souls  from  the  damning  part  of  unbelief,  and,  by  their  fears,  preserv- 
eth  them  from  being  bold  with  sin ;  when  many  bold  and  impudent 
sinners  turn  infidels,  or  atheists,  by  forfeiting  the  helps  of  grace. 

And,  indeed,  irrational  fears  have  so  much  power  to  raise  doubts, 
that  they  are  seldom  separated ;  insomuch  that  many  scarce  know, 
or  observe,  the  difference  between  doubts  and  fears  ;  and  many  say 
they  not  only  fear  but  doubt,  when  they  can  scarce  tell  why,  as  if 
it  were  no  intellectual  act  which  they  meant,  but  an  irrational 
passion. 

If,  therefore,  my  soul  see  undeniable  evidence  of  immortality ; 
and  if  it  be  able,  by  irrefragable  argument,  to  prove  the  future 
blessedness  expected  ;  and  if  it  be  convinced  that  God's  promises 
are  true,  and  sufficiently  sealed  and  attested  by  him,  to  warrant  the 
most  confident  belief;  and  if  I  trust  my  soul  and  all  my  hopes  upon 
this  word,  and  evidences  of  truth, — it  is  not,  then,  our  averseness  to 
die,  nor  the  sensible  fears  of  a  soul  that  looketh  into  eternity,  that 
invalidate  any  of  the  reasons  of  my  hope,  nor  prove  the  unsound- 
ness  of  my  faith. 

But  yet  these  fears  do  prove  its  weakness  ;  and  were  they  prev- 


BAXTER'S  niriNtt  THOUGHTS.  59. 

alent  against  the  choice,  obedience,  resolutions,  and  endeavors  of 
faith,  they  would  be  prevalent  against  the  truth  of  faith,  or  prove 
its  nullity  ;  for  faith  is  trust  ;  and  trust  is  a  securing,  quieting  thing. 
"  Why  are  ye  fearful,  O  ye  of  little  faith  ?  "  was  a  just  reproof  of 
Christ  to  his  disciples,  when  sensible  dangers  raised  up  their  fears. 
For  the  established  will  hath  a  political  or  imperfect,  though  not  a 
despotical  and  absolute,  power  over  our  passions.  And  there- 
fore our  fears  do  show  our  unbelief,  and  stronger  faith  is  the  best 
means  of  conquering  even  irrational  fears.  "  Why  art  thou  cast 
down,  O  my  soul,  and  why  art  thou  so  disquieted  in  me  ?  trust  in 
God,"  &c.  (Psalm  xlii.)  is  a  needful  way  of  chiding  a  timorous 
heart. 

And  though  many  say  that  faith  hath  not  evidence,  and  think 
that  it  is  an  assent  of  the  mind,  merely  commanded  by  the  empire 
of  the  will,  without  a  knowledge  of  the  verity  of  the  testimony, 
yet,  certainly,  the  same  assent  is  ordinarily  in  the  Scriptures  called, 
indifferently,  knowing  and  believing  :  and  as  a  bare  command  will 
not  cause  love,  unless  we  perceive  an  amiableness  in  the  object,  so 
a  bare  command  of  the  law,  or  of  the  will,  cannot  alone  cause  belief, 
unless  we  perceive  a  truth  in  the  testimony  believed  ;  for  it  is  a  con- 
tradiction, or  an  act  without  its  object.  And  truth  is  perceived  only 
so  far  as  it  is  some  way  evident ;  for  evidence  is  nothing  but  the  ob- 
jective perceptibility  of  truth,  or  that  which  is  metaphorically  call- 
ed light.  So  that  we  must  say  that  faith  hath  not  sensible  evidence 
of  the  invisible  things  believed  ;  but  faith  is  nothing  else  but  the 
willing  perception  of  the  evidence  of  truth  in  the  word  of  the 
assertor,  and  a  trust  therein.  We  have,  and  must  have,  evidence 
that  Scripture  is  God's  word,  and  that  his  word  is  true,  before,  by 
any  command  of  the  word  or  will,  we  can  believe  it. 

I  do,  therefore,  neither  despise  evidence  as  unnecessary,  nor 
trust  to  it  alone  as  the  sufficient  total  cause  of  my  belief;  for  if 
God's  grace  do  not  open  mine  eyes,  and  comedown  in  power  upon 
my  will,  and  insinuate  into  it  a  sweet  acquaintance  with  the  things 
unseen,  and  a  taste  of  their  goodness  to  delight  my  soul,  no  reasons 
will  serve  to  stablish  and  comfort  me,  how  undeniable  soever : 
reason  is  fain  first  to  make  use  of  notions,  words,  or  signs ;  and  to 
know  terms,  propositions,  and  arguments,  which  are  but  means  to 
the  knowledge  of  things,  is  its  first  employment',  and  that,  alas ! 
which  multitudes  of  learned  men  do  take  up  with  :  but  it  is  the 
illumination  of  God  that  must  give  us  an  effectual  acquaintance 
with  the  things  spiritual  and  invisible,  which  these  notions  signify, 
and  to  which  our  organical  knowledge  is  but  a  means. 

To  sum  up  all,  that  our  hopes  of  heaven  have  a  certain  ground, 
appeareth,  I.  From  nature:  IL  From  grace:  III.  From  other 
works  of  gracious  providence. 


CO  BAXTEH'S   DYING  THOUGHTS. 

I.  i.  From    the   nature  of  man:   1.  Made  capable   of  it.     2. 
Obliged,  even  by  the  law  of  nature,  to  seek  it  before  all.     3.  Nat- 
urally desiring  perfection,  (1.)  Habitual:   (2.)  Active:  and,  (3.) 
Objective. 

ii.  And  from  the  nature  of  God,  1.  As  good  and  communicative. 
2.  As  holy  and  righteous.  3.  As  wise  ;  making  none  of  his  works 
in  vain. 

II.  From  grace,].  Purchasing  it.  2.  Declaring  it  by  a  messenger 
from  heaven,  both  by  word  and  by  Christ's  own  (and  others')  resur- 
rection.    3.  Promising  it.     4.  Sealing  that  promise  by  miracles 
there.     5.  And  by  the  work  of  sanctification,  to  the  end  of  the 
world. 

III.  By  subordinate  providence.     1.  God's  actual  governing  the 
world  by  the  hopes  and  fears  of  another  life.     2.  The  many  helps 
which  he  giveth  us  for  a  heavenly  life,  and  for  attaining  it,  (which 
are  not  vain.)     3.  Specially  the  ministration  of  angels,  and  their 
love  to  us,  and  communion  with  us.     4.  And,  by  accident,  devils 
themselves  convince  us.     (1.)  By  the  nature  of  their  temptations. 
(2.)  &c.         *         *         * 

Being  with   Christ. 

Having  proved  that  faith  and  hope  have  a  certain,  future  hap- 
piness to  expect,  the  text  directeth  me  next  to  consider  why  it  is 
described  by  "  being  with  Christ ; "  viz.  /.  What  is  included  in 
our  "  being  with  Christ."  II.  That  we  shall  be  with  him.  III. 
Why  we  shall  be  with  him. 

To  be  with  Christ  includeth,  I.  Presence.  II.  Union.  III. 
Communion,  or  participation  of  felicity  with  him. 

I.  Quest.  Is  it  Christ's  Godhead,  or  his  human  soul,  or  his  hu- 
man body,  that  we  shall  be  present  with,  and  united  to,  or  alP 
Answ.  It  is  all,  but  variously. 

1.  We  shall  be  present  with  the  divine  nature  of  Christ.  Quest. 
But  are  we  not  always  so  ?  And  are  not  all  creatures  so  ?  Answ. 
Yes,  as  his  essence  comprehendeth  all  place  and  beings  ;  but  not 
as  it  is  operative,  and  manifested  in  and  by  his  glory.  Christ  di- 
recteth our  hearts  and  tongues  to  pray,  "  Our  Father,  which  art  in 
heaven  ;  "  and  yet  he  knew  that  all  place  is  in  and  with  God  ;  be- 
cause it  is  in  heaven  that  he  gloriously  operateth  and  shineth  forth 
to  holy  souls ;  even  as  man's  soul  is  eminently  said  to  be  in  the 
head,  because  it  understandeth  and  reasoneth  in  the  head,  and  not 
in  the  foot  or  hand,  though  it  be  also  there.  And  as  we  look  a  man 
in  the  face  when  we  talk  to  him,  so  we  look  up  to  heaven  when  we 
pray  to  God.  God  who  is,  and  operateth  as,  the  root  of  nature,  in 
all  the  works  of  creation,  (for  in  him  we  live,  and  move,  and  are,)  and 


UAXTElt'a     DYING    THOUGHTS.  61 

by  the  way  of  grace  in  all  the  gracious,  doth  operate,  and  is,  by  the 
works  and  splendor  of  his  glory,  eminently  in  heaven  ;  by  which  glo- 
ry, therefore,  we  must  mean  some  created  glory ;  for  his  essence 
hath  no  inequality. 

2.  We  shall  be  present  with  the  human  nature  of  Christ,  both 
soul  and  body :  but  here  our  present  narrow  thoughts  must  not  too 
boldly  presume  to  resolve  the  difficulties  which,  to  a  distinct  un- 
derstanding of  this,  should  be  overcome  ;  for  we  must  not  here  ex- 
pect any  more  than  a  dark  and  general  knowledge  of  them  ;  as,  1 . 
What  is  the  formal  difference  between  Christ's  glorified  body  and 
his  flesh  on  earth  ?  2.  Where  Christ's  glorified  body  is,  and  how 
far  it  extendeth.  3.  Wherein  the  soul  and  the  glorified  body  dif- 
fer, seeing  it  is  called  a  spiritual  body  :  these  things  are  beyond  our 
present  reach. 

(1 .)  For  what  conceptions  can  we  have  of  a  spiritual  body,  save 
that  it  is  pure,  incorruptible,  invisible  to  mortal  eyes,  and  fitted  to 
the  most  perfect  state  of  the  soul  ?  How  near  the  nature  of  it 
is  to  a  spirit,  (and  so  to  the  soul,)  and  how  far  they  agree,  or 
differ,  in  substance,  extensiveness,  divisibility,  or  activity,  little  do 
we  know. 

(2.)  Nor  do  we  know  where  and  how  far  Christ's  body  is  pres- 
ent by  extent.  The  sun  is  commonly  taken  for  a  body,  and  its 
motive,  illuminative,  and  calefactive  beams,  are,  by  the  most  prob- 
able philosophy,  taken  to  be  a  real  emanant  part  of  its  substance, 
and  so  that  it  is  essentially  as  extensive  as  those  beams ;  that  is, 
it  at  once  filleth  all  our  air,  and  toucheth  the  surface  of  the  earth ; 
and  how  much  further  it  extendeth  we  cannot  tell.  And  what 
difference  there  is  between  Christ's  glorified  body  and  the  sun,  in 
purity,  splendor,  extent,  or  excellency  of  nature,  little  do  poor 
mortals  kno\v  :  and  so  of  the  rest. 

Let  no  man,  therefore,  cavil,  and  say,  '  How  can  a  whole  world 
of  glorified  bodies  be  all  present  with  the  one  body  of  Christ, 
when  each  must  possess  its  proper  room  ? '  for  as  the  body  of  the 
solar  beams,  and  the  extensive  air,  are  so  compresent,  as  that 
none  can  discern  the  difference  of  the  places  which  they  possess, 
and  a  world  of  bodies  are  present  with  them  both,  so  may  all  our 
bodies  be  with  Christ's  body,  and  that  without  any  real  confusion. 

II.  Besides  presence  with  Christ,  there  will  be  such  an  union 
as  we  cannot  now  distinctly  know.  A  political,  relative  union  is, 
past  doubt,  such  as  subjects  have  in  one  kingdom  with  their  king; 
but  little  know  we  how  much  more.  We  see  that  there  is  a  won- 
derful corporeal  continuity,  or  contact,  among  the  material  works  of 
God ;  and  the  more  spiritual,  pure,  and  noble,  the  more  inclina- 
tion each  nature  hath  to  union.  Every  plant  on  earth  hath  an 
union  with  the  whole  earth  in  which  it  liveth :  they  are  real  parts 


f 

- 

62  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

of  it.  And  what  natural  conjunction  our  bodies  shall  have  to 
Christ's,  and  what  influence  from  it,  is  past  our  knowledge. 
Though  his  similitudes  in  John  xv.  and  vi.  and  Eph.  v.  and  1  Cor. 
xii.  seem  to  extend  far,  yet,  being  but  similitudes,  we  cannot  fully 
know  how  far. 

The  same,  variatis  variandis,  we  may  say  of  our  union  with 
Christ's  human  soul.  Seeing  souls  are  more  inclinable  to  union 
than  bodies,  when  we  see  all  vegetables  to  be  united  parts  of  one 
earth,  and  yet  to  have  each  one  its  proper  individuating  form  and 
matter,  we  cannot,  though  animals  seem  to  walk  more  disjunct, 
imagine  that  there  is  no  kind  of  union  or  conjunction  of  invisible 
souls;  though  they  retain  their  several  substances  and  forms;  nor 
yet  that  our  bodies  shall  have  a  nearer  union  with  Christ's  body 
than  our  souls  with  his  soul.  But  the  nature,  manner,  and  meas- 
ure of  it,  we  know  not. 

Far  be  it  from  us  to  think  that  Christ's  glorified,  spiritual  body, 
is  such  in  forms,  parts,  and  dimensions,  as  his  earthly  body  was. 
That  it  hath  hands,  feet,  brains,  heart,  stomach,  liver,  intestines, 
as  on  earth ;  or  that  it  is  such  a  compound  of  earth,  water,  and  air, 
as  here  it  was,  and  of  such  confined  extent ;  for  then,  as  his  dis- 
ciples and  a  few  Jews  only  were  present  with  him,  and  all  the 
world  besides  were  absent,  and  had  none  of  his  company,  so  it 
would  be  in  heaven.  But  it  is  such  as  not  only  Paul,  but  all  true 
believers  in  the  world,  from  the  creation  to  the  end,  shall  be  with 
Christ  and  see  his  glory  :  and  though  inequality  of  fitness,  or  degrees 
of  holiness,  will  make  an  inequality  of  glory,  no  man  can  prove  an 
inequality,  by  local  distance,  from  Christ;  or,  if  such  there  be, — 
for  it  is  beyond  our  reach, — yet  none  in  heaven  are  at  such  a 
distance  from  him  as  not  to  enjoy  the  felicity  of  his  presence. 

Therefore,  when  we  dispute  against  them  that  hold  transubstan- 
tiation,  and  the  ubiquity  of  Christ's  body,  we  do  assuredly  con- 
clude that  sense  is  judge,  whether  there  be  real  bread  and  wine 
present  or  not ;  but  it  is  no  judge,  whether  Christ's  spiritual  body 
be  present  or  not,  no  more  than  whether  an  angel  be  present. 
And  we  conclude  that  Christ's  body  is  not  infinite,  or  immense,  as 
is  his  Godhead ;  but  what  are  its  dimensions,  limits,  or  extent,  and 
where  it  is  absent,  far  be  it  from  us  to  determine,  when  we  cannot 
tell  how  far  the  sun  extendeth  its  secondary  substance,  or  emanant 
beams ;  nor  well  what  locality  is  as  to  Christ's  soul,  or  any  spirit, 
if  to  a  spiritual  body. 

Their  fear  is  vain  and  carnal,  who  are  afraid  lest  their  union 
with  Christ,  or  one  another,  will  be  too  near;  even  lest  thereby 
they  lose  their  individuation,  as  rivers  that  fall  into  the  sea,  or  ex- 
tinguished candles,  whose  fire  is  after  but  a  sunbeam,  or  part  of  the 
common  element  of  fire  in  the  air,  or  as  the  vegetative  spirits 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  63 

which,  in  autumn,  retire  from  the  leaves  into  the  branches  and 
trunk  of  the  tree.  I  have  proved  before,  that  our  individuation, 
or  numerical  existence,  ceaseth  not  ;  and  that  no  union  is  to  be 
feared,  were  it  never  so  sure,  which  destroyeth  not  the  being,  or 
formal  powers,  or  action  of  the  soul  ;  and.  that  it  is  the  great  radi- 
cal disease  of  selfishness,  and  want  of  holy  love  to  God  and  our 
Savior,  and  one  another,  which  causeth  these  unreasonable  fears, 
even  that  selfishness  which  now  maketh  men  so  partially  desirous 
of  their  own  wills  and  pleasure  in  comparison  of  God's,  and  their 
own  felicity  in  comparison  of  others,  and  which  maketh  them  so 
easily  bear  God's  injuries,  and  the  sufferings  of  a  thousand,  others, 
in  comparison  of  their  own.  But  he  that  put  a  great  desire  of  the 
body's  preservation  into  the  soul,  while  it  is  its  form,  will  abate 
that  desire  when  the  time  of  separation  is  come,  because  there  is 
then  no  use  for  it  till  the  resurrection  ;  else  it  would  be  a  torment 
to  the  soul. 

III.  And  as  we  shall  have  union,  so  also  communion,  with  the 
divine  and  human  nature  of  Christ  respectively  ;  both,  1.  As  they 
will  be  the  objects  of  our  soul's  most  noble  and  constant  acts,  and, 
2.  As  thev  will  be  the  fountain  or  communicative  cause  of  our 

J 

receptions. 

1  .  We  find  now  that  our  various  faculties  have  various  objects, 
suitable  to  their  natures.  The  objects  of  sense  are  things  sensible, 
and  the  objects  of  imagination,  things  imaginable,  and  the  objects 
of  intellection,  things  intelligible,  and  the  objects  of  the  will,  things 
amiable.  The  eye,  which  is  a  nobler  sense  than  some  others,  hath 
light  for  its  object,  which,  to  other  senses,  is  none  ;  and  so  of  the  rest. 
Therefore,  we  have  cause  to  suppose,  that  as  far  as  our  glorified 
souls,  and  our  spiritual  glorified  bodies,  will  difFeaj  so  far  Christ's 
glorified  soul  and  body  will,  respectively,  be  their  several  objects  ; 
and  beholding  the  glory  of  both  will  be  part  of  our  glory. 

Yet  it  is  not  hence  to  be  gathered,  that  the  separated  soul,  be- 
fore the  resurrection,  shall  not  have  Christ's  glorified  body  for  its 
object  ;  for  the  objects  of  the  body  are  also  the  objects  of  the  soul, 
or,  to  speak  more  properly,  the  objects  of  sense  are  also  the  ob- 
jects of  intellection  and  will,  though  all  the  objects  of  the  intellect 
and  will  are  not  objects  of  sense.  The  separated  soul  can  know 
Christ's  glorified  body,  though  our  present  bodies  cannot  see  a  soul. 
But  how  much  our  spiritual  bodies  will  excel  in  capacity  and  ac- 
tivity these  passive  bodies,  that  have  so  much  earth  and  water,  we 
cannot  tell. 

And  though  now  our  souls  are  as  a  candle  in  a  lantern,  and 
must  have  extrinsic  objects  admitted  by  the  senses  before  they  can 
be  understood,  yet  it  followeth  not  that  therefore  a  separated  soul 
cannot  know  such  objects  :  1  .  Because  it  now  knoweth  them  ab- 


- 

64  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

stractively,  per  species,  because  its  act  of  ratiocination  is  compound 
as  to  the  cause,  (soul  and  body.)     But  it  will  then  know  such 
tilings  intuitively,  as  now  it  can  do  itself,  when  then  the  lantern  is 
cast  by.     2.  And  whatever  many  of  late,  that  have  given  them- 
selves the  title  of  ingenious,  have  said  to  the  contrary,  we  have 
little  reason  to  think  that  the  sensitive  faculty  is  not  an  essential, 
inseparable  power  of  the  same  soul  that  is  intellectual,  and  that 
sensation  ceaseth  to  separated  souls,  however  the  modes  of  it  may 
cease  with  their  several  uses  and  organs.     To  feel  intellectually, 
or  to  understand  and  will  feelingly,  we  have  cause  to  think,  will 
be  the  action  of  separated  souls ;  and  if  so,  why  may  they  not  have 
communion  with  Christ's  body  and  soul,  as  their  objects  in  their 
separated  state  ?     3.  Besides  that,  we  are  uncertain  whether  the 
separated  soul  have  no  vehicle  or  body  at  all.     Things  unknown 
to  us  must  not  be  supposed  true  or  false.     Some  think  that  the 
sensitive  soul  is  material,  and,  as  a  body  to  the  intellectual,  never 
separated.     I  am  not  of  their  opinion  that  make  them  two  sub- 
stances ;  but  I  cannot  say  I  am  certain  that  they  err.     Some  think 
that  the  soul  is  material,  of  a  purer  substance  than  things  visible, 
and  that  the  common  notion  of  its  substantiality  meaneth  nothing 
else   but  a  pure,  (as  they  call  it,)  spiritual  materiality.     Thus 
thought  not  only  Tertullian,  but  almost  all  the  old  Greek  doctors 
of  the  church  that  write  of  it,  and  most  of  the  Latin,  or  very  many, 
as  I  have  elsewhere  showed,  and  as  Faustus  reciteth  them  in  the 
treatise  answered  by  Mammertus.     Some  think  that  the  soul,  as 
vegetative,  is  an  igneous  body,  such  as  we  call  ether,  or  solar  fire, 
or  rather  of  a  higher,  purer  kind  ;  and  that  sensation  and  intellec- 
tion are  those  formal  faculties  which  specifically  difference  it  from 
inferior  mere  fire  or  ether.     There  were  few  of  the  old  doctors, 
that  thought  it  not  some  of  these  ways  material ;  and,  consequent- 
ly, extensive  and  di visible  per  potentiam  divinam,  though  not  nat- 
urally, or  of  its  own  inclination,  because  most  strongly  inclined  to 
unity :  and  if  any  of  all  these  uncertain  opinions  should  prove 
true,  the  objections  in  hand  will  find  no  place.     To  say  nothing  of 
their  conceit,  who  say,  that  as  the  spirit  that  retireth  from  the  falling 
leaves  in  autumn,  continueth  to  animate  the  tree,  so  man's  soul 
may  do,  when  departed,  with  that  to  which  it  is  united,  to  animate 
some  more  noble,  universal  body.     But  as  all  these  are  the  too 
bold  cogitations  of  men  that  had  better  let  unknown  things  alone, 
so  yet  they  may  be  mentioned  to  refell  that  more  perilous  boldness 
which  denieth  the  soul's  action,  which  is  certain,  upon,  at  best,  un- 
certain reasons. 

I  may  boldly  conclude,  notwithstanding  such  objections,  that 
Christ's  divine  and  human  nature,  soul  and  body,  shall  be  the  felici- 
tating objects  of  intuition  and  holy,  love  to  the  separated  soul  be- 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  65 

fore  the  resurrection  ;  and  that  to  be  with  Christ  is  to  have  such 
communion  with  him,  and  not  only  to  be  present  where  he  is. 

2.  And  the  chief  part  of  this  communion  will  be  that  in  which 
we  are  receptive  ;  even  Christ's  communications  to  the  soul.  And 
as  the  infinite,  incomprehensible  Deity  is  the  root,  or  first  cause,  of 
all  communication,  natural,  gracious,  and  glorious,  to  being,  motion, 
life,  rule,  reason,  holiness,  and  happiness ;  and  the  whole  creation  is 
more  dependent  on  God,  than  the  fruit  on  the  tree,  or  the  plants 
on  the  earth,  or  the  members  on  the  body ;  (though  yet  they  are 
not  parts  of  the  Deity,  nor  deified,  because  the  communication  is 
creative  ;)  so  God  useth  second  causes  in  his  communication  to  in- 
ferior natures.  And  it  is  more  than  probable,  that  the  human  soul 
of  Christ,  primarily,  and  his  body,  secondarily,  are  the  chief  second 
cause  of  influence  and  communication  both  of  grace  and  glory,  both 
to  man  in  the  body,  and  to  the  separated  soul.  And  as  the  sun  is 
first  an  efficient,  communicative,  second  cause  of  seeing  to  the  eye, 
and  then  is  also  the  object  of  our  sight,  so  Christ  is  to  the  soul.* 
For  as  God,  so  the  Lamb  is  the  light  and  glory  of  the  heavenly 
Jerusalem,  and  in  his  light  we  shall  have  light.  Though  he  give 
up  the  kingdom  to  the  Father,  so  far  as  that  God  shall  be  all  in  all, 
and  his  creature  be  fully  restored  to  his  favor,  and  there  shall  be 
need  of  a  healing  government  no  more,  for  the  recovering  of  lapsed 
souls  to  God ;  yet  sure  he  will  not  cease  to  be  our  Mediator,  and 
to  be  the  church's  head,  and  to  be  the  conveying  cause  of  ever- 
lasting life,  and  light,  and  love,  to  all  his  members.  As  now  we 
live  because  he  liveth,  even  as  the  branches  in  the  vine,  and 
the  Spirit  that  quickeneth,  enlighteneth,  and  sanctifieth  us,  is  first 
the  Spirit  of  Christ  before  it  is  ours,  and  is  communicated  from 
God,  by  him,  to  us  ;  so  will  it  be  in  the  state  of  glory  ;  for  we  shall 
have  our  union  and  communion  with  him  perfected,  and  not  de- 
stroyed or  diminished.  And  unless  I  could  be  so  proud  as  to  think 
that  I  am,  or  shall  be,  the  most  excellent  of  all  the  creatures  of 
God,  and  therefore  nearest  him,  and  above  all  others,  how  could  I 
think  that  I  am  under  the  influence  of  no  second  cause,  but  have 
either  grace  or  glory  from  God  alone  ? 

So  far  am  I  from  such  arrogancy,  as  to  think  I  shall  be  so  near 
to  God,  as  to  be  above  the  need  and  use  of  Christ  and  his  com- 
munications, as  that  I  dare  not  say  that  I  shall  be  above  the  need 
and  help  of  other  subordinate  causes  :  as  I  am  now  lower  than 
angels,  and  need  their  help,  and  as  I  am  under  the  government  of 

*  This  one   truth  will  give  great  light  into  the  controversies   about    God's 
gracious  operations  on  the  soul ;  for  when  he  useth  second  causes,  we  see  he 
operateth  according  to  their  limited  aptitude  ;  and  Christ's  human  nature,  and    . 
all  other  second  causes,  are  limited,  and  operate  variously  and  resistibly,  accord- 
ing to  the  recipient's  en p'aciiv. 

VOL.    II.  9 


BAXTERS   DYING  THOUGHTS. 


my  superiors,  and,  as  a  poor,  weak  member,  am  little  worth  in 
comparison  of  the  whole  body,  the  church  of  Christ,  and  receive 
continual  help  from  the  whole,  so,  how  far  it  will  be  thus  in  glory 
1  know  not  ;  but  that  God  will  still  use  second  causes  for  our  joy, 
I  doubt  not,  and  also  that  there  will  not  be  an  equality  ;  and  that 
it  will  be  consistent  with  God's  all-sufficiency  to  us,  and  our  felici- 
ty in  him,  that  we  shall  forever  have  use  for  one  another,  and  that 
to  sit  down  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  in  the  kingdom  of 
God,  and  to  be  in  Abraham's  bosom,  and  to  sit  at  Christ's  right 
and  left  hand,  in  his  kingdom,  and  to  be  ruler  over  ten  cities,  and 
to  join  with  the  heavenly  host  or  choir,  in  the  joyful  love  and 
praise  of  God,  and  of  the  Lamb,  and  many  such  like,  are  not  false 
nor  useless  notes  and  notions  of  our  celestial  glory. 

And,  certainly,  if  I  be  with  Christ,  I  shall  be  with  all  that  are 
with  Christ  ;  even  with  all  the  heavenly  society.  Though  these 
bodies  of  gross,  passive  matter  must  have  so  much  room,  that  the 
earth  is  little  enough  for  all  its  inhabitants  ;  and  those  at  the  antip- 
odes are  almost  as  strange  to  us  as  if  they  were  in  another  world  ; 
and  those  of  another  kingdom,  another  province,  or  county,  and 
oft  another  parish,  yea,  another  house,  are  strangers  to  us  ;  so  nar- 
row is  our  capacity  of  communion  here.  Yet  we  have  great  cause 
to  think,  by  many  Scripture  expressions,  that  our  heavenly  union 
and  communion  will  be  nearer  and  more  extensive  ;  and  that  all 
the  glorified  shall  know  each  other,  or,  at  least,  be  far  less  distant 
and  less  strange  than  now  we  are.  As  I  said  before,  when  I  see 
how  far  the  sunbeams  do  extend,  how  they  penetrate  our  closest 
glass,  and  puzzle  them  that  say,  that  all  bodies  are  impenetrable  ; 
when  I  see  how  little  they  hinder  the  placing  or  presence  of  other 
creatures,  and  how  intimately  they  mix  themselves  with  all,  and 
seem  to  possess  the  whole  region  of  the  air,  when  yet  the  air 
seemeth  itself  to  fill  it,  &c.,  I  dare  not  think  that  glorified  spirits 
(no,  nor  spiritual  bodies)  will  be  such  strangers  to  one  another  as 
we  are  here  on  earth. 

And  I  must  needs  say,  that  it  is  a  pleasant  thought  to  me,  and 
greatly  helpeth  my  willingness  to  die,  to  think  that  I  shall  go  to  all 
the  holy  ones,  both  Christ  and  angels,  and  departed,  blessed  souls. 
P"or,  1.  God  hath  convinced  me  that  they  are  better  than  I,  (each 
singly,)  and  therefore  more  amiable  than  myself.  2.  And  that 
many  are  better  than  one,  and  the  whole  than  a  poor,  sinful  part, 
and  the  New  Jerusalem  is  the  glory  of  the  creation.  3.  God 
hath  given  me  a  love  to  all  his  holy  ones,  as  such.  4.  And  a 
love  to  the  work  of  love  and  praise,  which  they  continually  and 
perfectly  perform  to  God.  5.  And  a  love  to  the  celestial  Jerusa- 
"  lem,  as  it  is  complete,  and  to  his  glory  shining  in  them.  6.  And 
my  old  acquaintance  with  many  a  holy  persori  gone  to  Christ, 


"  V 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  67 

doth  make  my  thoughts  of  heaven  the  more  familiar  to,  me.  O, 
how  many  of  them  could  I  name  !  7.  And  it  is  no  small  encour- 
agement to  one  that  is  to  enter  upon  an  unseen  world,  to  think 
that  he  goeth  not  an  untrodden  path,  nor  enters  into  a  solitary  or 
singular  state ;  but  followeth  all  from  the  creation  to  this  day, 
that  have  passed  by  death  to  endless  life.  And  is  it  not  an  em- 
boldening consideration,  to  think  that  I  am  to  go  no  other  way, 
nor  to  no  other  place  or  state,  than  all  the  believers  and  saints 
have  gone  to  before  me,  from  the  beginning  to  this  time  ?  Of  this 
more  anon. 

To  depart. 

But  I  must  be  .loosed  or  depart,  before  I  can  thus  be  with 
Christ.  And  I  must  here  consider,  /.  From  what  I- must  depart. 
II.  And  how,  or  in  what  manner :  and  I  must  not  refuse  to  know 
the  worst. 

I.  And,  1.  I  know  that  I  must  depart  from  this  body  itself, 
and  the  life  which  consisteth  in  the  animating  of  it.  These  eyes 
must  here  see  no  more  ;  this  hand  must  move  no  more  ;  these  feet 
must  walk  no  more  ;  this  tongue  must  speak  no  more.  As  much 
as  1  have  loved  and  over-loved  this  body,  I  must  leave  it  to  the 
grave.  There  must  it  lie  and  rot  in  darkness,  as  a  neglected  and 
a  loathed  thing. 

This  is  the  fruit  of  sin,  and  nature  would  not  have  it  so  :  I  mean 
the  nature  of  this  compound  man  ;  but  what,  though  it  be  so  ?  1 . 
It  is  but  my  shell,  or  tabernacle,  and  the  clothing  of  my  soul,  and 
not  itself.  2.  It  is  but  an  elementary  composition  dissolved  ;  and 
earth  going  to  earth,  and  water  to  water,  and  air  to  air,  and  fire  to 
fire,  into  that  union  which  the  elementary  nature  doth  incline  it. 

3.  It  is  but  an  instrument  laid  by  when  all  its  work  is  done,  and 
a  servant  dismissed  when  his  service  is  at  an  end.     And  what 
should  I  do  with  a  horse  when  I  shall  need  to  ride  or  travel  no 
more,  or  with  a  pen,  when  I  must  write  no  more?     It  is  but  the 
laying  by  the  passive  receiver  of  my  soul's  operations,  when  the 
soul  hath  no  more  to  do  upon  it ;  as  I  cast  by  my  lute  or  other 
instrument,  when  I  have  better  employment  than  music  to  take 
up  my  time. 

4.  Or,  at  most,  it  is  but  as  flowers  die  in  the  fall,  and  plants  in 
winter,  when  the  retiring  spirits  have  done  their  work,  and  are 
undisposed  to  dwell  in  so  cold  and  unmeet  a  habitation,  as  the  sea- 
son maketh  their  former  matter  then  to  be.     And  its  retirement  is 
not  its  annihilation,  but  its  taking  up  a  fitter  place. 

5  It  is  but  a  separation  from  a  troublesome  companion,  and  put- 
ting off  a  shoe  that  pinched  me  ;  many  a  sad  and  painful  hour  I 
have  had  in  this  frail  and  faltering  flesh  ;  many  a  weary  night  and 


BAXTEJl's    IVi'tNt;    THOl.'li  IITS. 


day  :  what  cares,  what  fear?,  what  griefs,  and  what  groans,  hath 
this  body  cost  me  !  Alas  !  how  many  hours  of  my  precious  time 
have  been  spent  to  maintain  it.  please  it,  or  repair  it  !  How  consid- 
erable a  part  of  all  my  life  hath  been  spent  in  necessary  sleep 
and  rest  ;  and  how  much  in  eating,  drinking,  dressing,  physic  ;  and 
how  much  in  laboring,  or  using  means,  to  procure  these  and  other 
necessaries  !  Many  a  hundred  times  I  have  thought,  that  it  costeth 
me  so  dear  to  live,  yea,  to  live  a  painful,  weary  life,  that  were  it 
not  for  the  work  and  higher  ends  of  life,  I  had  little  reason  to  be 
much  in  love  with  it,  or  to  be  loath  to  leave  it.  And  had  not  God 
put  into  our  nature  itself  a  necessary,  unavoidable,  sensitive  love 
of  the  body,  and  of  life,  as  he  puts  into  the  mother,  and  into  every 
brute,  a  Jove  of  their  young  ones,  how  unclean,  and  impotent, 
and  troublesome  soever,  for  the  propagation  and  continuance  of 
man  on  earth  t  Had  God  but  left  it  to  mere  reason,  without  this 
necessary  preengagement  of  our  natures,  it  would  have  been  a 
matter  of  more  doubt  and  difficulty  than  it  is,  whether  this  life 
should  be  loved  and  desired  ;  and  no  small  number  would  daily 
wish  that  they  had  never  been  born  ;  a  wish  that  I  have  had 
much  ado  to  forbear,  even  when  I  have  known  that  it  is  sinful, 
and  when  the  work  and  pleasure  of  my  life  have  been  such  to 
overcome  the  evils  of  it  as  few  have  had. 

6.  Yea,  to  depart  from  such  a  body,  is  but  to  be  removed  fibm 
a  foul,  uncleanly,  and  sordid  habitation.  I  know  that  the  body  of 
man  and  brutes  is  the  curious,  wonderful  work  of  God,  and  not  to 
be  despised,  nor  injuriously  dishonored,  but  admired  and  well 
used  ;  but  yet  it  is  a  wonder  to  our  reason,  that  so  noble  a  spirit 
should  be  so  meanly  housed  ;  and  we  may  call  it  "  our  vile  body," 
as  the  apostle  doth;  Phil.  Hi.  21.  It  is  made  up  of  the  airy, 
watery,  and  earthly  parts  of  our  daily  food,  subacted  and  actuated 
by  the  fiery  part,  as  the  instrument  of  the  soul.  The  greater  part 
of  the  same  food  which,  with  great  cost,  and  pomp,  and  pleasure, 
is  first  upon  our  tables,  and  then  in  our  mouths,  to-day,  is  to-mor- 
row a  fetid,  loathsome  excrement,  and  cast  out  into  the  draught, 
that  the  sight  and  smell  of  that  annoy  us  not,  which  yesterday  was 
the  sumptuous  fruit  of  our  abundance,  and  the  glory  of  that  which 
is  called  great  housekeeping,  and  the  pleasure  of  our  eyes  and 
taste.  And  is  not  the  rest  that  turneth  into  blood  and  flesh,  of 
the  same  general  kind  with  that  which  is  turned  into  loathsome 
filth  t  The  difference  is,  that  it  is  fitter  for  the  soul  by  the  fiery 
spirits,  yet  longer  to  operate  on  and  keep  from  corruption  ;  our 
blood  and  flesh  are  as  stinking  and  loathsome  a  substance  as  our 
filthiest  excrements,  save  that  they  are  longer  kept  from  putre- 
faction. Why  then  should  it  more  grieve  me,  that  one  part  of 
my  food,  which  turneth  into  flesh,  should  rot  and  stink  in  the 


- 

BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  .  69 

grave,  than  that  all  the  rest  should  daily  stink  in  the  -draught  ? 
Yea,  while  it  is  within  me,  were  it  not  covered  from  my  sight, 
what  a  loathsome  mass  would  my  intestines  appear !  If  1  saw  what 
is  in  the  guts,  the  mesentery,  the  ventricles  of  the  bra'n,  what  filth, 
what  bilious  or  mucous  matter,  and,  perhaps,  crawling  worms, 
that  are  in  the  most  proud  or  comely  person,  I  should  think  that 
the  cover  of  a  cleaner  skin,  and  the  borrowed  ornaments  of  ap- 
parel, make  no  great  difference  between  such  a  body  and  a  carcass; 
(which  may  be  also  covered  with  an  adorned  coffin  and  monu- 
ment, to  deceive  such  spectators  as  see  but  outsides ;)  the  change 
is  not  so  great  of  corruptible  flesh,  replete  with  such  fe..d  excre- 
ments, into  corrupted  flesh,  as  some  fools  imagine. 

7.  Yet  more :  to  depart  from  such  a  body  is  but  to  be  loosed 
from  the  bondage  of  cor  uption,  and  from  a  clog  and  prison  of  the 
soul.     I  say  not  that  God  put  a  preexistent  soul  into  this  prison 
penally,  for  former  faults ;  I  must  say  no  more  than  I  can  prove, 
or  than  I  know ;  but  that  body  which  was  an  apt  servant  to  inno- 
cent man's  soul,  is  become  as  a  prison  to  him  now ;  what  altera- 
tion sin  made  upon  the  nature  of  the  body,  as  whether  it  be  more 
terrene  and  gross  than  else  it  would  have  been,  I  have  no  reason 
to  assert ;  of  earth  or  dust  it  was  at  first,  and  to  dust  it  is  sentenced 
to  return.     But  no  doubt  but  it  hath  its  part  in  that  dispositive 
depfteation  which  is  the   fruit  of  sin.     We  find  that  the  soul,  as 
sensitive,  is  so  imprisoned,  or  shut  up,  in  flesh,  that  sometimes  it 
is  more  than  one  door  that  must  be  opened  before  the  object  and 
the  faculty  can  meet.     In  the  eye,  indeed,  the  soul  seemeth  to 
have  a  window  to  look  out  at,  and  to  be  almost  itself  visible  to 
others  ;   and  yet  there  are  many  interposing  tunicles,  and  a  suffu- 
sion, or  winking,  can  make  the  clearest   sight  to  be  as  useless  for 
the  time  as  if  it  were  none ;  and  if  sense  be  thus  shut  up  from  its 
object,  no  wonder  if  reason   also   be  under  difficulties  from  corpo- 
real impediments,  and  if  the  soul  that  is  yoked  with  such  a  body 
can  go  no  faster  than  its  heavy  pace. 

8.  Yet  further :  to  depart  from  such  a  body,  is  but  to  be  sepa- 
rated from  an  accidental  enemy,  and  one  of  our  greatest  and  most 
hurtful  enemies ;  though  still  we  say,  that  it  is  not  by  any  default 
in  the  work  of  our  Creator,  but  by  the  effects  of  sin,  that  it  is 
such  ;  what  could  Satan,  or  any  other  enemy  of  our  souls,  have 
done  against  us  without  our  flesh  ?     What  is  it  but  the  interest  of 
this  body,  that  standeth  in  competition  against  the  interest  of  our 
souls  and  God  ?     What  else  do  the  profane  sell  their  heavenly  in- 
heritance for,  as  Esau  his  birthright  ?     No  man  loveth  evil,  as 'evil, 
but  as  some  way  a  real  or  seeming  good ;  and  what  good  is  it  but 
that  which  seemeth  good  for  the  body  ?    What  else  is  the  bait  of 
ambition,  covetousness,  and  sensuality,  but  the  interest  and  pleas- 


70  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.   . 

ure  of  this  flesh  ?  What  taketh  up  the  thoughts  and  care  which 
we  should  lay  out  upon  things  spiritual  and  heavenly,  hut  this 
body  and  its  life  ?  What  pleasures  are  they  that  steal  away  men's 
hearts  from  the  heavenly  pleasures  of  faith,  hope,  and  love,  but 
the  pleasures  of  this  flesh  ?  This  draweth  us  to  sin  ;  this  hindereth 
us  from  and  in  our  duty.  This  body  hath  its  interest,  which  must 
be  minded,  and  its  inordinate  appetite,  which  must  be  pleased ;  or 
else  what  murmurings  and  disquiet  must  we  expect !  Were  it  not 
for  bodily  interest,  and  its  temptations,  how  much  more  innocently 
and  holily  might  I  live  !  I  should  have  nothing  to  care  for,  but  to 
please  God,  and  to  be  pleased  in  him,  were  it  not  for  the  care  of 
this  bodily  life.  What  employment  should  my  will  and  love  have, 
but  to  delight  in  God,  and  love  him  and  his  interest,  were  it  not 
for  the  love  of  the  body,  and  its  concerns  ?  By  this  the  mind  is 
darkened,  and  the  thoughts  diverted :  by  this  our  wills  are  per- 
verted and  corrupted,  and,  by  loving  things  corporeal,  contract  a 
strangeness  and  aversion  from  things  spiritual :  by  this,  heart  and 
time  are  alienated  from  God ;  our  guilt  is  increased,  and  our  heav- 
enly desire  and  hopes  destroyed ;  life  made  unholy  and  uncomfort- 
able, and  death  made  terrible ;  God  and  our  souls  separated,  and 
life  eternal  set  by,  and  in  danger  of  being  utterly  lost.  I  know 
that  it  is  the  sinful  soul  that  is  in  all  this  the  chief  cause  and  agent ; 
but  what  is  it  but  bodily  interest  that  is  its  temptation,  bak»and 
end?  What  but  the  body,  and  its  life,  and  its  pleasure,  B  the 
chief,  objective,  alluring  cause  of  all  this  sin  and  misery  ?  And 
shall  I  take  such  a  body  to  be  better  than  heaven,  or  be  loath  to  be 
loosed  from  so  troublesome  a  yoke-fellow,  or  to  be  separated  from 
so  burdensome  and  dangerous  a  companion  ? 

Ofy.  But  I  know  this  habitation,  but  the  next  I  know  not.  I 
have  long  been  acquainted  with  this  body,  and  this  world,  but  the 
next  I  am  unacquainted  with. 

Ans.  1.  If  you  know  it,  you  know  all  that  of  it  which  I  have 
mentioned  before ;  you  know  it  to  be  a  burden  and  snare.  I  am 
sure  I  know,  by  long  experience,  that  this  flesh  hath  been  a  pain- 
ful lodging  to  my  soul,  and  this  world  as  a  tumultuous  ocean,  or 
like  the  uncertain  and  stormy  region  of  the  air.  And  well  he  de- 
serveth  bondage,  pain,  and  enmity,  who  will  love  them  because 
he  is  acquainted  with-them,  and  is  loath  to  leave  them  because  he 
hath  had  them  long,  and  is  afraid  of  being  well  because  he  hath 
been  long  sick. 

2.  And  do  you  not  know  the  next  and  better  habitation  ?  Is 
faith  no  knowledge  ?  If  you  believe  God's  promise,  you  know  that 
such  a  state  there  is;  and  you  know,  in  general,  that  it  is  better 
than  this  world  ;  and  you  know  that  we  shall  be  in  holiness  and 
glorious  happiness  with  Christ;  and  is  this  no  knowledge?  3. 


BAXTER'S  DVING  THOUGHTS.  71 

And  what  we  know  not,  Christ,  that  prepareth  and  proraiseth  it, 
doth  know ;  and  is  that  nothing  to  us,  if  really  we  trust  our  souls 
to  him  ?  He  that  knoweth  not  more  good  by  heaven  than  by  earth 
is  yet  so  earthly  and  unbelieving,  that  it.  is  no  wonder  if  he  be 
afraid  and  unwilling  to  depart. 

II.  In  departing  from  this  body  and  life,  I  must  depart  from  all 
its  ancient  pleasures :  I  must  taste  no  more  sweetness  in  meat,  or 
drink,  or  rest,  or  sport,  or  any  such  thing,  that  now  delighteth  me  : 
house  and  lands,  and  goods,  and  wealth,  must  all  be  left ;  and  the 
place  where  I  live  must  know  me  no  more.  All  my  possessions 
must  be  no  more  to  me,  nor  all  that  I  labored  for,  or  took  delight 
in,  than  if  they  had  never  been  at  all. 

And  what  though  it  must  be  so  ?  Consider,  O  my  soul !  1 . 
Thy  ancient  pleasures  are  all  past  already ;  thou  losest  none  of 
them  by  death,  for  they  are  all  lost  before,  if  immortal  grace  have 
not,  by  sanctifying  them,  made  the  benefits  of  them  to  become 
immortal.  All  the  sweet  draughts,  and  morsels,  and  sports,  and 
laughters ;  all  the  sweet  thoughts  of  thy  worldly  possessions,  or 
thy  hopes,  that  ever  thou  hadst  till  this  present  hour,  are  passed 
by,  dead,  and  gone  already.  All  that  death  doth  to  such  as  these 
is,  to  prevent  such,  that  on  earth  thou  shalt  have  no  more. 

2.  And  is  not  that  the  case  of  every  brute,  that  hath  no  comfort 
(rootle  prospect  of  another  life,  to  repair  his  loss  ?  and  yet  as  our 
domimon   dimimsheth  their  pleasure  while  they  live,  by  our  keep- 
ing them  under  fear  and  labor,  so,  at  our  will,  their  lives  must  end. 
To  please  a  gentleman's  appetite  for  half  an  hour,  or  less,  birds, 
beasts,  and  fishes,  must  lose  life  itself,  and  all  the  pleasure  which 
light   might   have  afforded  them  for  many  years ;   yea,  perhaps 
many  of  these  (birds  and  fishes  at  least)  must  die  to  become  but 
one  feast  to  a  rich  man,  if  not  one  ordinary  meal.     And  is  not 
their  sensual  pleasure  of  the  same  nature  as  ours?     Meat  is  as 
sweet  to  them,  and  ease  as  welcome,  and  lust  as  strong,  (in  season  ;) 
and  the  pleasure  that  death  depriveth  our  flesh  of,  is  such  as  is 
common  to  man  with  brutes :  why  then  should  it  seem  hard  to  us 
to  lose  that,  in  the  course  of  nature,  which  our  wills  deprive  them 
of  at  our  pleasure?     When,  if  we  are  believers,  we  can  say,  that 
we  do  but  exchange  these  delights  of  life  for  the  greater  delights 
of  a  life  with  Christ,  which  is  a  comfort  which  our  fellow-creatures 
(the  brutes)  have  not. 

3.  And,  indeed,  the    pleasures  of  life  are    usually  imbittered 
with  so  much  pain,  that  to  a  great  part  of  the  world  doth  seem  to 
exceed  them ;  the  vanity  and  vexation  is  so  great  and  grievous  as 
the  pleasure  seldom  countervaileth.     It  is  true,  that  nature  de- 
sireth  life,  even  under  sufferings  that  are  but  tolerable,  rather  than 
to  die ;  but  that  is  not  so  much  from  the  sensible  pleasure  of  life, 


72  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

as  from  mere  natural  inclination  ;  which  God  hath  laid  so  deep, 
that  free-will  hath  no  power  against  it.  As  before  I  said,  that  the 
body  of  man  is  such  a  thing,  that  could  we  see  through  the  skin, 
(as  men  may  look  through  a  glass  hive  upon  the  bees,)  and  see  all 
the  parts  and  motion,  the  filth  and  excrements  that  are  in  it,  the 
soul  would  hardly  be  willing  to  actuate,  love  and  cherish  such  a 
mass  of  unclean  matter,  and  to  dwell  in  such  a  loathsome  place, 
unless  God  had  necessitated  it  by  nature  (deeper  than  reason  or 
sense)  to  such  a  love  and  such  a  labor,  by  the  pondus  or  spring  of 
inclination ;  even  as  the  cow  would  not  else  lick  the  unclean  calf, 
nor  women  themselves  be  at  so  much  labor  and  trouble  with  their 
children,  while  there  is  little  of  them  to  be  pleasing,  but  unclean- 
ness,  and  crying,  and  helpless  impatiency,  to  make  them  weari- 
some, had  not  necessitating  inclination  done  more  hereto  than  any 
other  sense  or  reason  ;  even  so  I  now  say  of  the  pleasure  of  living, 
that  the  sorrows  are  so  much  greater  to  multitudes  than  the  sensi- 
ble delight,  that  life  would  not  be  so  commonly  chosen  and  en- 
dured under  so  much  trouble,  were  not  men  determined  thereto  by 
natural  necessitating  inclination  ;  (or  deterred  from  death  by  the 
fears  of  misery  to  the  separated  soul ;)  and  yet  all  this  kept  not 
some,  counted  the  best  and  wisest  of  the  heathens,  from  taking  it 
for  the  valor  and  wisdom  of  a  man  to  make  away  his  life  in  time 
of  extremity,  and  from  making  this  the  great  answer  to  then*that 
grudge  at  God  for  making  their  lives  so  miserable,  '  If  the  nreery 
be  greater  than  the  good  of  life,  why  dost  thou  not  end  it  ?  Thou 
mayest  do  that  when  thou  wilt.' 

Our  meat  and  drink  is  pleasant  to  the  healthful,  but  it  costeth 
poor  men  so  much  toil,  and  labor,  and  care,  and  trouble  to  procure 
a  poor  diet  for  themselves,  and  their  families,  that,  I  think,  could 
they  live  without  eating  and  drinking,  they  would  thankfully  ex- 
change the  pleasure  of  it  all.  to  be  eased  of  their  care  and  toil  in 
getting  it.  And  when  sickness  cometh,  even  the  pleasantest  food 
is  loathsome. 

4.  And  do  we  not  willingly  interrupt  and  lay  by  these  pleasures 
every  night,  when  we  betake  ourselves  to  sleep  ?  It  is  possible, 
indeed,  a  man  may  then  have  pleasant  dreams ;  but  I  think  few 
go  to  sleep  for  the  pleasure  of  dreaming;  either  no  dreams,  or 
vain,  or  troublesome  dreams,  are  much  more  common.  And  to 
say  that  rest  and  ease  is  my  pleasure,  is  but  to  say,  that  my  daily 
labor  and  cares  are  so  much  greater  than  my  waking  pleasure, 
that  I  am  glad  to  lay  by  both  together.  For  what  is  ease  but  de- 
liverance from  weariness  and  pain  ?  For  in  deep  and  dreamless 
sleep  there  is  little  positive  sense  of  the  pleasure  of  rest  itself. 
But,  indeed,  it  is  more  from  nature's  necessitated  inclination  to 
this  self-easing  and  repairing  means,  than  from  the  positive  pleas- 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  73 

ure  of  it,  that  we  desire  sleep.  And  if  we  can  thus  be  contented 
every  night  to  die,  as  it  were,  to  all  our  waking  pleasures,  why 
should  we  be  unwilling  to  die  to  them  at  once  ? 

5.  If  it  be  the  inordinate  pleasures  forbidden  of  God,  which  you 
are  loath  to  leave,  those  must  be  left  before  you  die,  or  else  it  had 
been  better  for  you  neyer  to  have  been  born :  yea,  every  wise  and 
godly  man  doth  cast  them  off  with  detestation.     You  must  be 
against  holiness  on  that  account,  as  well  as  against  death ;  and,  in- 
deed, the  same  cause  which  maketh  men  unwilling  to  live  a  holy 
life,  hath  a  great  hand  in  making  them  unwilling  to  die,  even  be- 
cause they  are  loath  to  leave'the  pleasure  of  sin.     If  the  wicked  be 
converted,  he  must  be  gluttonous  and  drunken  no  more ;  he  must 
live    in  pride,  vain-glory,  worldliness,  and  sensual  pleasures   no 
more  ;  and  therefore  he  draweth  back  from  a  holy  life,  as  if  it  were 
from  death  itself.     And  so  he  is  the  loather  to  die,  because  he 
must  have  no  more  of  the  pleasures  of  his  riches,  pomp,  and  hon- 
ors, his  sports,  and  lust,  and  pleased  appetite,  forever.     But  what 
is  this  to  them   that  have  mortified  the  flesh,  with  the  affections 
and  lusts  thereof? 

6.  Yea,  it  is  these  forbidden  pleasures  which  are  the  great  im- 
pediments both  of  our  holiness  and  our  truest  pleasures ;  and  one 
of  the  reasons  why  God  forbiddeth  them,  is,  because  they  hinder 
usjdrom   better.     And    if  for    our   own    good    v:e  must  forsake 
the^when  we  turn  to  God,  it  must  be  supposed  that  they  should 
be  no  reason  against  our  willingness  to  die,  but  rather  that  to  be 
free  from  the  danger  of  them,  we  should  be  the  more  willing. 

7.  But  the  great  satisfying  answer  of  this  objection  is,  that  death 
will  pass  us  to  far  greater  pleasures,  with  which  all  these  are  not 
worthy  to  be  compared.     But  of  this,  more  in  due  place. 

III.  When  I  die,  I  must  depart,  not  only  from  sensual  delights, 
but  from  the  more  manly  pleasures  of  my  studies,  knowledge  and 
converse  with  many  wise  and  godly  men,  and  from  all  my  pleas- 
ure in  reading,  hearing,  public  and  private  exercises  of  religion, 
&c.  I  must  leave  my  library,  and  turn  over  those  pleasant  books 
no  more.  I  must  no  more  come  among  the  living,  nor  see  the 
faces  of  my  faithful  friends,  nor  be  seen  of  man.  Houses,  and 
cities,  and  fields,  and  countries,  gardens,  and  walks,  will  be  nothing 
as  to  me.  I  shall  no  more  hear  of  the  affairs  of  the  world,  of 
man,  or  wars,  or  other  news,  nor  see  what  becomes  of  that  be- 
loved interest  of  wisdom,  piety,  and  peace,  which  I  desire  may 
prosper,  &LC. 

Ansiu.  [ .  Though  these  delights  are  far  above  those  of  sensual 

sinners,  yet,  alas  !  how  low  and  little  are  they  !     How  small  is  our 

knowledge  in  comparison  of  our  ignorance  !     And  how  little  doth 

the  knowledge  of  learned  doctors  differ  from  the  thoughts  of  a  silly 

VOL.  ii.  10 


74  BAXTER'S  DYIXC;  THOUGHTS. 

child  I  For,  from  our  childhood,  \ve  take  it  in  by  drops ;  and  as 
trifles  are  the  matter  of  childish  knowledge,  so  words,  and  notions, 
and  artificial  forms,  do  make  up  more  of  the  learning  of  the  world, 
than  is  commonly  understood,  and  many  such  learned  men  know 
little  more  of  any  great  and  excellent  things  themselves,  than 
rustics  that  are  contemned  by  them  for  their-ignorance.  God,  and 
the  life  to  come,  are  little  better  known  by  them,  if  not  much  less, 
than  by  many  of  the  unlearned.  What  is  it  but  a  child-game, 
that  many  logicians,  rhetoricians,  grammarians,  yea,  metaphysi- 
cians, and  other  philosophers,  in  their  eagerest  studies  and  dis- 
putes, are  exercised  in  ?  Of  how  little  use  is  it  to  know  what  is 
contained  in  many  hundreds  of  the  volumes  that  fill  our  libraries ! 
Yea,  or  to  know  many  of  the  most  glorious  speculations  in  physics, 
mathematics,  &,c.,  which  have  given  some  the  title  of  Virtuosi 
and  Ingeniosi,  in  these  times,  who  have  little  the  more  wit  or  virtue 
to  live  to  God,  or  overcome  temptations  from  the  flesh  and  world, 
and  to  secure  their  everlasting  hopes  !  What  pleasure  or  quiet 
doth  it  give  to  a  dying  man  to  know  almost  any  of  their  trifles  ? 

2.  Yea,  it  were  well  if  much  of  our  reading  and  learning  did  us 
no  harm,  nay,  more  than  good.  I  fear  lest  books  are  to  some  but 
a  more  honorable  kind  of  temptation  than  cards  and  dice,  lest 
many  a  precious  hour  be  lost  in  them,  that  should  be  employed  on 
much  higher  matters,  and  lest  many  make  such  knowledge  but  an 
unholy,  natural,  yea,  carnal  pleasure,  as  worldlings  do  the  thoughts 
of  their  lands  and  honors,  and  lest  they  be  the  more  dangerous  by 
how  much  the  less  suspected.  But  the  best  is,  it  is  a  pleasure  so 
fenced  from  the  slothful,  with  thorny  labor  of  hard  and  long  studies, 
that  laziness  saveth  more  from  it  than  grace  and  holy  wisdom  doth. 
But,  doubtless,  fancy  and  the  natural  intellect  may,  with  as  little 
sanctity,  live  in  the  pleasure  of  reading,  knowing,  disputing,  and 
writing,  as  others  spend  their  time  at  a  game  at  chess,  or  other  in- 
genious sport. 

For  my  own  part,  I  know  that  the  knowledge  of  natural  things 
is  valuable,  and  may  be  sanctified  ;  much  more  theological  theory ; 
and  when  it  is  so,  it  is  of  good  use ;  and  I  have  little  knowledge 
which  1  find  not  some  way  useful  to  my  highest  ends.  And  if 
wishing  or  money  could  procure  more,  I  would  wish,  and  empty 
my  purse  for  it ;  but  yet,  if  many  score  or  hundred  books  which  I 
have  read,  had  been  all  unread,  and  I  had  that  time  now  to  lay  out 
upon  higher  things,  1  should  think  myself  much  richer  than  now  1 
am.  And  I  must  earnestly  pray,  the  Lord  forgive  me  the  hours 
that  I  have  spent  in  reading  things  less  profitable,  for  the  pleasing 
of  a  mind  that  would  fain  know  all,  which  I  should  have  spent  for 
the  increase  of  holiness  in  myself  and  others  !  And  yet  I  must 
thankfully  acknowledge  to  God,  that  lYoni  my  youth  he  taught  roe 


BAXTKJl'a     DY1NU    TH6UUHT3.  ~i>) 

to  begin  with  things  of  greatest  weight,  and  to  refer  most  of  an- 
other studies  thereto,  and  to  spend  my  days  under  the  motives  of 
necessity  and  profit  to  myself,  and  those  with  whom  I  had  to  do. 
And  I  now  think  better  of  the  course  of  Paul,  that  determined  to 
know  nothing  hut  a  crucified  Christ,  among  the  Corinthians  ;  that 
is,  so  to  converse  with  them  as  to  use,  and  glorying  as  if  he  knew 
nothing  else  ;  and  so  of  the  rest  of  the  apostles  and  primitive  ages. 
And  though  I  still  love  and  honor,  (and  am  not  of  Dr.  Colet's 
mind,  who,  as  Erasmus  saith,  most  slighted  Augustine,)  yet  I  less 
censure  even  that  Carthage  council  which  forbade  the  reading  of 
the  heathens'  books  of  learning  and  arts  than  formerly  I  have 
done.  And  I  would  have  men  savor  most  that  learning  in  their 
health,  which  they  will,  or  should,  savor  most  in  sickness,  and  near 
to  death. 

3.  And,  alas !  how  dear  a  vanity  is  this  knowledge !  That 
which  is  but  theoretic  and  notional,  is  but  a  tickling  delectation  of  the 
fancy  or  mind,  little  differing  from  a  pleasant  dream.  But  how- 
many  hours,  what  gazing  of  the  wearied  eye,  what  stretching 
thoughts  of  the  impatient  brain,  must  it  cost  us,  if  we  will  attain  to 
any  excellency  !  Well  saith  Solomon,  "  Much  reading  is  a  wea- 
riness to  the  flesh,  and  he  that  increaseth  knowledge,  increaseth 
sorrow."  How  many  hundred  studious  days  and  weeks,  and  how 
mflto  hard  and  tearing  thoughts,  hath  my  little,  very  little  knowl- 
ed^  cost  me ;  and  how  much  infirmity  and  painfulness  to  my 
flesh,  increase  of  painful  diseases,  and  loss  of  bodily  ease  and 
health  !  How  much  pleasure  to  myself  of  other  kinds,  and  how 
much  acceptance  with  men,  have  I  lost  by  it,  which  I  might  easily 
have  had  in  a  more  conversant  and  plausible  way  of  life  !  And 
when  all  is  done,  if  I  reach  to  know  any  more  than  ethers  of  my 
place  and  order,  I  must  differ  so  much  (usually)  from  them,  and 
if  I  manifest  not  that  difference,  but  keep  all  that  knowledge  to 
myself,  I  sin  against  conscience  and  nature  itself.  The  love  of 
man  and  the  love  of  truth  oblige  me  to  be  soberly  communicative. 
Were  I  so  indifferent  to  truth  and  knowledge,  as  easily  to  forbear 
their  propagation,  I  must  also  be  so  indifferent  to  them,  as  not  to 
think  them  worth  so  dear  a  price  as  they  have  cost  me,  (though 
they  are  the  free  gifts  of  God.)  As  nature  is  universally  inclined 
to  the  propagation  of  the  kind  by  generation,  so  is  the  intellectual 
nature  to  the  communication  of  knowledge,  which  yet  hath  its  lust 
and  inordinacy  in  proud,  ignorant,  hasty  teachers  and  disputers, 
as  the  generating  faculty  hath  in  fornicators  and  adulterers. 

But  if  I  obey  nature  and  conscience  in  communicating  that 
knowledge  which  containeth  my  difference  aforesaid,  the  dissenters 
too  often  take  themselves  disparaged  by  it,  how  peaceably  soever 
I  manage  it :  and  as  bad  men  take  the  piety  of  the  godly  to  be  an 


76  BAXTKu's     J.iVlMi    TliGLUUTS. 

accusation  of  their  impiety,  so  many  teachers  take  themselves  to 
be  accused  of  ignorance,  by  such  as  condemn  their  errors  by  the 
light  of  truth  :  and  if  you  meddle  not  with  any  person,  yet  take 
they  their  opinions  to  be  so  much  their  interest,  as  that  all  that 
is  said  against  them  they  take  as  said  against  themselves.  And 
then,  alas  !  what  envyings,  what  whispering  disparagements,  and 
what  backbitings,  if  not  malicious  slanders  and  underminings,  do 
we  meet  with  from  the  carnal  clergy !  And  O  that  it  were  all 
from  them  alone  !  and  that  among  the  zealous  and  suffering  party 
of  faithful  preachers,  there  were  not  much  of  such  iniquity,  and 
that  none  of  them  preached  Christ  in  strife  and  envy!  It  is  sad, 
that  error  should  find  so  much  shelter  under  the  selfishness  and 
pride  of  pious  men,  and  that  the  friends  of  truth  should  be  tempted 
to  reject  and  abuse  so  much  of  it  in  their  ignorance  as  they  do  :  but 
the  matter  of  fact  is  too  evident  to  be  hid. 

But,  especially,  if  we  meet  with  a  clergy  that  are  high,  and 
have  a  great  deal  of  worldly  interest  at  the  stake  ;  or  if  they  be 
in  councils  and  synods,  and  have  got  the  major  vote,  they  too  easily 
believe  that  either  their  grandeur,  reverence,  names,  or  numbers, 
must  give  them  the  reputation  of  being  orthodox,  and  in  the  right, 
and  will  warrant  them  to  account  and  defame  him  as  erroneous, 
heretical,  schismatical,  singular,  factious,  or  proud,  that  presumeth  to 
contradict  them,  and  to  know  more  than  they.  Of  which,  not 
only  the  case  of  Nazianzen,  Martin,  Chrysostom,  are  sadj^pHols, 
but  also  the  proceedings  of  too  many  general  and  provincial  coun- 
cils. And  so  our  hard  studies  and  darling  truth  must  make  us  as 
owls,  or  reproached  persons,  among  those  reverend  brethren,  who 
are  ignorant  at  easier  rates,  and  who  find  it  a  far  softer  kind  of  life 
to  think  and  say  as  the  most  or  best  esteemed  do,  than  to  purchase 
reproach  and  obloquy  so  dearly. 

And  the  religious  people,  of  the  several  parts,  will  say  as  they 
hear  their  teachers  do,  and  be  the  militant  followers  of  their  too 
militant  leaders  ;  and  it  will  be  their  house  talk,  their  shop  talk, 
their  street  talk,  if  not  their  church  talk,  that  such  an  one  is  an 
erroneous,  dangerous  man,  because  he  is  not  as  ignorant  and  erro- 
neous as  they  ;  especially  if  they  be  the  followers  of  a  teacher  much 
exasperated  by  confutation,  and  engaged  in  the  controversy  ;  and 
also  if  it  should  be  suffering  confessors  that  are  contradicted,  or 
men  most  highly  esteemed  for  extraordinary  degrees  of  piety ; 
then,  what  cruel  censures  must  he  expect,  who  ever  so  tenderly 
would  suppress  their  errors  ? 

O,  what  sad  instances  of  this  are,  1.  The  case  of  the  confess- 
ors in  Cyprian's  days,  who,  as  many  of  his  epistles  show,  became 
the  great  disturbers  of  that  church.  2.  And  the  Egyptian  monks 
at  Alexandria,  in  the  days  of  Theophilus,  who  turned  Anthropo- 


f 


S    i'.Vi:.i=    Vi;,.,i  «,j.  .     .  77 

morpliites,  and  raised  abominable  tumults,  with  woful  scandal  and 
odious  bloodshed.  3.  And  O  that  this  age  had  not  yet  greater 
instances  to  prove  the  matter  than  any  of  these  ! 

And,  now,  should  a  man  be  loath  to  die,  for  fear  of  leaving  such 
troublesome,  costly  learning  and  knowledge,  as  the  wisest  men 
can  here  attain  ? 

4.  But  the  chief  answer  is  yet  behind.  No  knowledge  is  lost, 
but  perfected,  and  changed  for  much  nobler,  sweeter,  greater 
knowledge.  Let  men  be  never  so  uncertain  in  particular  de  modo, 
whether  acquired  habits  of  intellect  and  memory  die  with  us.  as 
being  dependent  on  the  body  ;  yet,  by  what  manner  soever,  that 
a  far  clearer  knowledge  we  shall  have  than  is  here  attainable,  is 
not  to  be  doubted  of.  And  the  cessation  of  our  present  mode  of 
knowing,  is  but  the  cessation  of  our  ignorance  and  imperfection  ; 
as  our  wakening  endeth  a  dreaming  knowledge,  and  our  maturity 
endeth  the  trifling  knowledge  of  a  child ;  for  so  saith  the  Holy 
Ghost;  1  Cor.  xiii.  8 — 12.  Love  never  faileth,  and  we  can  love 
no  more  than  we  know ;  but  whether  there  be  prophecies  they 
shall  fail,  (that  is,  cease ;)  whether  there  be  tongues  they  shall 
cease ;  whether  there  be  knowledge,  notional  and  abstractive,  such 
as  we  have  now,  it  shall  vanish  away :  "  When  1  was  a  child,  I 
spake  as  a  child,  understood  as  a  child,  I  thought  as  a  child ;  but 
whejfr.I  became  a  man,  I  put  away  childish  things :  for  now  we  see 
through  «a  glass  (per  species*)  darkly,"  as  men  understand  a  thing 
by  a  metaphor,  parable,  or  riddle,  "  but  then  face  to  face  ;  "  even 
creatures  intuitively,  as  in  themselves  naked  and  open  to  our  sight. 
"  Now,  I  know,  in  part ;  "  (not  rem  sed  aliquid  rei ;  in  which  sense 
Sanchez  truly  saith,  •  nihil  scitur; ')  "  but  then  I  shall  know,  even 
as  I  am  known  ;  not  as  God  knoweth  us  ;  "  for  our  own  knowledge 
and  his  must  not  be  so  comparatively  likened  ;  but  as  holy  spirits 
know  us  both  now  and  forever,  we  shall  both  know  and  be  known 
by  immediate  intuition. 

If  a  physician  be  to  describe  the  parts  of  a  man,  and  the  latent 
diseases  of  his  patient,  he  is  fain  to  search  hard,  and  bestow  many 
thoughts  of  it,  besides  his  long  reading  and  converse,  to  make  him 
capable  of  knowing ;  and  when  all  is  done,  he  goeth  much  upon 
conjectures,  and  his  knowledge  is  mixed  with  many  uncertainties, 
yea.  and  mistakes ;  but  when  he  openeth  the  corpse,  he  seeth  all, 
and  his  knowledge  is  more  full,  more  true,  and  more  certain ;  be- 
sides that,  it  is  easily  and  quickly  attained,  even  by  a  present  look. 
A  countryman  knoweth  the  town,  the  fields,  and  rivers,  where  he 
(Kvelleth,  yea,  and  the  plants  and  animals,  with  ease  and  certain 
clearness,  when  he  that  must  know  the  same  things  by  the  study 
of  geographical  writings  and  tables,  must  know  them  but  with  a 
general,  and  unsatisfactory,  and  oft  a  much  mistaking  kind  of 


73  BAXTEK'S   DYIM;   THOL'GHTS.  . 

knowledge.  Alas  !  when  our  present  knowledge  hath  cost  a  man 
the  study  of  forty,  or  fifty,  or  sixty  years,  how  lean  and  poor,  how 
doubtful  and  unsatisfactory  is  it,  after  all !  But  when  God  will 
show  us  himself,  and  all  things,  and  when  heaven  is  known  as  the 
sun  by  its  own  light,  this  will  be  the  clear,  sure,  and  satisfactory 
knowledge :  "  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart,  for  they  shall  see 
God ;  "  Matt.  v.  "  And  without  holiness  none  can  see  him  ;  " 
Heb.  xii.  14.  This  sight  will  be  worthy  the  name  of  wisdom, 
when  our  present  glimpse  is  but  philosophy,  a  love  and  desire  of 
wisdom.  So  far  should  we  be  from  fearing  death,  through  the  fear 
of  losing  our  knowledge,  or  any  of  the  means  of  knowledge,  that 
it  should  make  us  rather  long  for  the  world  of  glorious  light,  that 
we  might  get  out  of  this  darkness,  and  know  all  that  with  an  easy 
look,  to  our  joy  and  satisfaction,  which  here  we  know  with  trouble- 
some doublings,  or  not  at  all.  Shall  we  be  afraid  of  darkness  in  the 
heavenly  light,  or  of  ignorance,  when  we  see  the  Lord  of  glory  ? 

And  as  for  the  loss  of  sermons,  books,  and  other  means,  surely 
it  is  no  loss  to  cease  the  means  when  we  have  attained  the  end. 
Cannot  we  spare  our  winter  clothes,  as  troublesome,  in  the  heat 
of  summer,  and  sit  by  the  hot  fire  without  our  gloves  ?  Cannot 
we  sit  at  home  without  a  horse  or  a  coach,  or  set  them  by  at  our 
journey's  end  ?  Cannot  we  lie  in  bed  without  boots  and  spurs  ? 
Is  it  grievous  to  us  to  cease  our  physic  when  we  are  well  ?  Even 
here,  he  is  happier  that  hath  least  of  the  creature,  and*  nemleth 
least,  than  he  that  hath  much  and  needeth  much ;  because  all  crea- 
ture commodities  and  helps  have  also  their  discommodities  and 
troublesomeness ;  and  the  very  applying  and  using  so  many  reme- 
dies of  our  want  is  tedious  of  itself;  and  as  God  only  needeth 
nothing,  but  is  self-sufficient,  and  therefore  only  perfectly  and  es- 
sentially happy,  so  those  are  likest  God  that  need  least  from  with- 
out, and  have  the  greatest  plenitude  of  internal  goodness.  What 
need  we  to  preach,  hear,  read,  pray,  to  bring  us  to  heaven  when 
we  are  there  ? 

And  as  for  our  friends,  and  our  converse  with  them,  as  relations, 
or  as  wise,  religious,  and  faithful  to  us,  he  that  believeth  not  that 
there  are  far  more,  and  far  better,  in  heaven,  than  are  on  earth, 
doth  not  believe,  as  he  ought,  that  there  is  a  heaven.  Our  friends 
here  are  wise,  but  they  are  unwise  also ;  they  are  faithful,  but 
partly  unfaithful ;  they  are  holy,  but  also,  alas !  too  sinful ;  they 
have  the  image  of  God,  but  blotted  and  dishonored  by  their  faults  ; 
they  do  God  and  his  church  much  service,  but  they  also  do  too 
much  against  him,  and  too  much  for  Satan,  even  when  they  intend 
the  honor  of  God ;  they  promote  the  gospel,  but  they  also 
hinder  it :  their  weakness,  ignorance,  error,  selfishness,  pride,  pas- 
sion, division,  contention,  scandals,  and  remissness,  do  oft  so  much 


•   BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  79 

hurt,  that  it  is  hard  to  discern  whether  it  be  not  greater  than  their 
good  to  the  church,  or  to  their  neighbors.  Our  friends  are  our 
helpers  and  comforters ;  but  how  oft,  also,  are  they  our  hinderers, 
troubles,  and  grief!  But  in  heaven  they  are  altogether  wise,  and 
holy,  and  faithful,  and  concordant,  and  have  nothing  in  them,  nor 
there  done  by  them,  but  what  is  amiable  to  God  and  man. 

And,  with  our  faithful  friends,  we  have  here  a  mixture,  partly 
of  useless  and  burdensome  persons,  and  partly  of  unfaithful  hyp- 
ocrites, and  partly  of  self-conceited,  factious  wranglers,  and  partly 
of  malicious,  envious  underminers,  and  partly  by  implacable  ene- 
mies ;  and  how  many  of  all  these,  set  together,  is  there  for  one 
worthy,  faithful  friend !  And  how  great  a  number  is  there  to 
trouble  you,  for  one  that  will  indeed  comfort  you  !  But  in  heaven 
there  are  none  but  the  wise  and  holy  ;  no  hypocrites,  no  burden- 
some neighbors,  no  treacherous,  or  oppressing,  or  persecuting  ene- 
mies are  there.  And  is  not  all  good  and  amiable  better  than  a 
little  good,  with  so  troublesome  a  mixture  of  noisome  evils  ? 

Christ  loved  his  disciples,  his  kindred ;  yea,  and  all  mankind, 
and  took  pleasure  in  doing  good  to  all,  and  so  did  his  apostles ;  but 
,  how  poor  a  requital  had  he  or  they  from  any  but  from  God ! 
Christ's  own  brethren  believed  not  in  him,  but  wrangled  with  him, 
almost  like  those  that  said  to  him  on  the  cross,  "  If  thou  be  the 
Son^f  God,  come  down,  and  we  will  believe."  Peter  himself 
was  once  a  Satan  to  him ;  (Matt,  xvi.)  and  after,  with  cursing  and 
swearing,  denied  him :  and  all  his  disciples  forsook  him,  and  fled ; 
and  what,  then,  could  be  expected  from  others  ? 

No  friends  have  a  perfect  suitableness  to  each  other ;  and  rough- 
ness and  inequalities  that  are  nearest  us  are  most  troublesome. 
The  wonderful  variety  and  contrariety  of  apprehensions,  interest, 
educations,  temperaments,  and  occasions,  and  temptations,  &tc., 
are  such,  that,  while  we  are  scandalized  at  the  discord  and  confu- 
sions of  the  world,  we  must  recall  ourselves,  and  admire  that  all- 
ruling  providence  which  keepeth  up  so  much  order  and  concord 
as  there  is.  We  are,  indeed,  like  people  in  crowded  streets,  who, 
going  several  w'ays,  molest  each  other  with  their  jostling  opposi- 
tions ;  or,  like  boys  at  football,  striving  to  overthrow  each  other  for 
the  ball ;  but  it  is  a  wonder  of  divine  power  and  wisdom,  that  all 
the  world  are  not  continually  in  mortal  war. 

If  I  do  men  no  harm,  yet  if  I  do  but  cross  their  wills,  it  goeth 
for  a  provoking  injury  ;  and  when  there  are  as  many  wills  as  per- 
sons, who  is  it  that  can  please  them  all  ?  Who  hath  money  enough 
to  please  all  the  poor  that  need  it,  or  the  covetous  that  desire 
it?  Or,  who  can  live  with  displeased  men,  and  not  feel  some  of 
the  fruits  of  their  displeasure  ?  What  day  goeth  over  my  head, 
in  which  abundance  desire  jiot,  or  expect  nol.  impossibilities  from 


SO  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

me  ?  And  how  great  is  the  number  of  them  that  expect  unright- 
eous things !  By  nothing  do  I  diplease  so  many  as  by  not  dis- 
pleasing God  and  my  conscience  ;  and  for  nothing  am  I  so  deeply 
accused  of  sin  as  for  not  sinning.  And  the  world  will  not  think 
well  of  any  thing  that  crosseth  their  opinion  and  carnal  interest,  be 
it  never  so  conform  to  God's  commands.  I  must  confess,  that,  while 
I  suffer  from  all  sides,  few  men  have  more  common  and  open 
praises  from  their  persecutors  than  I :  but  while  they  praise  me  in 
general,  and  for  other  particulars,  they  aggravate  my  non-conform- 
ity to  their  opinions  and  wills,  and  take  me  to  be  so  much  the 
more  hurtful  to  them.  The  greatest  crimes  that  have  been  charg- 
ed on  me,  have  been  for  the  things  which  I  thought  to  be  my 
greatest  duties,  and  for  those  parts  of  my  obedience,  to  my  con- 
science and  God,  which  cost  me  dearest ;  and  where  I  pleased  my 
flesh  least,  I  pleased  the  world  least.  At  how  cheap  a  rate  to 
rny  flesh  could  I  have  got  the  applause  of  factious  men,  if  that  had 
been  my  end  and  business !  Would  I  have  conformed  to  their 
wills,  and  taken  a  bishopric,  and  the  honors  and  riches  of  the  world, 
how  good  a  man  had  I  been  called  by  the  diocesan  party  !  And, 
O,  what  praise  I  should  have  with  the  Papists,  could  I  turn  Papist ; 
and  all  the  backbiting  and  bitter  censures  of  the  Antinomians,  An- 
abaptists, and  Separatists,  had  been  turned  into  praise,  could  I  have 
said  as  they,  or  not  contradicted  them  !  But  otherwise  there  is  no 
escaping  their  accusations ;  and  is  this  tumultuous,  militant,*yea, 
malignant  world,  a  place  that  I  should  be  loath  to  leave  ? 

Alas !  our  darkness,  and  weakness,  and  passions  are  such,  that 
it  is  hard  for  a  family,  or  a  few  faithful  friends,  to  live  so  evenly 
in  the  exercise  of  love,  as  not  lo  have  oft  unpleasant  jars.  What, 
then,  is  to  be  expected  from  strangers,  and  from  enemies  ?  Ten 
thousand  persons  will  judge  of  abundance  of  my  words  and  ac- 
tions, who  never  knew  the  reason  of  them.  Every  one's  concep- 
tions are  as  the  report  and  conveyance  of  the  matter  to  them  is ; 
and  while  they  have  a  various  light,  and  false  reports,  (and  defect- 
iveness  will  make  them  false,)  what  can  be  expected,  but  false, 
injurious  censures  ? 

And  though  no  outward  thing  on  earth  is  more  precious  than 
the  holy  word,  and  worship,  and  ordinances  of  God,  yet  even  here 
I  see  that  which  pointeth  me  up  higher,  and  telleth  me  it  is  much 
better  to  be  with  Christ.  Shall  I  love  the  name  of  heaven  better 
than  heaven  itself?  The  Holy  Scriptures  are  precious,  because  I 
have  there  the  promise  of  glory ;  but  is  not  the  possession  better 
than  the  promise  ?  If  a  light  and  guide  thither  through  this  wil- 
derness be  good,  surely  the  end  must  needs  be  better.  And  it 
hath  pleased  God,  that  all  things  on  earth,  and  therefore,  even  the 
Sacred  Scriptures,  should  bear  the  marks  of  our  state  of  imperfec- 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  81 

tion  :  imperfect  persons  Were  the  penmen  ;  and  imperfect  human 
language  is  the  conveying,  signal,  organical  part  of  the  matter; 
and  the  method  and  phrase  (though  true  and  blameless)  are  far 
short  of  the  heavenly  perfection.  Else  so  many  commentators 
had  not  found  so  hard  a  task  of  it  to  expound  innumerable  difficul- 
ties, and  reconcile  so  many  seeming  contradictions  ;  nor  would  in- 
fidels find  matter  of  so  strong  temptation,  and  so  much  cavil  as 
they  do  ;  nor  would  Peter  have  told  us  of  the  difficulties  of  Paul's 
Epistles,  and  such  occasions  of  men's  wresting  them  to  their  own 
destruction.  Heaven  will  not  be  made,  to  perfect  spirits,  the  oc- 
casion of  so  many  errors,  and  controversies,  and  quarrels,  as  the 
Scriptures  are  to  us  imperfect  men  on  earth ;  yea,  heaven  is  the 
more  desirable,  because  .there  I  shall  better  understand  the  Scrip- 
tures than  here  I  can  ever  hope  to  do.  All  the  hard  passages, 
now  misunderstood,  will  be  there  made  plain,  and  all  the  seeming 
contradictions  reconciled  ;  and,  which  is  much  more,  that  God,  that 
Christ,  that  New  Jerusalem,  that  glory,  and  that  felicity  of  souls, 
which  are  now  known  but  darkly  and  enigmatically  in  the  glass, 
will  then  be  known  intuitively  as  we  see  the  face  itself  whose  image 
only  the  glass  first  showed  us.  To  leave  my  Bible,  and  go  to  the 
God  and  the  heaven  that  is  revealed,  will  be  no  otherwise  a  loss 
to  me  than  to  lay  by  my  crutches,  or  spectacles,  when  I  need 
them  not,  or  to  leave  his  image  for  the  presence  of  my  friend. 

Much  less  do  I  need  to  fear  the  loss  of  all  other  books,  or  ser- 
mons, or  other  verbal  informations.  Much  reading  hath  oft  been 
a  Xveariness  to  my  flesh  ;  and  the  pleasure  of  my  mind  is  much 
abated  by  the  great .  imperfection  of  the  means.  Many  books 
must  be  partly  read,  that  I  may  know  that  they  are  scarce  worth 
the  reading ;  and  many  must  be  read,  to  enable  us  to  satisfy  other 
men's  expectations,  aud  to  confute  those  who  abuse  the  authority 
of  the  authors  against  the  truth ;  and  many  good  books  must  be 
read,  that  have  little  to  add  to  what  we  have  read  in  many  others 
before ;  and  many  that  are  blotted  writh  ensnaring  errors ;  which, 
if  wre  detect  not,  we  leave  snares  for  such  as  see  them  not ;  and  if 
we  detect  them,  (never  so  tenderly,  if  truly,)  we  are  taken  to  be 
injurious  to  the  honor  of  the  learned,  godly  authors,  and  proudly 
to  overvalue  our  own  conceits.  And  so  lamentable  is  the  case 
of  all  mankind,  by  the  imperfections  of  human  language,  that  those 
words  which  are  invented  for  communication  of  conceptions,  are 
so  little  fitted  to  their  use,  as  rather  to  occasion  misunderstand- 
ings and  contentions  ;  there  being  scarce  a  word  that  hath  not  many 
significations,  and  that  neecleth  not  many  more  words  to  bring  us 
to  the  true  notice  of  the  speaker's  rnind  ;  and  when  every  word  is 
a  sigiium,  that  hath  three  relations.  (1.)  To  the  matter  spoken  of. 
(2.)  To  the  mind  of  the  speaker,  as  signifying  his  conceptions  of 

VOL.   II.  11 


?*£  BAXTElt's    DVl.\G    THOUGHTS. 

that  matter.  (3.)  And  to  the  mind  of  the  hearer  or  reader,  which 
is  to  be  informed  by  it,  it  is  so  hard  to  find  and  use  words  that  are 
fitted  indeed  to  all  these  uses,  and  to  have  store  of  such,  and  mix 
no  other,  that  few,  if  any,  in  the  world,  were  ever  so  happy  as  to 
attain  it.  (1.)  And  if  words  be  not  fitted  to  the  matter  or  things, 
they  are  false  as  to  their  first  and  proper  use ;  and  yet  the  penury 
of  apt  words,  and  the  redundancy  of  others,  and  the  authority  of 
the  masters  of  sciences,  imposing  arbitrary  terms  and  notions  on 
their  disciples,  and  the  custom  of  the  vulgar,  who  have  the  empire, 
as  to  the  sense  of  words,  have  all  conspired  to  make  words  inapt, 
and  of  very  uncertain  signification.  So  that  when  students  have 
learned  words  by  long-and  hard  studies,  they  are  oft  little  the  nearer 
the  true  knowledge  of  the  things ;  and  too  oft,  by  their  inaptitude, 
misled  to  false  conceptions.  And  so  their  saying  is  too  often  true, 
that  a  great  book  is  a  great  evil,  while  it  containeth  so  great  a 
number  of  uncertain  words,  which  become  the  matter  of  great 
contentions. 

(2.)  And  when  the  mind  of  the  speaker  or  writer  is  no  better 
informed  by  such  notions,  but  his  conceptions  of  things  are  some 
false,  some  confused  and  undigested,  what  wonder  if  his  words  do 
no  otherwise  express  his  mind  to  others,  when  even  men  of  clearest 
understanding  find  it  difficult  to  have  words  still  ready  to  commu- 
nicate their  conceptions  with  truth  and  clearness.  To  form  true 
sentiments  of  things  into  apt,  significant  words,  is  a  matter  of  mere 
art,  and  requireth  an  apt  teacher,  and  a  serious  learner,  and  long 
use  (and  too  many  take  their  art  of  speaking,  in  prayer,  confer- 
ence, or  preaching,  to  have  more  in  it  of  wisdom  and  piety  than 
it  hath ;  and  some  too  much  condemn  the  unaccustomed  that 
want  it.) 

(3.)  And  if  we  could  fit  our  words  well  to  the  matter,  and  to 
our  minds,  (with  that  double  verity,)  yet  still  it  is  hard  to  fit  them 
to  the  reader  or  hearer  ;  for  want  of  which  they  are  lost  as  to  him  ; 
and  his  information  being  our  end,  they  are  therefore  so  far  lost  to 
us.  And  that  which  is  spoken  most  congruously  to  the  matter,  is 
seldom  fitted  to  the  capacity  of  the  receiver.  And  recipitur  ad 
inodurn  rccipientis,  et  pro  capto  Icctoris,  &fC.  Some  readers  or 
hearers  (yea,  almost  all)  are  so  used  to  unapt  words  and  notions, 
obtruded  on  mankind,  by  the  master  of  words,  that  they  cannot 
understand  us  if  we  change  their  terms  and  offer  them  fitter,  and 
yet  least  understand  those  which  they  think  that  they  best  under- 
stand ;  and  all  men  must  have  long  time  to  learn  the  art  of  words, 
before  they  can  understand  them  as  well  as  before  they  can  readily 
use  them.  And  the  duller  any  man  is,  and  of  less  understanding, 
the  more  words  are  necessary  to  make  him  understand;  and  yet 
Lis  memory  is  the  less  capable  of  retaining  many.  This  is  our 


BAXTER'S   DYING  THOUGHT;;.  3.1 

difficulty,  not  only  in  catecl-is:'i-,  but  in  all  other  writings  and 
teaching,  a  short  catechism,  or  a  saurt  style,  the  ignorant  under- 
stand not  ;  and  a  long  one  they  remember  not.  And  he  that  will 
accommodate  one  judicious  reader  or  hearer  with  profound  matter, 
or  an  accurate  style,  must  incommodate  multitudes  that  are  incapa- 
ble of  it ;  and,  therefore,  such  must  be  content  with  few  approvers, 
and  leave  the  applause  of  the  multitude  to  the  more  popular,  unless 
he  be  one  that  can  seasonably  suit  himself  to  both. 

A  man  that  resolveth  not  to  be  deceived  by  ambiguous  words, 
and  maketh  it  his  first  work,  in  all  his  readings  and  disputings,  to 
difference  between  words,  and  sense,  and  things,  and  strictly  to 
examine  each  disputed  term,  till  the  speaker's  meaning  be  dis- 
tinctly known,  will  see  the  lamentable  case  of  the  church,  and  all 
mankind,  and  what  shadows  of  knowledge  deceive  the  world,  and 
in  what  useless  dreams  the  greatest  part  of  men,  yea,  of  learned 
men,  do  spend  their  days  ;  much  of  that,  which  some  men  unwea- 
riedly  study,  and  take  to  be  the  honor  of  their  understandings 
and  their  lives ;  and  much  of  that,  which  multitudes  place  their 
piety  and  hopes  of  salvation  in,  being  a  mere  game  at  words,  and 
useless  notions  ;  and  as  truly  to  be  called  vanity  and  vexation,  as 
is  the  rest  of  the  vain  show,  that  most  men  walk  in.  My  sad  and 
bitter  thoughts  of  the  heathen,  infidel,  Mahometan  world,  and  of 
the  common  corruptions  of  rulers  and  teachers,  cities  and  coun- 
tries, senates  and  councils,  I  will  not  here  open  to  others,  lest  they 
offend  ;  nor  cry  out  as  Seneca,  Omnes  mali  sumus,  or,  Stultorum 
plena  sunt  omnia,  nor  describe  the  furious  spirits  of  the  clergy,  and 
their  ignorance,  and  unrighteous  calumnies  and  schisms,  as  Greg- 
ory Nazianzen  and  others  do,  nor  voluminously  lament  the  seem- 
ing hopeless  case  of  earth,  by  the  boldness,  blindness,  and  fury  of 
men  that  make  use  of  such  sad  considerations,  to  loosen  my  love 
from  such  a  world,  and  make  me  willing  to  be  with  Christ. 

9.  And  if  other  men's  words  and  writings  are  blemished  with 
so  much  imperfection,  why  should  1  think  that  my  own  are  blame- 
less ?  I  must  forever  be  thankful  for  the  holy  instructions  and 
writings  of  others,  notwithstanding  human  frailty,  and  contentious 
men's  abuse  of  words ;  and  so  1  must  be  thankful  that  God  hath 
made  any  use  of  my  own,  for  the  good  of  souls,  and  his  church's 
edification.  But  with  how  many  allays  are  such  comforts  here 
mixed  !  We  are  not  the  teachers  of  a  well -ruled  school,  where 
learners  are  ranked  into  several  forms,  that  every  one  may 
have  the  teaching  which  is  agreeable  to  his  capacity ;  but  we  must 
set  open  the  door  to  all  that  will  crowd  in,  and  publish  our  writings 
to  all  sorts  of  readers ;  and  there  being  as  various  degrees  of  capa- 
city as  there  are  men  and  women,  and,  consequently,  great  variety 
and  contrariety  of  apprehensions,  it  is  easy,  ab  antccedente,  to  know 


£4  BAXTKR'S  DYING  THOTGHTS. 

what  various  reception  \ve  must  expect.  We  cast  out  our  doctrine 
almost  as  a  foot-ball  is  turned  out  among  boys  in  the  street,  in 
some  congregations :  few  understand  it,  but  every  one  censureth 
it.  Few  come  as  learners,  or  teachable  disciples,  but  most  come 
to  sit  as  judges  on  their  teacher's  words  ;  and  yet  have  not  either 
the  skill,  or  the  patience,- or  the  diligence,  which  is  necessary,  in  a 
just  trial,  to  a  righteous  judgment.  But  as  our  words  agree  or  dis- 
agree with  the  former  conceptions  of  every  hearer,  so  are  they 
judged  to  be  wise  or  foolish,  sound  or  unsound,  true  or  false,  fit  or 
unfit.  Few  sermons  that  I  preach,  but  one  extolleth  them,  and 
wisheth  they  were  printed,  and  another  accuseth  them  of  some 
heinous  fault :  some  men  are  pleased  with  clearness  and  accurate- 
ness  of  doctrine  ;  and  others  account  it  too  high,  and  say  we  shoot 
over  the  hearers'  heads,  and  like  nothing  but  the  fervent  applica- 
tion of  what  they  knew  before.  Most  hearers  are  displeased  with 
that  which  they  most  need :  if  they  err,  they  reproach  that  doc- 
trine as  erroneous  that  would  cure  them  :  if  they  are  guilty  of  any 
prevailing  distemper  and  sin,  they  take  that  application  to  be  in- 
jurious to  them,  which  would  convince  them,  and  save  them  from 
that  guilt.  Most  are  much  pleased  with  plain  and  zealous  reproof 
of  sin ;  but  it  must  be  other  men's  sins,  and  not  their  own.  The 
poor  love  to  hear  of  the  evil  of  oppression  and  unmercifulness,  of 
pride,  fullness,  and  idleness,  and  all  the  sins  of  the  rich  :  subjects 
love  to  hear  of  their  ruler's  faults,  and  say,  O,  this  man  is  no  flat- 
terer ;  he  dares  tell  the  greatest  of  their  sins ;  but  if  they  hear  of 
their  own,  they  take  it  for  an  injury.  Rulers  like  a  sermon  for 
submission  and  obedience  ;  but  how  few  love  to  hear  of  the  evil  of 
injustice  and  oppression,  or  pride  and  sensuality,  or  to  read  Luke 
xvi.  or  xii.  or  James  v. ;  to  hear  of  the  necessity  of  holiness,  justice, 
and  temperance,  and  of  death,  and  judgment,  and  the  life  to  come  ! 
Every  sectary  and  dogmatist  delighteth  to  have  his  own  opinion 
cried  up,  and  his  party  praised  as  the  chiefest  saints  ;  but  all  that 
tendeth  to  the  praise  of  those  he  dissenteth  from,  and  accounteth 
adversaries  to  the  truth,  is  distasteful  to  him,  as  a  complying  with 
iniquity,  and  a  strengthening  of  the  enemies  of  Christ :  and  all 
that  uncharitableness  which  he  expecteth  from  us  against  others,  is 
as  much  expected  by  others  against  him,  and  such  as  he. 

This  day,  while  I  am  writing  these  words,  my  pockets  are  full 
of  letters  sent  to  me,  on  one  side  importunately  charging  it  on  me 
as  my  duty  to  conform  to  the  oaths,  declarations,  covenants,  and 
practices,  now  imposed,  or  else  to  give  over  preaching,  (which 
would  please  them  ;)  and  on  the  other  side  vehemently  censuring 
me  as  guilty  of  grievous  sin,  for  declaring  my  judgment  for  so 
much  of  conformity  as  I  have  done;  and  charging  me  by  predic- 
tions as  guilty  of  the  sufferings  of  all  that  are  otherwise  minded, 


„ 

Tip 

'          .  -        •  ^  JL  *' 

BAXTER'S   DY;NI.   THOUGHTS.  85 

for  conmiunicating  in  the  sacrament,  and  the  common  prayers  of 
the  church  ;  and  others  in  the  mid-way,  persuading  me  equally  to 
bear  my  testimony  against  unjust  separation  and  persecution,  and 
to  endeavor  still,  if  possible,  to  save  a  self-destroying  people  from 
the  tearing  fury  of  these  two  extremes.  And  how  should  I  an- 
swer these  contrary  expectations,  or  escape  the  censures  of  such 
expectants  ? 

And  it  hath  pleased  God,  who,  thirty  years  and  more,  had  tried 
me  by  human  applause,  of  late  in  this  city  (where  multitudes  of 
persons  of  contrary  minds  are,  like  passengers  in  crowded  streets, 
still  jostling  and  offending  one  another,)  to  exercise  me  with  men's 
daily  backbitings  and  cavils  :  and  so  many  have  chosen  me  for  the 
subject  of  their  discourse,  that  I  may  say  as  Paul,  (1  Cor.  iv.  9,  10, 
&c.)  "  We  are  made  a  spectacle,  or  theatre,  to  the  world,  and  to 
angels,  and  to  men  :  we  are  fools  for  Christ's  sake,  but  ye  are  wise 
in  Christ,"  &c.  Did  I  not  live  out  of  the  noise  in  retirement,  tak- 
en up  with  pain,  and  expectations  of  my  change,  what  an  annoy- 
ance to  me  would  it  be  to  hear  religious  persons,  that  have  a  God, 
a  Christ,  a  heaven,  to  talk  of,  to  abuse  their  time  and  tongues  in 
so  much  talking  of  one  so  inconsiderable,  and  that  hath  so  little  to 
do  with  them,  or  they  with  him  ;  while  with  some  overvaluing  me 
and  others  still  quarreling,  I  am  the  matter  of  their  idle,  sinful  talk. 
The  persecutors,  for  divers  years  after,  first  silencing,  (if  not  still,) 
and  the  separatists,  for  two  or  three  years  last  past,  have  been  pos- 
sessed with  so  strange  a  jealousy  and  quarrelsome  a  disposition 
against  me,  that  they  seem  to  take  it  for  their  interest  to  promote 
my  defamation,  and  for  much  of  their  work  to  search  what  may  af- 
ford them  any  matter  of  accusation  in  every  sermon  that  I  preach, 
and  every  book  that  I  write.  And  though  the  fury  of  the  perse- 
cutors be  such  as  maketh  them  much  incapable  of  such  converse 
and  sober  consideration  as  is  needful  to  their  true  information  and 
satisfaction,  yet  most  of  the  more  religious  cavilers  are  satisfied 
as  soon  as  I  have  spoken  with  them,  and  all  endeth  in  a  putarem 
or  non  putarem  :  for  want  of  accurateness  and  patience,  they  judge 
rashly  before  they  understand,  and,  when  they  understand,  confess 
their  error  ;  and  yet  many  go  on  and  take  no  warning  after  many 
times  conviction  of  their  mistake.  Even  in  books  that  are  still  be- 
fore their  eyes  (as  well  as  in  transient  words  and  sermons)  they  heed- 
lessly leave  out,  or  put  in,  or  alter  and  misreport  plain  \vords,  and, 
with  confidence,  affirm  those  things  to  have  been  said  that  never 
were  said,  but,  perhaps,  the  contrary.  And  when  all  people  will 
judge  of  the  good  or  evil  of  our  words,  as  they  think  we  have 
reason  to  use  them  or  forbear  them,  how  can  we  satisfy  men  that 
are  out  of  our  hearing,  and  to  whom  we  cannot  tell  our  reasons  ? 
Most  men  are  of  private,  narrow  observation,  and  judge  of  the  good 


86  BAXTElt's    DYIN-G    THOUGHTS, 

or  hurt  that  our  words  do  by  those  that  they  themselves  converse 
with  ;  and  when  I  convince  them  that  my  decisions  of  many  ques- 
tions (which  they  are  offended  at)  are  true,  they  say,  it  is  an  un- 
seasonable and  a  hurtful  truth ;  and  when  I  have  called  them  to 
look  further  abroad  in  the  world,  and  told  them  my  reasons,  they 
say,  '  Had  these  been  all  set  down,  men  would  have  been  satisfied. 
And  on  how  hard  terms  do  we  instruct  such  persons,  whose  nar- 
row understandings  cannot  know  obvious  reasons  of  what  we  say 
till  they  are  particularly  told  them  !  And  so  to  tell  men  the  rea- 
sons of  all  that  such  can  quarrel  with,  will  make  every  book  to 
swell  with  commentaries  to  such  a  bigness  as  they  can  neither  buy 
nor  read  ;  and  they  come  not  to  us  to  know  our  reasons,  nor  have 
we  leisure  to  open  them  to  every  single  person :  and  thus  suspi- 
cious men,  when  their  understandings  want  the  humbling  acquaint- 
ance with  their  ignorance,  and  their  consciences  that  tenderness 
which  should  restrain  them  from  rash  judging,  go  on  to  accuse  such 
needful  truths  of  which  they  know  not  the  use  and  reason.  And 
what  man  living  hath  the  leisure  and  opportunity  to  acquaint  all  the 
ignorant  persons  in  city  and  country  with  all  the  reasons  of  all  that 
he  shall  say,  write,  or  do  ?  Or  who,  that  writeth  not  a  page  in- 
stead of  a  sentence,  can  so  write  that  every  unprepared  reader 
shall  understand  him?  And  what  hopes  hath  the  tutor  or  school- 
master of  preserving  his  reputation,  who  shall  be  accounted  errone- 
ous, and  accused  of  unsound  or  injurious  doctrine,  by  every  scholar 
that  understandeth  not  his  words,  and  all  the  reasons  of  them  ? 

But  God,  in  great  mercy  to  me,  hath  made  this  my  lot  (not  caus- 
ing, but  permitting,  the  sins  of  the  contentious)  that  I  might,  be- 
fore death,  be  better  weaned  from  all  below :  had  my  temptations 
from  inordinate  applause  had  no  allay,  they  might  have  been  more 
dangerously  strong.  Even  yet  while  church-dividers,  on  both  ex- 
tremes, do  make  me  the  object  of  their  daily  obloquy,  the  contin- 
ued respects  of  the  sober  and  peaceable  are  so  great  as  to.  be  a 
temptation  strong  enough,  to  so  weak  a  person,  to  give  a  check  to 
my  desires  to  leave  the  world.  It  is  long  since  riches  and  world- 
ly honor  appeared  to  me  as  they  are,  as  not  rendering  the  world 
much  lovely  or  desirable.  But  the  love  and  concord  of  religious 
persons  hath  a  more  amiable  aspect :  there  is  so  much  holiness  in 
these,  that  I  was  loath  to  call  them  vanity  and  vexation  ;  but  yet  as 
flesh  and  blood  would  refer  them  to  selfish  ends,  and  any  way  value 
them  as  a  carnal  interest,  I  must  so  call  them,  and  number  them 
with  the  things  that  are  loss  and  dung;  Phil.  iii.  7,  8.  Selfishness 
can  serve  itself  upon  things  good  and  holy;  and  if  good  men,  and 
good  books,  and  good  sermons,  would  make  the  world  seem  over- 
lovely  to  us,  it  will  be  a  mercy  of  God  to  abate  the  temptation  ; 
and  if  my  soul,  looking  toward  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  be  hinder- 


UAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  87 

ed  as  Paul  was  in  his  journey  to  Jerusalem  (Acts  xx.  and  xxi.)  by 
the  love  of  ancient  friends  and  hearers,  I  must  say,  '  What  mean 
you,  to  weep  and  break  my  heart !  I  am  ready  to  leave  the  dear- 
est friends  on  earth,  and  life,  and  all  the  pleasures  of  life,  for  the 
presence  of  far  better  friends  with  Christ,  and  the  sweeter  pleasures 
of  a  better  life.'  That  little  amiableness,  which  is  in  things  below, 
is  in  godly  men  as  life  in  the  heart,  which  dieth  last :  when  that 
is  all  gone,  when  we  are  dead  to  the  love  of  the  godly  themselves, 
and  to  learning,  books,  and  mediate  ordinances,  so  far  as  they  serve 
a  selfish  interest,  and  tempt  down  our  hearts  from  heavenly  aspir- 
ings, the  world  is  then  crucified  to  us,  indeed,  and  we  to  it.  I  re- 
joice to  tread  in  the  footsteps  of  my  Lord,  who  had  some,  indeed, 
weeping  about  his  cross,  l»ut  was  forsaken  by  all  his  disciples, 
while  in  the  hour  of  temptation  they  all  fled  !  But  my  desertion 
is  far  less,  for  it  is  less  than  I  am  fit  to  bear.  If  God  will  justify, 
who  shall  condemn  ?  If  he  be  for  me,  who  shall  be  against  me  ? 
O,  may  I  not  be  put  to  that  dreadful  case,  to  cry  out,  "  My  God, 
my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?"  And  may  nothing  sepa- 
rate me  from  his  love  !  And  then,  were  I  forsaken  of  the  sober 
and  peaceable,  as  I  am,  in  part,  of  some  quarrelsome  dividers,  how 
tolerable  a  trial  would  it  be  !  Man  is  as  dust  in  the  balance,  that 
addeth  little  to  it,  and  signifieth  nothing  when  God  is  in  the  other 
end.  But  I  suspect  still  that  I  make  too  much  account  of  man, 
when  this  case  hath  taken  up  too  much  of  my  observation. 

10.  And  of  all  things,  surely -a  departing  soul  hath  least  cause 
to  fear  the  losing  of  its  notice  of  the  affairs  of  the  world ;  of  peace, 
or  wars,  or  church,  or  kingdoms !  For,  (1.)  If  the  sun  can  send 
forth  its  material  beams,  and  operate  by  motion,  light,  and  heat, 
at  such  a  distance  as  this  earth,  why  should  I  think  that  blessed 
spirits  are  such  local,  confined,  and  impotent  substances,  as  not  to 
have  notice  of  the  things  of  earth  ?  Had  I  but  bodily  eyes,  I  could 
see  more  from  the  top  of  a  tower  or  hill,  than  any  one  that  is  be- 
low can  do.  And  shall  I  know  less  of  earth  from  heaven  than 
I  do  now  ?  It  is  unlike  that  my  capacity  will  be  so  little,  and  if 
it  were,  it  is  unlike  that  Christ  and  all  the  angels  will  be  so  strange 
to  me,  as  to  give  me  no  notice  of  things  that  so  much  concern  my 
God  and  my  Redeemer,  (to  whom  I  am  united,)  and  the  holy 
society  of  which  I  am  a  part,  and  myself  as  a  member  of  Christ 
and  that  society  !  I  do  not  think  that  the  communion  of  the 
celestial  inhabitants  is  so  narrow  and  slow,  as  it  is  of  walking 
clods  of  earth,  and  of  souls  that  are  confined  to  such  dark  lanterns 
as  this  body  is.  Stars  can  shine  one  to  another,  and  we  on  earth 
can  see  them  so  far  off  in  their  heaven.  And  sure  then,  if  they 
have  a  seeing  faculty,  each  of  them  can  see  many  of  us,  even  the 
kingdoms  of  the  world.  Spirits  are  most  active,  and  of  powerful 


88  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

and  quick  communication.  They  need  not  send  letters,  or  write 
books  to  one  another,  nor  lift  up  a  voice  to  make  each  other  hear ; 
nor  is  there  any  unkindness,  division,  or  unsociable  selfishness 
among  them,  which  may  cause  them  to  conceal  their  notices  or 
their  joys ;  but  as  activity,  so  unity  is  greatest  where  there  is  most 
perfection :  they  will  so  be  many  as  yet  to  be  one ;  and  their 
knowledge  will  be  one  knowledge,  and  their  love  one  love,  and 
their  joy  one  joy.  Not  by  so  perfect  a  unity  as  in  God  himself, 
who  is  one  and  but  one ;  but  such  as  is  suitable  to  created  imperfec- 
tion, which  participate  of  the  perfection  of  the  Creator,  as  the  ef- 
fect doth  of  the  virtue  of  the  cause,  and  therefore  hath  some  parti- 
cipation of  his  unity.  (O  foolish  soul !  if  I  shall  fear  this  unity 
with  God,  Christ,  and  all  the  holy  spirits,  lest  I  should  lose  my 
present  separate  individuation,  when  perfection  and  union  are  so 
near  akin.)  In  a  word,  I  have  no  cause  to  think  that  my  celestial 
advancement  will  be  a  diminution  of  any  desirable  knowledge, 
even  of  things  on  earth  ;  but  contrarily,  that  it  will  be  inconceiva- 
bly increased. 

(2.)  But  if  indeed  I  shall  know  less  of  things  below,  it  will  be 
because  that  the  knowledge  of  them  is  a  part  of  vanity  and  vexa- 
tion, which  hath  no  place  in  heaven.  So  much  knowledge  of  good 
and  evil  in  lower  matters,  as  came  to  us  by  sin,  is  unworthy  of  our 
fond  tenaciousness,  and  fear  of  losing  it.  Surely  the  sad  tidings 
which  we  have  weekly  in  our  news-books,  our  lamentable  notices 
of  heathen  and  infidel  kingdoms,  of  the  overspreading  prevalency 
of  barbarousness,  idolatry,  ignorance,  and  infidelity ;  of  the  rage 
and  success  of  cruel  tyrants  ;  of  the  bloody  wars  of  proud,  unquiet, 
worldly  men  ;  of  the  misery  of  the  oppressed,  desolate  countries, 
the  dissipated  churches,  the  persecuted,  innocent  Christians,  are  no 
such  pleasing  things  as  that  we  should  be  afraid  to  hear  of  such  no 
more.  To  know  or  hear  of  the  poor  in  famine,  the  rich  in  folly, 
the  church  distracted,  the  kingdom  discontented,  the  godly  scandal- 
ous by  the  effects  of  their  errors,  imperfections,  and  divisions  ;  the 
wicked  outrageous,  and  waxing  worse,  the  falseness,  or  miscar- 
riages, or  sufferings  of  friends,  the  fury  or  success  of  enemies; — is 
this  an  intelligence  which  I  cannot  spare  ?  What  is  the  daily  tidings 
that  I  hear,  but  of  bloody  wars,  the  undone  countries,  the  persecuted 
churches,  the  silenced,  banished,  or  imprisoned  preachers ;  of  the 
best  removed  in  judgment  from  an  unworthy  world  by  death,  and 
worse  succeeding  in  their  rooms  ;  of  the  renewed  designs  and  en- 
deavors of  the  church's  enemies ;  the  implacable  rage  of  the 
worldly  and  unquiet  clergy,  and  the  new  divisions  of  self-conceited 
sectaries,  and  the  obloquy  and  backbitings  of  each  party  against 
the  other  !  How  oft  hear  1  the  sad  tidings  of  this  friend's  sickness 
or  death,  and  thai  friend's  discontent,  and  of  another's  fall,  and  of 


BAXTER  S    DYING    THOl'GHT*.  89 

many,  very  many's  sufferings  !  My  ears  are  daily  filled  with  the 
cries  of  the  poor,  whom  I  cannot  relieve ;  with  the  endless  com- 
plaints of  fearful,  melancholy,  despairing  persons  ;  with  the  wran- 
glings  of  the  ignorant  and  proud  professors,  and  contentious  divines, 
who  censure  most  boldly  where  they  are  most  erroneous  or  dark  ; 
or  with  the  troublesome  discontents  of  those  that  I  converse  with ; 
and  should  I  be  afraid  of  the  ending  of  so  sad  a  tragedy,  or  of  awak- 
ing out  of  such  an  unpleasant  dream  ?  Have  I  not  many  times 
thought  of  the  privilege  of  the  deaf,  that  hear  not  these  trouble- 
some and  provoking  things  ;  and  of  the  blind,  that  see  not  the  vani- 
ties and  temptations  of  this  world  ?  It  is  one  part  of  the  benefit  of 
solitude,  or  a  private  life  and  habitation,  to  free  rne  from  many  of 
these  unpleasing  objects  ;  and  a  great  part  of  the  benefit  of  sleep, 
that,  with  my  clothes,  I  may  lay  by  these  troublesome  thoughts. 

But  other  men  tell  me,  the  church  cannot  yet  spare  you ;  there 
is  yet  this  and  that  necessary  work  to  be  done  ;  there  is  this  and 
that  need,  &c. 

But,  (L.)  Is  it  we  or  God  that  must  choose  his  servants,  and 
cut  out  their  work  ?  'Whose  work  am  I  doing  ?  Is  it  my  own  or 
his  ?  If  his,  is  it  not  he  that  must  tell  me  what,  and  when,  and 
how  long  ?  And  will  not  his  will  and  choice  be  best  ?  If  I  believe 
not  this,  how  do  I  take  him  for  my  God  ?  Doth  God  or  I  know 
better  what  he  hath  yet  to  do  ?  And  who  is  fittest  to  do  it  ? 
The  church's  service  and  benefits  must  be  measured  out  by  our 
Master  and  Benefactor,  and  not  by  ourselves. 

(2.)  What  am  I  to  those  more  excellent  persons  whom,  in  all 
ages,  he  hath  taken  out  of  the  world  ?  And  would  men's  thoughts 
of  the  church's  needs  detain  them  ?  The  poor  heathen,  infidel, 
Mahometan  nations  have  no  preachers  of  the  gospel.  And  if 
their  need  prove  not  that  God  will  send  them  such,  no  country's 
need  will  prove  that  God  will  continue  them  such.  Many  more 
useful  servants  of  Christ  have  died  in  their  youth :  John  Janeway 
preached  but  one  sermon  ;  Joseph  Allen  (and  many  other  excellent 
men)  died  in  the  midst  of  his  vigorous,  successful  labors;  both  of 
them  far  more  fit  for  God's  work,  and  likely  to  win  souls,  and  glori- 
fy God,  than  I  am  or  ever  was,  however  their  greater  light  was 
partly  kindled  from  my  lesser.  Yet  did  both  these,  under  painful, 
consuming  languishings  of  the  flesh,  die,  as  they  had  long  lived,  in 
the  lively,  triumphant  praises  of  their  Redeemer,  and  joyful  desires 
and  hopes  of  glory.  And  shall  I,  at  seventy-six  years  of  age,  after 
such  a  life  of  unspeakable  mercies,  an'd  almost  fifty-three  years  of 
comfortable  help  in  the  service  of  my  God,  be  now  afraid  of  my 
reward,  and  shrink  at  the  sentence  of  death,  and  still  be  desiring  to 
stay  here  upon  pretense  of  further  service?  We  know  not  what  is 
best  for  the  church ,  as  God  doth  ;  the  church  and  the  world  are  not 
VOL.  ii.  12 

' 


00  BAXTER'S  UYING  THOUGHTS. 

ours,  but  his ;  not  our  desires,  but  his  will,  must  measure  out  its  mer- 
cies. We  are  not  so  merciful  as  he  is.  It  is  not  unmeet  for  us  to 
desire  many  things  which  God  will  not  give,  nor  seeth  it  meet  to 
grant  the  particulars  of  such  desires.  Nothing  ever  lay  so  heavy 
on  my  heart  as  the  sin  and  misery  of  mankind,  and  to  think  how 
much  the  world  lieth  in  folly  and  wickedness !  And  for  what  can 

1  pray  so  heartily  as  for  the  world's  recovery  ?     And  it  is  his  will 
that  I  should  show  a  holy  and  universal  love  by  praying,  "  Let  thy 
name  be  hallowed,  thy  kingdom  come,  thy  will  be  done  on  earth 
as  it  is  done  in   heaven :  "  and  yet,  alas !  how  unlike  is  earth  to 
heaven,  and  what  ignorance,  sin,  confusions,  and  cruelties,  here 
reign  and  prosper !     And  unless  there  be  a  wonderful  change  to  be 
expected,  even  as  by  a  general  miracle,  how  little  hope  appeareth 
that  ever  these  prayers  should  be  granted  in  the  things !     It  mak- 
eth  us  better  to  desire  that  others  may  be  better;  but  God  is  the 
free  disposer  of  his  own  gifts;  and  it  seemeth  to  be  his  will,  that 
the  permitted  ignorance  and  confusions  of  this  world  should  help 
us  the  more  to  value  and  desire  that  world  of  light,  love,  and  order, 
which  he  calleth  us  to  prefer  and  hope  for. 

And  if  I  am  any  way  useful  to  the  world,  it  is  undeserved  mercy 
that  hath  made  me  so,  for  which  I  must  be  thankful ;  but  how  long 
I  shall  be  so  is  not  my  business  to  determine,  but  my  Lord's.  My 
many  sweet  and  beautiful  flowers  arise  and  appear  in  their  beauty 
and  sweetness  but  for  one  summer's  time,  and  they  murmur  not 
that  they  flourish  for  so  short  a  space.  The  beasts,  and  birds,  and 
fishes,  which  I  feed  on,  do  live  till  I  will  have  them  die ;  and  as 
God  will  be  served  and  pleased  by  wonderful  variety  at  once  of 
animals  and  vegetables,  &c.,  so  will  he  by  many  successive  gene- 
rations. If  one  flower  fall  or  die,  it  sufficed!  that  others  shall, 
summer  after  summer,  arise  from  the  same  root ;  and  if  rny  pears, 
apples,  plums,  &ic.,  fall  or  serve  me  when  they  are  ripe,  it  sufficed! 
that  not  they,  but  others,  the  next  year  shall  do  the  same  :  God  will 
have  other  generations  to  succeed  us.  Let  us  thank  him  that  we 
have  had  our  time  :  and  could  we  overcome  the  grand  (too  little 
observed)  crime  of  selfishness,  and  could  love  others  as  ourselves, 
and  God,  as  God,  above  all  the  world,  it  would  comfort  us  at 
death,  that  others  shall  survive  us,  and  the  world  shall  continue, 
and  God  will  be  still  God.  and  be  glorified  in  his  works  :  and  love 
will  say,  I  shall  live  in  my  successors,  and  I  shall  more  than  live  in 
trv  life  of  the  world,  and  yet  most  of  all  in  the  eternal  life  and  glory 
of  God. 

And  God,  who  made  us  not  gods,  but  poor  creatures,  as  it  pleased 
him,  doth  know  best  our  measures,  and  he  will  not  try  us  with  too 
long  a  life  of  temptations,  lest  we  should  grow  too  familiar  where 
we  should  be  strangers,  and  utterly  strangers  to  our  home.  No 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  91 

wonder  if  that  world  was  ready  for  a  deluge,  by  a  deluge  of  sin,  in 
which  men  lived  to  six,  seven,  eight,  and  nine  hundred  years  of  . 
age.  Had  our  great  sensualists  any  hope  of  so  long  a  life,  they 
would  be  more  like  incarnate  devils,  and  there  would  be  no  dwell- 
ing near  them  for  the  holy  seed.  If  angels  were  among  them,  they 
would,  like  the  Sodomites,  seek  furiously  to  abuse  them. 

Nor  will  God  tire  us  out  with  too  long  a  life  of  earthly  suffer- 
ings. We  think  short  cares,  and  fears,  and  sorrows,  persecutions, 
sickness,  and  crosses,  to  be  long,  and  shall  we  grudge  at  the  wisdom 
and  love  which  shorteneth  them  ?  Yea,  though  holy  duty  itself 
be  excellent  and  sweet,  yet  the  weakness  of  the  flesh  maketh  us 
liable  to  weariness,  and  abateth  the  willingness  of  the  spirit ;  and 
our  wise  and  merciful  God  will  not  make  our  warfare,  or  our  race, 
too  long,  lest  we  be  wearied,  and  faint,  and  fall  short  of  the  prize. 
By  our  weariness,  and  complaints,  and  fears,  and  groans,  one  would 
think  that  we  thought  this  life  too  long,  and  yet  when,  we  should 
yield  to  the  call  of  God,  we  draw  back  as  if  we  would  have  it 
everlasting. 

Willingly  submit,  then,  O  my  soul.  It  is  not  thou,  but  this 
flesh,  that  must  be  dissolved ;  this  troublesome,  vile,  and  corrupti- 
ble flesh.  It  is  but  the  other  half  of  thy  meat  and  drink,  which 
thy  presence  kept  longer  uncorrupted,  going  after  the  excremental 
part.  Thou  diest  not  when  man  (the  compositwri)  dieth,  by  thy 
departure.  And  as  thou  livest  not  to  thyself,  thou  diest  not  to 
thyself:  whether  I  live  or  die,  I  am  the  Lord's :  he  that  set  up  the 
candle,  knoweth  how  long  he  hath  use  for  the  light  of  it.  Study 
thy  duty,  and  work  while  it  is  day,  and  let  God  choose  thy  time, 
and  willingly  stand  to  his  disposal.  The  gospel  dieth  not  when  I 
die.  The  church  dieth  not.  The  praises  of  God  die  not.  The 
world  dieth  not,  and  perhaps  it  shall  grow  better,  and  those  prayers 
shall  be  answered  which  seemed  lost.  Yea,  and  it  may  be  some  of 
the  seed  that  I  have  sown,  shall  spring  up  to  some  benefit  of  the 
dark,  unpeaceable  world  when  I  am  dead.  And  is  not  this  much 
of  the  end  of  life  ?  And  is  not  that  life  good  which  attaineth  its 
end  ?  If  my  end  was  to  do  good  and  glorify  God,  if  good  be  done, 
and  God  glorified  when  I  am  dead,  yea,  though  I  were  annihilat- 
ed, is  not  my  end  attained  ?  Feign  not  thyself  to  be  God,  whose 
interest  (that  is,  the  pleasing  of  his  will)  is  the  end  of  all  things, 
and  whose  will  is  the  measure  of  all  created  good.  Feign  not 
thyself  to  be  all  the  world :  God  hath  not  lost  his  work :  the  world 
is  not  dissolved  when  I  am  dissolved.  O,  how  strong  and  unrea- 
sonable a  disease  is  this  inordinate  selfishness!  Is  not  God's  will 
infinitely  better  than  mine,  and  fitter  to  be  fulfilled?  Choose  the 
fulfilling  of  his  will,  and  thou  shall  always  have  thy  choice.  If  a 


9x  KAXTKK  S    DYING    THOUGHTS. 

man  be  well  that  can  always  have  his  will,  let  this  always  be  thy 
will,  that  God's  will  may  be  done,  and  thou  shall  always  have  it. 

Lord,  let  thy  servant  depart  in  peace ;  even  in  thy  peace,  which 
passeth  understanding,  and  which  Christ,  the  Prince  of  peace,  doth 
give,  and  nothing  in  the  world  can  take  away.  O,  give  me  that 
peace  which  beseemeth  a  soul,  which  is  so  near  the  harbor,  even  the 
world  of  endless  peace  and  love,  where  perfect  union  (such  as  I  arn 
capable  of)  will  free  me  from  all  the  sins  and  troubles  which  are 
caused  by  the  convulsions,  divulsions,and  confusions,  of  this  divided, 
selfish  world.  Call  home  this  soul  by  the  encouraging  voice  of  love, 
that  it  may  joyfully  hear,  and  say,  '  It  is  my  Father's  voice.'  In- 
vite it  to  thee  by  the  heavenly  messenger.  Attract  it  by  the  to- 
kens and  the  foretastes  of  love.  The  messengers  that  invited  me 
to  the  feast  of  grace,  compelled  me  to  come  in  without  constraint. 
Thy  effectual  call  did  make  me  willing ;  and  is  not  glory  better  than 
preparing  grace?  Shall  I  not  come  more  willingly  to  the  celestial 
least?  What  was  thy  grace  for,  but  to  make  me  willing  of  glory, 
and  the  way  to  it  ?  Why  didst  thou  dart  down  thy  beams  of  love, 
but  to  make  me  love  thee,  and  to  call  me  up  to  the  everlasting 
centre  ?  Was  not  the  feast  of  grace  as  a  sacrament  of  the  feast  of 
glory  ?  Did  I  not  take  it  in  remembrance  of  my  Lord  until  he 
come  ?  Did  not  he  that  told  me,  "  All  things  are  ready,"  tell  me, 
also  that  "  He  is  gone  to  prepare  a  place  for  us?"  And  it  is  his 
will  that  we  shall  be  with  him,  and  see  his  glory.  They  that  are 
given  him,  and  drawn  to  him  by  the  Father,  on  earth,  do  come  to 
Christ.  Give,  now,  and  draw  my  departing  soul  to  my  glorified 
Head  ;  and,  as  I  have  glorified  thee  on  earth,  in  the  measure  that 
thy  grace  hath  prevailed  in  me,  pardon  the  sins  by  which  I  have 
offended  thee,  and  glorify  me  in  the  beholding  and  participation 
of  the  glory  of  my  Redeemer.  Come,  Lord  Jesus,  come  quickly, 
with  fuller  life,  and  light,  and  love,  into  this  too  dead,  and  dark, 
and  disaffected  soul,  that  it  may  come  with  joyful  willingness 
unto  thee. 

Willingly  depart,  O  lingering  soul !  It  is  from  a  Sodom,  though 
in  it  there  be  righteous  Lots,  who  yet  are  not  without  their  woful 
blemishes  !  Hast  thou  so  oft  groaned  for  the  general  blindness 
and  wickedness  of  the  world,  and  art  thou  loath  to  leave  it  for  a 
better?  How  oft  wouldst  thou  have  rejoiced  to  have  seen  but  the 
dawning  of  a  day  of  universal  peace  and  reformation  !  And  wouldst 
thou  not  see  it  where  it  shineth  forth  in  fullest  glory  !  Would  a 
light  at  midnight  have  pleased  thee  so  well?  Hast  thou  prayed 
and  labored  for  it  so  hard  ?  And  wouldst  thou  not  see  the  sun  ? 
Will  the  things  of  heaven  please  thee  no  where  but  on  earth,  where 
they  come  in  the  least  and  weakest  influences,  and  are  terminated 


BAXTER'S  J>YING  THO  curs.  93 

in  gross,  terrene,  obscure,  and  unkind  recipients?  Away,  away  ; 
the  vindictive  flames  are  ready  to  consume  this  sinful  world!  Sin- 
ners, that  blindly  rage  in  sin,  must  quickly  rage,  in  the  effects  of 
sin  and  of  God's  justice.  Tiie  pangs  of  lust  prepared  for  these 
pangs  !  They  are  treasuring  up  wrath  against  this  day.  Look 
not,  then,  behind  thee.  Away  from  this  unhappy  world!  Press 
on  unto  the  mark  ;  (Phil,  iii.)  "  Looking  towards,  and  hastening 
to  the  coming  of  the  day  of  God  ;"  2  Pet.  iii.  10 — 12. 

As  this  world  hath  used  thee,  it  would  use  thee  still,  and  it  will 
use  others.  If  thou  hast  sped  well  in  it,  no  thanks  to  it,  but  unto 
God.  If  thou  hast  had  manifold  deliverances,  and  marvelous 
preservations,  and  hast  been  fed  with  angel's  food,  love  not  this 
wilderness  for  it,  but  God  and  his  angel,  which  was  thy  guide,  pro- 
tector, and  deliverer. 

And  hath  this  troublesome  flesh  been  so  comfortable  a  compan- 
ion to  thee,  that  thou  shouldst  be  so  loath  to  leave  it  ?  Have  thy 
pains,  thy  weariness,  thy  languishings,  thy  labors,  thy  cares  and 
fears  about  this  body,  been  pleasing  to  thee  ?  And  ait  thou  loath 
that  they  should  have  an  end  ?  Didst  thou  not  find  a  need  of  pa- 
tience to  undergo  them  ?  And  of  greater  patience  than  mere  na- 
ture gave  thee  ?  And  canst  thou  hope  now  for  better  when  nature 
faileth,  and  that  an  aged,  consumed,  more  diseased  body,  should 
be  a  pleasanter  habitation  to  thee  than  it  was  heretofore?  If  from 
thy  youth  up  it  hath  been  both  a  tempting  and  a  troublesome  thing 
to  thee,  surely,  though  it  be  less  tempting,  it  will  not  be  less 
troubling,  when  it  is  falling  to  the  dust,  and  above  ground  savoreth 
of  the  grave  !  Had  things  sensible  been  never  so  pleasant  in  thy 
youth,  and  hadst  thou  glutted  thyself  in  health  with  that  sort  of 
delight,  in  age  thou  art  to  say  by  nature,  "  I  have  no  pleasure  in 
them."  Dotli  God  in  great  mercy  make  pain  and  feebleness  the 
harbingers  of  death,  and  wilt  thou  not  understand  their  business? 
Doth  he  mercifully,  beforehand,  take  away  the  pleasure  of  all 
fleshly  things,  and  worldly  vanities,  that  there  may  be  nothing  to 
relieve  a  departing  soul ;  (as  the  shell  breaketh  when  the  bird  is 
hatched,  and  the  womb  relaxed  when  the  infant  must  be  born.) 
and  yet  shall  we  stay  when  nothing  holdeth  us,  and  still  be  loath  to 
come  away  ?  Wouldst  thou  dwell  with  thy  beloved  body  in  the 
grave,  where  it  will  rot  and  stink  in  loathsome  darkness?  If  not, 
why  should  it  now,  in  its  painful  languor,  seem  to  thee  a  more 
pleasant  habitation  than  the  glorious  presence  of  thy  Lord  ?  In 
the  grave  it  will  be  at  rest,  and  not  tormented  as  now  it  is,  nor 
wish,  at  night,  O  that  it  were  morning!  nor  say  at  morning,  When 
will  it  be  night?  And  is  this  a  dwelling  fit  for  thy  delight?  Pa- 
tience in  it,  while  God  will  so  try  thee,  is  thy  duty ;  but  is  such 
patience  a  better  and  sweeter  life  than  rest  and  joy  ? 


94  HAXTfclil's    DYl.Nu    THOUGHTS. 

But,  alas!  bow  deaf  is  flesh  to  reason  !  Faith  hath  the  reason 
which  easily  may  shame  all  contrary  reasoning,  but  sense  is  unrea- 
sonable, and  especially  this  inordinate,  tenacious  love  of  present 
life.  I  have  reason  enough  to  be  willing  to  depart,  even  much 
more  willing  than  I  am.  Oh,  that  I  could  be  as  willing  as  I  am 
convinced  that  I  have  reason  to  be !  Could  I  love  God  as  much 
as  I  know  tbat  I  should  love  him,  then  1  should  desire  to  depart, 
and  to  be  with  Christ,  as  much  as  I  know  that  I  should  desire  it. 
But  God,  in  nature,  hath  there  laid  upon  me  some  necessity  of 
aversation,  (though  the  inordinateness  came  from  sin,)  else  Christ 
had  not  so  feared  and  deprecated  the  cup.  Death  must  be  a 
penalty,  even  where  it  is  a  gain,  and  therefore  it  must  meet  with 
some  unwillingness  ;  because  we  willingly  sinned,  we  must  unwill- 
ingly suffer.  The  gain  is  not  the  pain  or  dissolution  in  itself,  but 
the  happy  consequents  of  it.  All  the  faith  and  reason  in  the  world 
will  not  make  death  to  be  no  penalty,  and  therefore  will  not  take 
away  all  unwillingness.  No  man  ever  yet  reasoned  or  believed 
himself  into  a  love  of  pain  and  death,  as  such  ;  but  seeing  that  the 
gain  is  unspeakably  greater  than  the  pain  and  loss,  faith  and  holy 
reason  may  make  our  willingness  to  be  greater  than  our  unwilling- 
ness, and  our  hope  and  joy  than  our  fear  and  sorrow.  And  it  is 
the  deep  and  effectual  notice  of  goodness,  which  is  God's  way,  in 
nature  and  grace,  to  change  and  draw  the  will  of  man.  Come, 
then,  my  soul,  and  think  believingly,  what  is  best  for  thee.  And 
wilt  thou  not  love  and  desire  most  that  which  is  certainly  the  best  ? 

TO    DEPART    AND    TO    BE     WITH     CHRIST     IS     FAR     BETTER,     OR 
RATHER    TO    BE    CHOSEN. 

To  say  and  hear  lhat  it  is  far  better  to  be  with  Christ,  is  not 
enough  to  make  us  willing.  Words  and  notions  are  such  instru- 
ments as  God  used)  to  work  on  the  souls ;  but  the  convincing,  sat- 
isfying, powerful  light,  and  the  inclining  love,  are  other  things. 
The  soul  now  operated)  ut  forma  homwis,  on  and  with  the  corpo- 
real spirits  and  organs,  and  it  perceived)  now  its  own  perceptions ; 
but  it  is  a  stranger  to  the  mode  of  its  future  action,  when  separated 
from  the  body,  and  can  have  no  formal  conception  of  such  con- 
ceptions as  yet  it  never  had.  And  therefore,  its  thoughts  of  its 
future  state  must  be  analogical  and  general,  and  partly  strange. 
But  general  notices,  when  certain,  may  be  very  powerful,  and  sat- 
isfy us  in  so  much  as  is  needful  to  our  consent,  and  to  such  a 
measure  of  joy  as  is  suitable  to  this  earthly  state.  And  such  no- 
tices we  have  from  the  nature  of  the  soul,  with  the  nature  of  God  ; 
the  course  of  providence,  and  government  of  mankind  ;  the  in- 
ternal and  external  conflicts  which  we  perceive  about  men's  souls  ; 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  95 

the  testimony  and  promises  of  the  word  of  God  ;  the  testimony  of 
conscience,  with  the  witness  of  the  sanctifying  Spirit  of  Christ,  and 
in  it  the  earnest  and  the  foretaste  of  glory,  and  the  beginnings  of 
life  eternal  here  ;  all  which  I  have  before  considered. 

The  Socinians,  who  would  interpret  this  of  the  state  of  resur- 
rection only,  against  plain  evidence,  violate  the  text  ;  seeing  Paul 
expressly  speaketh  of  his  gain  by  death,  which  will  be  his  abode 
with  Christ,  and  this  upon  his  departure  hence ;  which  (in  2  Cor. 
v.  7,  8.)  he  calleth  his  being  absent  from  the  body,  and  present 
with  the  Lord :  and  Christ,  to  the  penitent  thief,  calleth  his  being 
with  him  in  Paradise :  and  (Luke  xvi.)  in  the  parable  of  the  stew- 
ard, Christ  intimateth  to  us  that  wise  preparers,  when  they  go 
hence,  are  received  into  the  everlasting  habitations ;  as  he  there 
further  tells  us  Lazarus  was  in  Abraham's  bosom. 

Goodness  is  primaria  et  mensuratis,  vel  secundaria  et  mensurata : 
the  first  is  God's  perfect  essence  and  will :  the  second  is  either 
properly  and  simply  good,  or  analogical.  The  former  is  the  crea- 
ture's conformity  to  the  will  of  God,  or  its  pleasingness  to  his  will : 
the  latter  is,  1.  The  greater,  which  is  the  welfare  or  perfection  of 
the  universe.  2.  The  lesser,  which  is  the  several  parts  of  the 
universe,  either,  1.  In  the  nobler  respect,  as  they  are  parts  contrib- 
uting to  the  perfection  of  the  whole ;  or,  2.  In  the  lower  respect, 
as  they  are  perfect  or  happy  in  themselves ;  or,  3.  In  the  lowest 
respect  of  all,  as  they  are  good  to  their  fellow-creatures  which  are 
below  themselves. 

Accordingly,  it  is  far  better  to  be  with  Christ,  I.  Properly  and 
simply,  as  it  is  the  fulfilling  of  God's  will.  II.  Analogically,  as 
it  tendeth  to  the  perfection  of  the  universe  and  the  church.  III. 
And  as  it  will  be  our  own  good  or  felicity.  IV.  And  as  it  will  be 
good  to  our  inferior  fellow-creatures  ;  though  this  last  be  most  ques- 
tionable, and  seemeth  not  included  in  the  meaning  of  this  text. 
Somewhat  of  these  in  order. 

I.  It  is  an  odious  effect  of  idolatrous  selfishness  to  acknowledge 
no  goodness  above  our  own  felicity,  and,  accordingly,  to  make  the 
goodness  of  God  to  be  but  formally  his  usefulness,  benevolence, 
and  beneficence,  to  his  creatures,  which  is  by  making  the  creature  the 
ultimate  end,  and  God  but  the  means  ;  to  make  the  creature  to  be 
God,  and  deny  God,  indeed,  while  we  honor  his  name;  as  also  it 
is  to  acknowledge  no  higher  goodness  formally  in  the  creature, 
than  in  its  own  felicity  as  such  ;  as  if  neither  the  pleasing  of  God's 
will,  nor  the  perfection  of  the  church  and  world,  were  better  than 
we  are.  We  are  not  of  ourselves,  and  therefore  WP  are  not  chiefly 
for  ourselves  ;  and  therefore  we  have  a  higher  good  to  love. 

That  is  simply  best  which  God  willeth.  Therefore,  to  live  here 
is  best  whilst  I  do  live  here ;  and  to  depart  is  best,  when  the  time 


96  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

of  my  departure  cometh  :  that  is  best  which  is,  for  it  is  the  work 
of  God :  the  world  cannot  be  better  at  this  instant  than  it  is,  nor 
any  thing  better,  which  is  of  God,  because  it  is  as  he  willeth  it  to 
be ;  but  when  God  hath  changed  them,  it  will  then  be  best  that 
they  are  changed.  Were  there  no  other  good  in  my  departure 
hence,  but  this  simple  good,  the  fulfilling  of  God's  will,  my  reason 
telleth  me  that  I  should  be  fully  satisfied  in  it :  but  there  is  also  a 
subordinate  sort  of  good. 

II.  For  my  change  will  tend  to  the  perfection  of  the  universe  ; 
even  that  material  good  or  perfection,  which  is  its  aptitude  for  the 
use  to  which  God  hath  created  and  doth  preserve  it :  as  all  the 
parts,  the  modes,  the  situation,  the  motions  of  a  clock,  a  watch,  or 
other  engine,  do  to  the  ends  of  the  artificer.  Though  God  hath 
not  told  me  particularly,  why  every  thing,  and  mode,  and  motion, 
is  as  it  is,  I  know  it  is  all  done  in  perfect  wisdom,  and  suited  to  its 
proper  use  and  end.  If  the  hen  or  bird  knoweth  how  to  make 
her  nest,  to  lay  her  eggs  secretly  together,  when  and  how  to  sit 
on  them  till  they  are  hatched,  and  how  to  feed  them,  and  preserve 
them,  and  when  to  forsake  them,  as  sufficient  for  themselves  with- 
out her  help,  &.c ;  if  the  bee  knoweth  when,  and  whence,  and 
how  to  gather  her  honey  and  wax,  and  how  to  form  the  repository 
combs,  and  how  to  lay  it  up,  and  all  the  rest  of  her  marvelous 
economy, — shall  I  think  that  God  doth,  he  knoweth  not  what,  or 
what  is  not  absolutely  the  best  ?  Doth  he  want  either  skill,  or 
will,  or  power? 

And  should  the  stone  grudge  to  be  hewed,  the  brick  to  be  burnt, 
the  trees  to  be  cut  down,  and  sawed,  and  framed,  the  lead  and  iron 
to  be  melted,  &,c.,  when  it  is  but  to  form  an  useful  edifice,  and  to 
adapt  and  compose  every  part  to  the  perfecting  of  the  whole  ? 

Shall  the  water's  grudge  that  they  must  glide  away,  and  the 
plants  that  they  must  die,  and  half  die  every  winter,  and  the  fruits 
and  flowers  that  they  must  fall,  or  the  moon  that  it  must  have  its 
changing  motions,  or  the  sun  that  it  must  rise  and  set  so  oft,  &tc., 
when  all  is  but  the  action  and  order  which  maketh  up  that  harmo- 
ny and  perfection  which  was  designed  by  the  Creator,  and  is 
pleasing  to  his  will  ? 

HI.  But  lawful  self-love  is  yet  further  herein  gratified  :  the  good- 
ness expressed  in  the  text  is  that  analogical,  subordinate  good, 
which  is  mihi  bonum,  my  own  felicity,  and  that  which  tendeth 
thereunto :  it  is  most  reasonable  to  love  God  best,  and  that  next 
which  is  likest  him,  (if  known,)  and  why  should  it  not  be  the 
easiest  and  the  sweetest  ?  But  experience  findeth  it  so  easy  to  love 
ourselves,  that,  certainly,  if  I  firmly  believe  that  it  is  best  for  me, 
I  shall  desire  to  depart,  and  to  be  with  Christ.  And  have  I  not 
reason  to  believe  it  ? 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  97 

The  reasons  of  it  I  will  consider  in  this  order :  I.  The  general 
reason  from  the  efficients  and  the  means.  //.  The  final  reasons. 
III.  The  constitutive  reasons  from  the  state  of  my  intellect,  and 
its  action  and  fruition  there.  IV.  The  constitutive  reasons  from 
the  state  of  my  will.  V.  The  constitutive  reasons  from  my  prac- 
tice there,  leaving  out  those  which  the  resurrection  will  give  me, 
because  I  am  speaking  but  of  my  present  departure  unto  Christ. 

/.   The  General  Reasons,  fyc. 

1.  That  is  best  for  me  which  love  itself,  my  heavenly  Father, 
designed,  and  chooseth,  for  my  good.  I  hope  I  shall  never  dare 
to  think,  or  say,  that  he  is  mistaken,  or  that  he  wanted  skill  or 
love,  or  that  I  could  have  chosen  better  for  myself  than  he  doth, 
if  he  had  left  all  to  ray  choice.  Many  a  time  the  wise  and  good 
will  of  God  hath  crossed  my  foolish  rebellious  will  on  earth ;  and 
afterwards,  I  have  still  perceived  that  it  was  best ;  usually  for  my- 
self, but  always  for  a  higher  good  than  mine.  It  is  not  an  enemy, 
nor  a  tyrant,  that  made  me,  that  hath  preserved  me,  and  that  calls 
me  hence.  He  hath  not  used  me  as  an  enemy  :  the  more  I  tried 
him,  the  better  I  have  found  him :  had  I  better  obeyed  his  ruling 
will,  how  happy  had  I  been !  And  is  not  his  disposing  and  re- 
warding will  as  good  ?  Man's  work  is  like  man,  and  evil  corrupt- 
eth  it ;  but  God's  work  is  like  God,  and  uncorrupted.  If  I  should 
not  die  till  my  dearest  friend  would  have  it,  much  more  till  I  my- 
self would  choose  it,  (not  constrained  by  misery,)  I  should  rejoice, 
and  think  my  life  were  safe  !  O  foolish,  sinful  soul !  if  I  take  it 
not  to  be  far  better  to  be  at  God's  choice,  than  at  my  o\vn,  or  any 
man's ;  and  if  I  had  not  rather  that  he  choose  the  time  than  I ! 

Be  of  good  cheer,  then,  O  my  soul !  it  is  thy  Father's  voice 
that  calleth  thee  hence  ;  his  voice  that  called  thee  into  the  world, 
and  bid  thee  live ;  that  called  thee  out  of  a  state  of  sin  and  death, 
and  bid  thee  live  hereafter  unto  him ;  that  called  thee  so  oft  from 
the  grave,  and,  forgiving  thy  sins,  renewed  thy  strength,  restored 
thee  to  the  comforts  of  his  house  and  service  ;  and  that  so  gracious- 
ly led  thee  through  this  howling  wilderness,  and  brought  thee  al- 
most to  the  sight  of  the  promised  land.  And  wilt  thou  not  will- 
ingly go,  when  infinite,  fatherly  love  doth  call  thee  ?  Art  thou  not 
desirous  of  his  presence  ?  Art  thou  afraid  to  go  to  him  who  is  the 
only  cure  of  thy  fears  ?  What  was  it  but  this  glory  to  which  he 
did  finally  elect  thee  ?  Where  dost  thou  read  that  he  elected  thee 
to  the  riches  and  honors  of  this  world,  or  to  the  pleasures  of  the 
flesh  ?  But  lie  elected  us  in  Christ  to  the  heavenly  inheritance ; 
Eph.  i.  3,  4,  &ic.  Indeed,  he  elected  thee  also  to  bear  the  cross, 
and  to  manifold  sufferings  here :  but  is  it  that  which  thou  prefer- 
vor,.  ii.  13 


98  BAXTER'S  UVJLM;  THOUGHTS. 

rest  before  the  crown  ?  That  was  but  as  a  means  unto  the  king- 
dom, that  thou  mightest  be  conformed  to  Christ,  and  reign  with 
him  when  thou  hast  suffered  with  him.  If  God  choose  thee  to 
blessedness,  refuse  it  not  thyself,  nor  behave  thyself  like  a  refuser. 

2.  And,  surely,  that  state  is  my  best  which  my  Savior  purchas- 
ed and  promised  me  as  best ;  as  he  bought  me  not  with  silver  and 
gold,  so  neither  to  silver  and  gold  :  did  he  live  and  die  to  make 
me  rich  or  advanced  in  the  world  ?     Surely  his  incarnation,  merits, 
sacrifice,  and  intercession,  had  a  low  design,  if  that  were  all !     And 
who  hath  more  of  these  than  they  that  have  least  of  Christ  ?     But 
he  purchaseth  us  to  an  incorruptible  crown  ;  to  an  inheritance  un- 
defiled,  that  fadeth  not  away,  reserved  in  heaven  for  us,  that  are 
kept,  by  God's  power,  through  faith  unto  salvation  ;  1  Pet.  i.    And 
is  it  heaven  that  cost  so  dear  a  price  for  me,  and  is  the  end  of  so 
wonderful  a  design  of  grace,  and  shall  1  be  unwilling  now  to  re- 
ceive the  gift  ? 

3.  That,  sure,  is  best  for  me,  for  which  God's  Holy  Spirit  is  pre- 
paring me ;  that  for  which  he  is  given  to  believers  ;  and  that  which 
is  the  end  of  all  his  holy  operations  on  my  soul.     But  it  is  not  to 
love  this  world,  that  he  is  persuading  me  from  day  to  day ;  but  to 
come  off  from  such  love,  and  to  set  my  heart  on  the  things  above. 
Is  it  to  love  this  life  and  fleshly  interest,  this  vanity  and  vexation, 
or,  rather,  to  love  the  invisible  perfection,  that  this  blessed  Spirit 
hath  done  so  much  to  work  my  heart  ?     And  would  I  now  undo 
all,  or  cross  and  frustrate  all  his  operations  ?     Hath  grace  been  so 
long  preparing  me  for  glory,  and  shall  I  be  loath  to  take  possession 
of  it  ?     If  I  am  not  willing,  I  am  not  yet  sufficiently  prepared. 

4.  If  heaven  be  not  better  for  me  than  earth,  God's  word  and 
ordinances  have  been  all  in  vain.     Surely  that  is  my  best  which 
is  the  gift  of  the  better  covenant,  and  which  is  secured  to  me  by 
so  many  sealed  promises,  and  which  I  am  directed  to  by  so  many 
sacred  precepts,  doctrines  and  examples ;  and  for  which  I  have 
been  called  to  hear,  and  read,  and  meditate,  and  pray,  and  watch 
so  long.     Was  it  the  interest  of  the  flesh  on  earth,  or  a  longer  life 
of  worldly  prosperity,  which  the  gospel  covenant  secured  to  me ; 
which  the  sacraments  and  Spirit  sealed  to  me ;  which  the  Bible 
was  written  to  direct  me  to ;  which  ministers  preached  to  me ; 
which  my  books  were  written  for ;  which  I  prayed  for ;  and  for 
which  I  served  God?     Or  was  it  not  for  his  grace  on  earth,  and 
glory  in  heaven  ?     And  is  it  not  better  for  me  to  have  the  end  of 
all  these  means,  than  lose  them  all,  and  lose  my  hopes  ?     Why 
have  I  used  them,  if  I  would  not  attain  their  end? 

5.  That  is  my  best  state,  which  all  the  course  of  God's  fatherly 
providences  tend  to :  all  his  sweeter  mercies,  and  all  his  sharper 
corrections,  are  to  make  me  partaker  of  his  holiness,  and  to  lead 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  9*J 

me  to  giory  in  the  way  that  my  Savior  and  all  his  saints  have  gone 
before  me :  all  things  work  together  for  the  best  to  me,  by  pre- 
paring me  for  that  which  is  best,  indeed.  Both  calms  and  storms 
are  to  bring  me  to  this  harbor :  if  I  take  them  but  for  themselves, 
and  this  present  life,  I  mistake  them,  and  understand  them  not, 
but  unthankfully  vilify  them,  and  lose  their  end,  and  life,  and 
sweetness :  every  word  and  work  of  God ;  every  day's  mercies, 
and  changes,  and  usages,  do  look  at  heaven,  and  intend  eternity. 
God  leadeth  me  no  other  way :  if  I  follow  him  not,  I  forsake  my 
hope  in  forsaking  him :  if  I  follow  him,  shall  I  be  unwilling  to  be 
at  home,  and  come  to  the  end  of  all  this  way  ? 

6.  Surely  that  is  best  for  me  which  God  hath  required  me  prin- 
cipally to  value,  love,  and  seek,  and  that  as  the  business  of  all  my 
life,  referring  all  things  else  thereto :  that  this  is  my  duty,  I  am 
fully  certain,  as  is  proved  elsewhere,  and  before.     Is  my  business 
in  the  world  only  for  the  things  of  this  world  ?     How  vain  a  crea- 
ture, then,  were  man ;  and  how  little  were  the  difference  between 
waking  and  sleeping !     Life  and    death :    no  wonder  if  he  that 
believeth  that  there  is  no  life  but  this  to  seek  or  hope  for,  do  live 
in  uncomfortable  despair,  and  only  seek  to  palliate  his  misery  with 
the  brutish  pleasures  of  a  wicked  life,  and  if  he  stick  at  no  villany 
which  his  fleshly  lusts  incline  him  to ;  especially  tyrants  and  mul- 
titudes who  have  none  but  God  to  fear.     It  is  my  certain  duty  to 
seek  heaven  with  all  the  fervor  of  my  soul,  and  diligence  of  my 
life ;  and  is  it  not  best  to  find  it  ? 

7.  That  must  needs  be  best  for  me,  which  all  other  things  must 
be  forsaken  for :  it  is  folly  to  forsake  the  better  for  the  worse :  but 
Scripture,  reason,  and  conscience,  tell  me,  that  all  this  world, 
when  it  stands  in  competition,  or  opposition,  should  be  forsaken 
for  heaven  ;  yea,  for  the  least  hopes  of  it :  a  possible  everlasting 
glory  should  be   preferred  before  a  certainly  perishing  vanity.     I 
am  sure  this  life  will  shortly  be  nothing  to  me ;  and  therefore  it 
is  next  to  nothing  now.     And  must  I  forsake  all  for  my  everlast- 
ing hopes,  and  yet  be  unwilling  to  pass  unto  the  possession  of 
them? 

8.  That  is  like  to  be  our  best  which  is  our  maturest  state. 
Nature  carrieth    all  things  towards  their  perfection :    our  apples, 
pears,  grapes,  and  every  fruit,  are  best  when  they  are  ripe ;  and 
though  they  then  hasten  to  corruption,  thai  is,  through  the  inca- 
pacity of  the  corporal  materials  any  longer  to  retain  the  vegetative 
spirit,  which  is  not  annihilated  at  its  separation ;  and  being  not 
made  for  its  own  felicity,  but  for  man's,  its  ripeness  is  the  state  in 
which  man  useth  it,  before  it  doth  corrupt  of  itself,  and  that  its 
corruption  may  be  for  his  nutriment ;  and  the  spirits  and  best  mat- 
ter of  his  said  food  doth  become  his  very  substance.     And  doth 


100  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

God  cause  sainis  to  grow  up  unto  ripeness,  only  to  perish  and 
drop  down  unto  useless  rottenness  ?  It  is  not  credible.  Though 
our  bodies  become  but  like  our  filthiest  excrements,  our  souls 
return  to  God  that  gave  them  :  and  though  he  need  them  not,  he 
useth  them  in  their  separated  state ;  and  that  to  such  heavenly 
uses  as  the  heavenly  maturity  and  mellowness  hath  disposed  them 
to.  Seeing,  then,  love  hath  ripened  me  for  itself,  shall  I  not  will- 
ingly drop  into  its  hand  ? 

9.  That  is  like  to  be  the  best  which  the  wisest  and  holiest,  in 
all  ages  of  the  world,  have  preferred  before  all,  and  have  most  de- 
sired ;  and  which  also  almost  all  mankind  do  acknowledge  to  be 
best  at  last.     It  is  not  like  that  all  the  best  men  in  the  world  should 
be  most  deceived,  and  be  put  upon  fruitless  labors  and  sufferings 
by  this  deceit,  and  be  undone  by  their  duty  ;  and  that  God  should, 
by  such  deceits,  rule  all  (or  almost  all)  mankind  ;  and  also  that 
the  common  notices  of  human  nature,  and  conscience's  last  and 
closet  documents,  should  be  all  in  vain.     But  it  is  past  all  doubt, 
that  no  men  usually  are  worse  than  those  that  have  no  belief  or 
hopes  of  any  life  but  this ;  and  that  none  are  so  holy,  just,  and 
sober,  so  charitable  to  others,  and  so  useful  to  mankind,  as  those 
that  firmliest  believe  and  hope  for  the  state  of  immortality :  and 
shall  I  fear  that  state  which  all  that  were  wise  and  holy,  in  all 
ages,  have  preferred  and  desired  ? 

10.  And  it  is  not  unlike  that  my  best  state  is  that  which  my 
greatest  enemies  are  most  against :  and  how  much  Satan  doth  to 
keep  me  and  other  men  from  heaven ;  and  how  much  worldly 
honor,  and  pleasure,  and  wealth,  he  could  afford  us  to  accomplish 
it,  I  need  not  here  again  be  copious  in  reciting,  having  said  so 
much  of  it  in  the  '  Treatise  of  Infidelity.'     And  shall  I  be,  towards 
myself,  so  much  of  Satan's  mind  ?     He  would  not  have  me  come 
to  heaven  ;  and  shall  I  also  be  unwilling  ?     All  these  things  tell 
me  that  it  is  best  to  be  with  Christ. 

//.   The  Final  Reasons. 

1.  Is  it  not  far  better  to  dwell  with  God  in  glory,  than  with 
sinful  men,  in  such  a  world  as  this?  Though  he  be  every  where, 
his  glory,  which  we  must  behold  to  our  felicity,  and  the  perfecting 
operations  and  communications  of  his  love,  are  in  the  glorious 
world,  and  not  on  earth.  As  the  eye  is  made  to  see  the  light, 
and  then  to  see  other  things  by  the  light,  so  is  man's  mind  made 
to  see  God,  and  to  love  him  ;  and  other  things,  as  in,  by,  and  for 
him.  He  that  is  our  beginning  is  our  end ;  and  our  end  is  the 
first  motive  of  all  moral  action,  and  for  it,  it  is  all  that  means  are 
used  ;  and  the  end  attained  is  the  rest  of  souls.  How  oft  hath  my 


* 

•  € 

BAXTER  S    DYING    THOUGHTS.  101 

soul  groaned  under  the  sense  of  distance,  and  darkness,  and  estran- 
gedness  from  God  !  How  oft  hath  it  looked  up,  and  gasped  after 
him,  and  said,  '  Oh !  when  shall  I  be  nearer  and  better  acquainted 
with  my  God?'  "  As  the  hart  panteth  after  the  water-brooks,  so 
panteth  my  soul  after  thee,  O  God :  my  soul  thirsteth  for  God, 
for  the  living  God :  when  shall  I  come  and  appear  before  God?  " 
Psalm  xlii.  1.  And  would  I  not  have  my  prayers  heard,  and 
my  desires  granted  ?  What  else  is  the  sum  of  lawful  prayers,  but 
God  himself?  If  I  desire  any  thing  more  than  God,  what  sinfulness 
is  in  those  desires,  and  how  sad  is  their  signification !  How  oft 
have  t  said,  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee,  and  there  is  none 
on  earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee  !  It  is  good  for  me  to  draw  near 
to  God."  Psalrn  Ixxiii.  25,  23.  Woe  to  me,  if  I  did  dissemble  ! 
If  not,  why  should  my  soul  draw  back  ?  Is  it  because  that  death 
stands  in  the  way  ?  Do  not  my  fellow-creatures  die  for  my  daily 
food ;  and  is  not  my  passage  secured  by  the  love  of  my  Father, 
and  the  resurrection  and  intercession  of  my  Lord  ?  Can  I  see  the 
light  of  heavenly  glory  in  this  darksome  shell  and  womb  of  flesh  ? 

2.  All  creatures  are  more  or  less  excellent  and  glorious,  as  God 
is  more  or  less  operative  and  refulgent  in  them,  and,  by  that  ope- 
ration, communicatetb  most  of  himself  unto  them.     Though  he  be 
immense  and  indivisible,  his  operations  and  communications  are 
not  equal :  and  that  is  said  to  be  nearest  to  him  which  hath  most 
of  those  operations  on  it ;  and  that  without  the  intervenient  casual- 
ty of  any  second,  created  cause  ;  and  so  all  those  are  in  their  order 
near  unto  him,  as  they  have  noblest  natures,  and  fewest  interveni- 
ent causes.     Far  am  I  from  presuming  to  think  that  I  am,  or  shall 
be,  the  best  and  noblest  of  God's  creatures,  and  so  that  I  shall  be 
so  near  him  as  to  be  under  the  influx  of  no  second  or  created 
causes  ;  of  which  more  anon.     But  to  be  as  near  as  my  nature  was 
ordained  to  approach,  is  but  to  attain  the  end  and  perfection  of  my 
nature. 

3.  And  as  I  must  not  look  to  be  the  nearest  to  him,  as  he  is  the 
first  efficient,  no  more  must  I,  as  he  is  the  first  dirigent,  or  govern- 
ing cause.     As  now  I  am  under  the  government  of  his  officers  on 
earth,  I  look  forever  to  be  under  sub-governors  in  heaven.     My 
glorified  Savior  must  be  my  Lord  and  Ruler,  and  who  else  under 
him  I  know  not.     If  angels  are  not  equal  in  perfection,  nor,  as  is 
commonly  supposed,  equal  in  power,  nor  without  some  regimental 
order  among  themselves,  I  must  not  conclude  that  no  created 
angel  or  spirit  shall  have  any  government  over  me,  but  it  will  be 
so  pure  and  divine,  as  that  the  blessed  effects  of  God's  own  gov- 
ernment will  be  sweetly  powerful  therein.     If  the  law  was  given 
by  angels,  and  the  angel  of  God  was  in  the  burning  bush,  and  the 
angel   conducted  the   people  through  the  wilderness,  and  yet  all 


• 

V 


102          BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

these  things  are  ascribed  to  God,  much  more  near  and  glorious 
will  the  divine  regiment  there  be,  whoever  are  the  administrators. 

4.  And  as  I  must  expect  to  be  under  some  created,  efficient 
and  dirigent  causes  there,  so  must  I  expect  to  have  some  subordi- 
nate ends ;  else  there  would  not  be  a  proportion  and  harmony  in 
causalities.     Whatever  nobler  creatures  are  above  me,  and  have 
their  causalities  upon  me,  I  must  look  to  be  finally  for  these 
nobler  creatures.     When  I  look  up  and  think  what  a  world  of 
glorious  beings  are  now  over  me,  I  dare  not  presume  to  think  that 
I  shall  finally,  any  more  than  receptively,  be  the  nearest  unto 
God,  and  that  I  am  made  for  none  but  him.     I  find  here  that  I 
am  made,  and  ruled,  and  sanctified,  for  the  public  or  common  good 
of  many  as  above  my  own,  of  which  I  am  past  doubt ;  and  I  am 
sure  that  I  must  be,  finally,  for  my  glorified  Redeemer ;  and  for 
what  other  spiritual  beings,  or  intelligences,  that  are  above  me, 
little  do  1  know :   and  God  hath  so  ordered  all  his  creatures,  as 
that  they  are  mutually  ends  and  means  for  and  to  one  another, 
though  not  in  an  equality,  nor  in  the  same  respects.     But  what- 
ever nearer  ends  there  will  be,  I  am  sure  that  he  who  is  the  first 
efficient,  and  dirigent,  will  be  the  ultimate,  final  cause ;  and  I  shall 
be,  in  this  respect,  as  near  him  as  is  due  to  the  rank  and  order  of 
my  nature.     I  shall  be  useful  to  the  ends  which  are  answerable  to 
my  perfection. 

5.  And  if  it  be  the  honor  of  a  servant  to  have  an  honorable 
master,  and  to  be  appointed  to  the  most  honorable  work ;  if  it  be 
some  honor  to  a  horse  above  swine,  or  a  worm,  or  fly,  that  he 
serveth  more  nearly  for  the  use  of  man,  yea,  for  a  prince,  will  it 
not  be  also  my  advancement  to  be  ultimately  for  God,  and  subor- 
diriately  for  the  highest  created  natures,  and  this  in  such  services 
as  are  suitable  to  my  spiritual  and  heavenly  state  ? 

6.  For  I  am  far  from  thinking  that  I  shall  be  above  service,  and 
have  none  to  do,  for  activity  will  be  my  perfection  and  my  rest : 
and  all  such  activity  must  be  regular  in  harmony,  and  order  of 
causes,  and  for  its  proper  use ;  and  what,  though  I  know  not  now 
fully  what  service  it  is  that  I  must  do,  I  know  it  will  be  good  and 
suitable  to  the  blessed  state  which  I  shall  be  in ;  and  it  is  enough 
that  God  and  rny  Redeemer  know  it ;  and  that  I  shall  know  it  in 
due  time,  when  I  come  to  practice  it ;  of  which  more  afterward. 

7.  The  inordinate  love  of  this  body  and  present  composition 
seduceth  souls  to  think  that  all  their  use  and  work  is  for  its  main- 
tenance and  prosperity,  and  when  the  soul  hath  done  that,  and  is 
separated  from  flesh,  it  hath  nothing  to  do,  but  must  lie  idle,  or  be 
as  nothing,  or  have  no  considerable  work  or  pleasure.     As  if  there 
were  nothing  in  the  whole  world,  but  this  little  fluid  mass  of  mat- 
ter, for  a  soul  to  work  upon ;  as  if  itself,  and  all  the  creatures,  and 


*. 

BAXTER  S    DYING    THOUGHTS,  103 

God,  were  nothing,  or  no  fit  objects  for  a  soul ;  and  why  not  here- 
after, as  well  as  now  ?  or  as  if  that  which,  in  our  compounded 
state,  doth  operate  on  and  by  its  organs,  had  no  other  way  of  ope- 
ration without  them  ;  as  if  the  musician  lost  all  his  power,  or  were 
dead,  when  his  instrument  is  out  of  tune,  or  broken,  and  could  do 
nothing  else  but  play  on  that ;  as  if  the  fiery  part  of  the  candle 
were  annihilated,  or  transmutate,  as  some  philosophers  imagine, 
when  the  candle  goeth  out,  and  were  not  fire,  and  in  action  still ;  or 
as  if  that  sunbeam  which  I  shut  out,  or  which  passeth  from  our  hori- 
zon, were  annihilated,  or  did  nothing,  when  it  shineth  not  with  us. 
Had  it  no  other  individual  to  illuminate,  or  to  terminate  its  beams 
or  action,  were  it  nothing  to  illuminate  the  common  air  ?  Though 
I  shall  not  always  have  a  body  to  operate  in  and  upon,  I  shall  al- 
ways have  God  and  a  Savior,  and  a  world  of  fellow-creatures  ; 
and  when  I  shine  not  in  this  lantern,  and  see  not  by  these  specta- 
cles, nor  imaginarily  in  a  glass,  I  shall  yet  see  things  suitable  intui- 
tively, and  as  face  to  face.  That  which  is  essentially  life,  as  a  living 
principle,  will  live ;  and  that  which  is  essentially  an  active,  intel- 
lective, volitive  principle,  force,  and  virtue,  will  still  be  such  while 
it  is  itself,  and  is  not  annihilated,  or  changed  into  another  thing, 
(which  is  not  to  be  feared  ;)  and  that  which  is  such  can  never  want 
an  object  till  all  things  be  annihilated. 

8.  Reason  assureth  me,  that  were  my  will  now  what  it  should 
be,  and  fully  obsequious  herein  to  my  understanding,  to  fulfill  God's 
will  would  be  the  fulfilling  of  my  own  will ;  for  my  will  should  per- 
fectly comply  with  his,  and  to  please  him  perfectly  would  be  my 
perfect  pleasure :  and  it  is  the  unreasonable  adhesion  to  this  body, 
and  sinful  selfishness,  which  maketh  any  one  think  otherwise  now. 
I  am  sure  that  my  soul  shall  live,  for  it  is  life  itself;  and  I  am  sure 
that  I  shall  live  to  God,  and  that  I  shall  fulfill  and  please  his  bless- 
ed will :  and  this  is,  as  such,  incomparably  better  than  my  felicity, 
as  such  ;  and  yet  so  far  as  I  am  pleased  in  so  doing,  it  will  be  my 
felicity. 

9.  I  begin  now  to  think,  that  the  strange  love  which  the  soul 
hath  to  this  body  (so  far  as  it  is  not  inordinate)  is  put  into  us  of 
God,  partly  to  signify  to  us  the  great  love  which  Christ  hath  to  his 
mystical,  political  body,  and  to  every  member  of  it,  even  the  least: 
he  will  gather  all  his  elect  out  of  the  world,  and  none  that  come  to 
him  shall  be  shut  out,  and  none  that  are  given  him  shall  be  lost : 
as  his  flesh  is  to  them  meat  indeed,  and  his  blood  is  to  them  drink 
indeed,  and  he  nourisheth  them  for  life  eternal ;  (his  Spirit  in  them, 
turning  the  sacrament,  the  word,  and  Christ  himself,  in  esse  objec- 
tive, as  believed  in,  into  spirit  and  life  to  us,  as  the  soul  and  our 
natural  spirits  turn  our  food  into  flesh  and  blood,  and  spirits,  which, 
in  a  dead  body,  or  any  lifeless  repository,  it  would  never  be  ;)  so 


104  BAXTEK'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

as  we  delight  in  the  ease  and  prosperity  of  our  body,  and  each 
member,  and  have  pleasure  in  the  pleasant  food  that  nourisheth  it, 
and  other  pleasant  objects  which  accommodate  it ;  Christ  also  de- 
lighteth  in  the  welfare  of  his  church,  and  of  all  the  faithful,  and 
is  pleased  when  they  are  fed  with  good  and  pleasant  food,  anc! 
when  hereby  they  prosper :  Christ  loveth  the  church,  not  only  as 
a  man  must  love  his  wife,  but  as  we  love  our  bodies  ;  and  no  man 
ever  hated  his  own  flesh ;  Eph.  v.  27,  &c.  And  herein  I  must 
allow  my  Savior  the  preeminence,  to  overgo  me  in  powerful,  faith- 
ful love :  he  will  save  me  better  from  pain  and  death  than  I  can 
save  my  body  ;  and  will  more  inseparably  hold  me  to  himself.  If 
it  please  my  soul  to  dwell  in  such  a  house  of  clay,  and  to  operate 
on  so  mean  a  thing  as  flesh,  how  greatly  will  it  please  my  glorified 
Lord  to  dwell  with  his  glorified  body,  the  triumphant  church,  and 
to  cherish  and  bless  each  member  of  it !  It  would  be  a  kind  of 
death  to  Christ  to  be  separated  from  his  body,  and  to  have  it  die. 
Whether  Augustine,  and  the  rest  of  the  fathers,  were  in  the  right 
or  no,  who  thought,  that  as  our  bodies  do  not  only  shed  their  hairs, 
but,  by  sickness  and  waste,  lose  much  of  their  very  flesh  ;  so 
Christ's  militant  body  doth  not  only  lose  hypocrites,  but  also  some 
living,  justified  members ;  yet,  certain  it  is,  that  confirmed  mem- 
bers, and  most  certain,  that  glorified  members,  shall  not  be  lost : 
heaven  is  not  a  place  for  Christ  or  us  to  suffer  such  loss  in.  And 
will  Christ  love  me  better  than  I  love  my  body  ?  Will  he  be  more 
loath  to  lose  me  than  I  am  to  lose  a  member,  or  to  die  ?  Will  he 
not  take  incomparably  greater  pleasure  in  animating  and  actuating 
me  forever,  than  my  soul  doth  in  animating  and  actuating  this  body  ? 
O,  then,  let  me  long  to  be  with  him  !  And  though  I  am  naturally 
loath  to  be  absent  from  the  body,  let  me  be,  by  his  Spirit,  more 
unwilling  to  be  absent  from  the  Lord ;  and  though  I  would  not  be 
unclothed,  had  not  sin  made  it  necessary,  let  me  not  groan  to  be 
clothed  upon  with  my  heavenly  habitation,  and  to  become  the  de- 
light of  my  Redeemer,  and  to  be  perfectly  loved  by  love  itself. 

10.  And  even  this  blessed  receptivity  of  my  soul,  in  terminat- 
ing the  love  and  delight  of  my  glorified  Head,  must  needs  be  a 
felicity  to  me.  The  insensible  creatures  are  but  beautified  by  the 
sun's  communication  of  its  light  and  heat ;  but  the  sensitives  have 
also  the  pleasure  of  it.  Shall  my  soul  be  senseless  ?  Will  it  be 
a  clod  or  stone  ?  Shall  that,  which  is  now  the  form  of  man,  be  then 
more  lifeless,  senseless,  or  uncapable,  than  the  form  of  brutes  is 
now  ?  Doubtless,  it  will  be  a  living,  perceiving,  sensible  recipient 
of  the  felicitating  love  of  God,  and  my  Redeemer;  I  shall  be  loved 
aa  a  living  spirit,  and  not  as  a  dead  and  senseless  thing,  that  doth 
not  comfortably  perceive  it. 

!  I ,   And  if  I  must  rejoice  with  my  fellow-servants  that  rejoice, 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  105 

shall  I  not  be  glad  to  think  that  my  blessed  Lord  will  rejoice  in 
me.  and  in  all  his  glorified  ones  ?  Union  will  make  his  pleasure 
to  be  much  mine  ;  and  it  will  be  aptly  said  by  him  to  the  faithful 
soul,  "  Enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord ; "  Matt.  xxv.  21 . 
His  own  active  joy  will  objectiv  ely  be  ours,  as  ours  will  be  efficient- 
ly his,  or  from  him.  Can  that  be  an  ill  condition  to  me,  in  which 
my  Lord  will  most  rejoice  ?  It  is  best  to  him,  and,  therefore, 
best  to  me. 

12.  And  the  heavenly  society  will  joyfully  welcome  a  holy  soul. 
If  there  be  now  "  joy  in  heaven  among  the  angels,  for  one  sinner 
that  repenteth,"  (Luke  xv.  10,)  who  hath  yet  so  little  holiness, 
and  so  much  sin,  what  joy  will  there  be  over  a  perfected,  glorified 
soul!  Surely,  if  our  angels  there  behold  our  Father's  face,  they 
will  be  glad,  in  season,  of  our  company.  The  angels  that  carried 
Lazarus  to  Abraham's  bosom,  no  doubt  rejoiced  in  their  work,  and 
their  success.  And  is  the  joy  of  angels,  and  the  heavenly  host, 
as  nothing  to  me  ?  Will  not  love  and  union  make  their  joy  to  be 
my  own,  if  love  here  must  make  all  my  friends  and  neighbors 
comforts  to  become  my  own  ?  And  as  their  joy,  according  to  their 
perfection,  is  greater  than  any  that  I  am  now  capable  of,  so  the  par- 
ticipation of  so  great  a  joy  of  theirs  will  be  far  better  than  to  have 
my  little  separated  apartment.  Surely,  that  will  be  my  best  con- 
dition, which  angels  and  blessed  spirits  will  be  best  pleased  in,  and 
I  shall  rejoice  most  in  that  which  they  most  rejoice  in. 

777.  The  Constitutive  Reasons  from  the  Intellective  State. 

Though  the  tempter  would  persuade  men,  because  of  the  case 
of  infants  in  the  womb,  apoplectics,  &c.,  that  the  understanding 
will  be  but  an  unactive  power,  when  separated  from  these  corporeal 
organs,  I  have  seen  before  sufficient  reasons  to  repel  this  tempta- 
tion. I  will  suppose,  that  it  will  not  have  such  a  mode  of  concep- 
tion as  it  hath  now  by  these  organs;  but,  1.  The  soul  will  be 
still  essentially  a  vital,  intellective  substance,  disposed  to  act  natur- 
ally ;  and  that  is  to  those  acts  which  it  is  formally  inclined  to,  as 
fire  to  illuminate  and  heat.  And  as  it  cannot  die,  (while  it  is  what 
it  is  in  essence,)  because  it  is  life  itself,  that  is,  the  vital  substance ; 
so  it  cannot  but  be  intellective,  (as  to  an  inclined  power,)  because 
it  is  such  essentially  ;  though  God  can  change,  or  annihilate  any 
thing,  if  he  would.  2.  And  it  will  be  among  a  world  of  objects. 
3.  And  it  will  still  have  its  dependence  on  the  first  cause,  and  re- 
ceive his  continual  actuating  influx.  4.  And  no  man  can  give  the 
least  show  of  true  reason,  to  prove  that  it  shall  cease  sensation, 
(whether  the  sensitive  faculties  be  in  the  same  substance  which  is 
intellective,  which  is  most  probable,  or  in  one  conjunct,  as  some 

VOL.  II.  14 


105 


BAXTER  S    DYING    THOUGHTS. 


imagine,)  though  the  species  and  modes  of  sensation  cease,  which 
are  denominated  from  the  various  organs. 

5.  Yea,  no  man  can  prove  that  the  departing  soul  doth  not  carry 
with  it  its  igneous  spirits,  which,  in  the  body,  it  did  immediately 
actuate.  If  it  were  ever  so  certain  that  those  Greek  fathers  were 
mistaken  (as  well  as  -hypocrites)  who  took  the  soul  itself  to  be  a 
sublime,  intellectual  fire. 

And  as  to  the  objection  some  hold,  that  the  soul  preexisted  be- 
fore it  was  in  the  body  ;  others,  and  most,  that  it  then  received  its 
first  being :  if  the  first  were  true,  it  would  be  taie  that  the  soul 
had  its  intellectual  activity  before,  though  the  soul  itself,  incorpo- 
rate, remember  it  not,  because  it  operateth  but  ut  forma  hominis, 
(and  its  oblivion  they  take  to  be  part  of  its  penalty,)  and  they  that 
think  it  a  radius  of  the  anima  mundi  vel  systematis,  must  think  that 
then  it  did  intellectually  animate  hunc  mundum,  vel  mundi  partem  : 
and  to  do  so  again,  is  the  worst  they  can  conjecture  of  it.  As  the 
rays  of  the  sun,  which  heat  a  burning-glass,  and  by  it  set  a  candle 
on  fire,  are  the  same  rays  still  diffused  in  the  air,  and  illuminating, 
heating,  and  moving  it,  and  terminated  on  some  other  body,  and 
not  annihilated,  or  debilitated,  when  their  contracted  operation 
ceaseth  by  breaking  the  glass,  or  putting  out  the  candle ;  and  as 
the  spirit  of  a  tree  still  animateth  the  tree,  when  it  retires  from  the 
leaves,  and  lets  them  fall.  But  this  being  an  unproved  imagina- 
tion of  men's  own  brains,  we  have  no  further  use  of  it,  than  to  con- 
fute themselves.  But  if  the  soul  existed  not  till  its  incorporation, 
what  wonder  if  it  operate  but  ut  forma,  when  it  is  united  to  the 
body  for  that  use  ?  What  wonder  if  its  initial  operations,  like  a 
spark  of  fire  in  tinder,  or  the  first  lighting  of  a  candle,  be  weak,  and 
scarce  by  us  perceptible  ?  What  wonder  if  it  operate  but  to  the 
uses  that  the  creation  did  appoint  it ;  and  first,  as  vegetative,  fab- 
ricate its  own  body,  as  the  maker's  instrument,  and  then  feel,  and 
then  understand  ?  And  what  wonder  if  it  operate  no  further  than 
objects  are  admitted  ?  And,  therefore,  what  wonder  if,  in  apo- 
plexies, &.c.,  such  operations  are  intercepted  ?  But  the  departing 
soul  is,  (1.)  In  its  maturity.  (2.)  No  more  united  to  this  body, 
and  so  not  confined  to  sense  and  imagination  in  its  operations,  and 
the  admission  of  its  objects.  (3.)  And  it  is  sub  ratione  meriti,  and, 
as  a  governed  subject,  is  ordinate  to  its  reward ;  which  it  was  not 
capable  of  receiving  in  the  womb,  or  in  an  apoplexy.  And,  as 
we  have  the  reasons  before  alledged  to  hold,  (1.)  That  it  shall  not 
be  annihilated.  (2.)  Nor  dissolved.  (3.)  Nor  lose  its  essential 
faculties  or  powers.  (4.)  Nor  those  essential  powers  be  continued 
useless  by  the  wise  and  merciful  Creator,  though,  by  natural  reve- 
lation, we  know  not  in  what  manner  they  shall  act,  whether  on 
any  other  body,  and  by  what  conjunction,  and  how  far;  so  by  su- 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  lt)7 

pernatural  revelation  we  are  assured,  that  there  is  a  reward  for  the 
righteous,  and  that  holy  souls  are  still  members  of  Christ,  and  live 
because  he  liveth,  and  that,  in  the  day  of  their  departure,  they 
shall  be  with  him  in  Paradise,  and  being  absent  from  the  body, 
shall  be  present  with  the  Lord ;  and  that  Christ,  therefore,  died, 
rose,  and  revived,  that  he  might  be  Lord  both  of  the  dead  and  of 
the  living ;  that  is,  of  those  that,  being  dead,  hence  do  live  with  him, 
and  of  those  that  yet  live  in  the  body ;  for  he  that  said,  "God  is 
not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living ;"  that  is,  stands  not  re- 
lated to  them  as  his  people,  as  a  king  to  his  subjects,  is  not  him- 
self the  Lord  of  the  absolute  dead,  but  of  the  living. 

Therefore,  (as  Contarenus  against  Pompor.atius  de  Immortal. 
Anim.  saith,)  the  immortality  of  the  soul  is  provable  by  the  light 
of  nature  ;  but  the  manner  of  its  future  operation  must  be  known  by 
faith.  And  blessed  be  the  Father  of  spirits,  and  our  Redeemer, 
who  hath  sent  and  set  up  this  excellent  light,  by  which  we  see 
further  than  purblind  infidels  can  do ! 

But  I  deny  not  but  even  the  Scripture  itself  doth  tell  us  but 
little  of  the  manner  of  our  intellection  when  we  are  out  of  the 
body  ;  and  it  is  not  improbable  that  there  is  more  imperfection  in 
this  mode  of  notional,  organical,  abstractive  knowledge  which  the 
soul  exerciseth  in  the  body,  than  most  consider  of.  And  that,  as 
the  eye  hath  the  visive  faculty  in  sleep,  and  when  we  wink,  and  an 
internal  action  of  the  visive  spirits,  (no  doubt,)  and  yet  seeth  not 
any  thing  without  till  the  eyelids  are  opened,  (and  was  not  made  to 
see  its  own  sight,)  so  the  soul  in  the  body  is  as  a  winking  eye  to 
all  things  that  are  not,  by  the  sense  and  imagination,  intromitted, 
or  brought  within  its  reach.  And  whether  (sicut  non  video  visum, 
neque  facultatem  neque  substantiam  videntem,  videndo  tamencerto 
percipio  me  videre,  so  it  may  be  said,  Non  intelligo  immediate 
ipsam  inteUcctionem,  neque  facultatem,  out  substantiam  intelligen- 
tem.  Intelligtndo  tamen  certo  percipio  me  intelligere,  quia  actus 
intellectus  in  spiritus  sensiticos  operans  sentitur ;  or  whether  we 
must  further  say,  with  Ackam,  that  Intellectus  turn  intuitive  turn 
abstractive  SK  intelligit,  I  leave  to  wiser  men  to  judge,  but  I  am 
very  suspicious  that  the  body  is  more  a  lantern  to  the  soul  than 
some  will  admit ;  and  that  this  Lusus  notionum  secundarum,  or  ab- 
stractive knowledge  of  things  by  organical  images,  names  and  no- 
tions, is  occasioned  by  the  union  of  the  soul  with  the  body  ut  for- 
ma;, and  is  that  childish  knowledge  which  the  apostle  saith  shall  be 
done  away.  And  how  much  of  man's  fall  might  consist  in  such  a 
knowing  of  good  and  evil,  I  cannot  tell,  or  in  the  overvaluing  such 
a  knowledge.  And  I  think  that  when  vain  philosophy  at  Athens 
had  called  the  thoughts  and  desires  of  mankind  from  great  realities 
to  the  logical  and  philological  game  at  words  and  notions,  it  was 


108  BAXTER'S   DYING  THOUGHTS, 

Socrates'  wisdom  to  call  them  to  more  concerning  studies,  and 
Paul's  greater  wisdom  to  warn  men  to  take  heed  of  such  vain  phi- 
losophy, and  to  labor  to  know  God  and  Jesus  Christ,  and  the 
things  of  the  Spirit,  and  not  to  overvalue  this  ludicrous,  dreaming, 
worldly  wisdom.  And  if  I  have  none  of  this7  kind  of  notional, 
childish  knowledge  when  I  am  absent  from  the  body,  the  glass 
and  spectacles  may  then  be  spared,  when  I  come  to  see  with  open 
lace,  or  as  face  to  face.  Our  future  knowledge  is  usually,  in  Scrip- 
ture, called  seeing.  "  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart,  for  they  shall 
see  God  ;  "  Matt.  v.  8.  "  We  shall  see  face  to  face  ; "  1  Cor.  xiii. 
12.  "  We  shall  see  him  as  he  is  ;  "  1  John  iii.  2.  "  Father,  I  will 
that  those  which  them  hast  given  me  be  with  me  where  I  am,  that 
they  may  behold  my  glory  which  thou  hast  given  me,"  &tc. ;  John 
xvii.  24.  And  intuitive  knowledge  of  all  things,  as  in  themselves 
immediately,  is  a  more  excellent  sort  of  knowledge  than  this,  by 
similitudes,  names,  and  notions,  which  our  learning  now  consist- 
eth  in,  and  is  but  an  art  acquired  by  many  acts  and  use. 

If  the  sun  were,  as  the  heathens  thought  it,  an  intellective  an- 
imal, and  its  emitted  rays  were  vitally  visive,  and  when  one  of 
those  rays  were  received  by  prepared  seminal  matter,  (as  in  insects,) 
it  became  the  soul  of  an  inferior  animal, — in  this  case,  the  said  ray 
would  operate  in  that  insect,  or  animal,  but  according  to  the  ca- 
pacity of  the  recipient  matter ;  whereas  the  sun  itself,  by  all  its 
emitted  rays,  would  see  all  things  intellectually,  and  with  delight, 
and  when  that  insect  were  dead,  that  ray  would  be  what  it  was, 
an  intellective,  intuitive  emanation.  And  though  the  soul,  in  flesh, 
do  not  know  itself  how  it  shall  be  united  to  Christ,  and  to  all  other 
holy  souls,  and  to  God  himself,  nor  how  near,  or  just  of  what  sort 
that  union  will  be,  yet  united  it  will  be,  and  therefore  will  partici- 
pate accordingly  of  the  universal  light  or  understanding  to  which  it 
is  united.  The  soul  now,  as  it  is,  or  operateth,  in  the  foot  or  hand, 
doth  not  understand,  but  only  as  it  is,  and  operateth,  in  the  head. 
And  yet  the  same  soul  which  is  in  the  hand,  understandeth  in  the 
head,  and  the  soul  operateth  not  so  selfishly  or  dividedly  in  the 
hand  as  to  repine  there  because  it  understandeth  not  there  ;  but  it 
is  quiet  in  that  it  understandeth  in  the  head,  and  performeth  its  due 
operation  in  the  hand.  But  this  diversity  of  operations  seemeth 
to  be  from  the  organs,  and  body's  use,  or  need ;  but  souls  dismiss- 
ed from  the  body  seem  to  be  as  all  eye,  or  intuitive  light.  There- 
fore, though  it  might  content  us  to  say  that  our  Head  seeth  all 
things,  and  we  are  united  to  him,  yet  we  may  say  further,  that 
we  ourselves  shall  see  God,  and  all  things  that  are  meet  for  us 
to  see.  , 

And  seeing  it  is  most  certain  that  the  superior  glorious  regions 
are  full  of  blessed  spirits,  who  do  see  God  and  one  another,  having 


BAXTER'S  DTIXO  THOI.'OHTS.  109 

much  more  perfect  operations  than  we  have,  (whose  effects  we 
mortals  find  here  below,)  why  should  I,  that  find  an  intellective 
nature  in  myself,  make  any  doubt  of  my  more  perfect  operations 
when  I  am  dismissed  hence,  being  satisfied  that  a  soul  will  not  lose 
its  simple  essence  ?  Either  those  superior  spirits  have  ethereal 
bodies  to  act  in  (or  are  such  themselves)  or  not.  If  they  are  or 
have  such,  why  should  I  doubt  of  the  like,  and  think  that  my  sub- 
stance or  vehicle  will  not  be  according  to  the  region  of  my  abode  ? 
If  not,  why  should  I  think  that  my  departed  soul  may  not  know 
or  see  without  an  igneous  or  ethereal  body  or  vehicle,  as  well  as 
all  those  worlds  of  spirits  ?  And  the  certainty  of  apparitions,  pos- 
sessions, and  witches,  do  tell  us,  not  only  that  there  are  such  in- 
habitants of  other  regions,  ordinarily  invisible  to  us,  but  also  that 
we  are  in  the  way  to  that  happiness  or  misery  which  is  in  our  in- 
visible state. 

These  things  reviewed,  (being  partly  mentioned  before,)  assur- 
ing me  that  I  shall  have  actual  intellection  in  my  separated  state, 
the  region,  with  the  objects,  but,  above  all,  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
will  tell  me,,  as  much  as  it  is  meet  that  I  should  here  know,  what 
it  is  that  I  shall  intuitively  understand.  The  apostle  (1  Cor.  xiii. 
10 — 12.)  doth  distinguish  our  kno\ving  in  part,  and  knowing  per- 
fectly, knowing  as  a  child,  and  as  a  man,  knowing  darkly  and 
enigmatically,  as  in  a  glass,  and  knowing  face  to  face  as  we  are 
known.  The  great  question  is,  when  this  time  of  perfection  is  ; 
whether  he  mean  at  death,  or  at  the  resurrection.  If  the  observa- 
tion of  Dr.  Hammond  and  Mr.  Beverly,  in  his  '  Great  Soul  of 
Man,'  hold,  that  avaeatfts  in  Scripture,  when  'the  flesh  or  body'  is 
not  joined  with  it,  signifies  that  life  which  the  soul  doth  enter  upon 
immediately  after  our  death,  and  so  that  the  soul  hath  that  (after 
living)  which  is  signified  by  the  very  word  which  we  translate  res- 
urrection, then  it  will  lead  men  to  think  that  there  is  less  differ- 
ence between  man's  state  at  his  first  departure,  and  at  his 
last  resurrection,  than  most  think,  even  than  Calvin  himself 
thought.  But  the  difference  between  our  first  and  last  state  of 
after-life  or  resurrection  cannot  be  now  distinctly  known.  What 
difference  there  is  now  between  Enoch,  Elias,  and  those  who  rose 
at  Christ's  resurrection,  and  the  rest  of  the  saints,  even  the  spirits 
of  the  perfected  just,  and  whether  the  first  have  as  much  greater 
glory  than  the  rest,  as  it  is  conceived  that  we  shall  have  at  the 
resurrection  above  that  which  immediately  followeth  death,  what 
mortal  man  can  tell  ?  I  am  past  doubt  that  flesh  and  blood  (for- 
mally so  called,  and  not  only  ab  accidente,  as  sinful)  shall  not  in- 
herit the  kingdom  of  God,  (yid.  Hammond  in  toe.,)  but  that  our 
natural  bodies  shall  be  made  spiritual  bodies  :  and  how  a  spiritual 
body  differeth  from  a  spirit  or  soul,  I  pretend  not  well  to  under- 


» 

•"' 
110  BAXTER'S  rmrcr,  T;in.:r;HTs. 

stand,  but  must  stay  till  God,  by  experience,  or  fuller  light,  inform 
me.  But  surely  the  difference  is  not  like  to  be  so  great,  as  that  a 
soul  in  flesh  shall  know  in  part,  and  a  soul  in  a  spiritual  body  shall 
know  perfectly,  and  a  soul  between  both  shall  not  know  at  all.  If 
it  be  perfection  which  we  shall  have  in  our  spiritual  body,  it  is 
like  that  we  are  nearer  to  that  perfection,  in  knowledge  and  felici- 
ty, while  we  are  between  both,  than  when  we  are  in  the  flesh. 

And  sure  a  soul  that  (even  Solomon  saith)  goeth  upward,  and 
to  God  that  gave  it,  is  liker  to  know  God  than  that  which  is  termi- 
nated in  flesh,  and  operateth  ut  forma,  according  to  its  capacity 
and  state ;  and  a  soul  that  is  with  Christ,  is  liker  to  know  Christ, 
and  the  Father  in  him,  than  that  which  is  present  with  the  body, 
and  absent  from  the  Lord.  What  less  can  the  promise  of  being 
with  him  signify  ? 

And,  i.  As  to  the  kind  of  knowledge,  how  excellent  and  more 
satisfactory  a  way  will  that  of  intuition,  or  intellective  sense,  be, 
than  is  our  present  way  of  abstraction,  similitudes,  and  signs! 
What  abundance  of  time,  thoughts  and  labor,  doth  it  cost  us  now 
to  learn  our  grammar,  our  rhetoric  and  our  logic !  Our  artes  lo- 
quendi,  dicendi  and  disserendi ;  to  learn  our  wordy  rules  and  ax- 
ioms, in  metaphysics,  physics,  &ic. !  And  when  we  have  learned 
them  all,  (if  all  can  be  learned.)  how  little  the  nearer  are  many  to 
the  knowing  of  the  signified  realities !  We  oft  get  but  a  set  of  words 
to  play  with,  to  take  up  our  time,  and  divert  us  from  the  matter ; 
even  as  carnal  men  use  the  creatures  which  signify  God,  and  are 
made  to  lead  them  up  to  him,  to  entangle  them,  and  be  the  great- 
est and  most  pernicious  diversion  of  their  souls  from  God  ;  so  do 
too  many  learned  men  do  by  their  organical,  signal  knowledge. 
They  use  it  as  man  do  cards,  and  romances,  and  plays,  to  delight 
their  fancies ;  but  they  know  less  of  the  things  that  are  worth  their 
knowing  than  many  unlearned  persons  do,  as  I  said  before.  Had 
not  much  of  the  Athenian  learning  been  then  a  mere  game,  for 
men  to  play  away  their  precious  time  at,  and  to  grow  proud  of, 
while  they  were  ignorant  of  saving  realities,  Christ  and  his  apostles 
had  not  so  much  neglected  it  as  they  did,  nor  Paul  so  much  warn- 
ed men  to  take  heed  of  being  deceived  by  that  vain  kind  of  phi- 
losophy, in  which  he  seemeth  to  me  to  have  greater  respect  to 
the  universally  esteemed  Athenian  arts,  than,  as  Dr.  Hammond 
thought,  to  the  mere  gnostic  pretensions. 

This  poor,  dreaming,  signal,  artificial  knowledge  is,  1.  Costly. 
2.  Uncertain.  3.  Contentious.  4.  Unsatisfactory,  in  compari- 
son of  intuitive  knowledge. 

1 .  It  is  costly,  as  to  the  hard  labor  and  precious  time  which 
must  be  laid  out  for  it,  as  aforesaid.  We  grow  old  in  getting  us 
horses,  and  boots,  and  spurs,  for  our  journey,  and  it  is  well  if  we 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.          1 1 1 

begin  it  at  the  last ;  like  a  man  that  would  study  the  new-found 
planets,  and  the  shape  of  Saturn's  and  Jupiter's  satellites,  and  the 
Viam  Lacteam,  &c. ;  and  he  spends  his  whole  life  in  getting  him 
the  best  tubes,  or  telescopes,  and  never  useth  them  to  his  ends ; 
or  like  one  that,  instead  of  learning  to  write,  doth  spend  his  life  in 
getting  the  best  ink,  paper  and  pens ;  or  rather  like  one  that  learn- 
eth  to  write  and  print  exactly,  and  not  to  understand  what  any  of 
his  words  do  signify.  Men  take  their  spectacles  instead  of  eyes. 

2.  And  when  this  learning  is  got,  how  uncertain  are  we  whether 
the  words  have  no  ambiguity ;  whether  they  give  us  the  true  notice 
of  the  speaker's  mind,  and  of  the  matter  spoken  of !    As  I  said 
before,  what  penury,  and  yet  redundancy  of  words,  have  we ;  of 
how  various  and  uncertain  signification ;  changed  by  custom,  or 
arbitrary  design ;  sometimes  by  the  vulgar  use,  and  sometimes  by 
learned  men,  that,  being  conscious  of  the   defectiveness   of  the 
speaking  art,  are  still  tampering,  and  attempting  to  amend  it !  And 
some  men  speak  obscurely  on  purpose  to  raise  in  their  readers  a 
conceit  of  their  subtle  and  sublime  conceptions.     And  he  that  un- 
derstandeth  things  most  clearly,  and  speaketh  them  most  plainly, 
(which  are  the  parts  of  true  learning,)  shall  have  much  ado  to  get 
the  matter  out  of  dark  and  bewildering  uncertainties,  and  to  make 
others  understand  both  it  and  him. 

3.  And  hence  come  the  greatest  part  of  the  contentions  of  the 
world,  which  are  hottest  among  men  that  most  pretend  to  wordy 
knowledge ;  as  in  traffic  and  converse,  the  more  men  and  business 
we  have  to  do  with,  usually  the  more  quarrels  and  differences  we 
have  ;  so  the  more  of  this  wordy  learning,  instead  of  realities,  men 
pretend  to,  the  more  disputes  and  controversies  they  make  ;  and 
the  instruments  of  knowledge  prove  the  instruments  of  error  and 
contention.     And,  alas !    how  many  applauded  volumes  are  the 
snares  and  troubles  of  the  world !  and  how  great  a  part  of  our 
libraries  are  vain  janglings,  and  strife  of  words,  and  traps  for  the 
more  ingenious  sort,  that  will  not  be  taken  with  cards  and  dice, 
robbing  us  of  our  time,  destroying  our  love,  depressing  our  minds, 
that  should  ascend  to  God,  and  diverting  them  from  the  great  and 
holy  tilings  which  should  be  the  matter  of  our  thoughts  and  joys ; 
and  filling  the  church  with  sects  and  strife,  while  every  one  striveth 
tor  the  preeminence  of  his  wit  and  notions,  and  few  strive  for  holy 
love,  and  unity,  and  good  works ! 

4.  And  all  this  while,  alas !  too  many  learned  men  do  but  lick 
the  outside  of  the  glass,  and  leave  the  wine  within  untasted.     To 
know  God  and  Christ,  and  heaven  and  holiness,  do  give  the  soul 
a  nourishing  and  strengthening  kind  of  pleasure,  like  that  of  the 
appetite  in  its  food  ;  but  this  game  at  words  is  but  a  knowing  of 
images,  signs  and  shadows,  and  so  is  but  an  image  and  shadow  of 


\['-Z  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

true  knowledge.  It  is  not  that  grace  which  Austin's  definition 
saith,  Nemo  male  utitur ;  but  it  is  that  which  the  sanctified  use 
well,  and  the  unsanctified  are  puffed  up  by,  and  use  to  the  oppo- 
sition of  truth,  the  ostentation  of  a  foolish  wit,  and  the  deceit  of 
their  own  souls.  And  if  it  be  sanctified  knowledge,  it  is  but  me- 
diate, in  order  to  our  knowledge  of  things  thus  signified ;  and  it  is 
the  real  good  which  contenteth  and  beatifieth,  though  the  notions 
may  be  a  subordinate  recreation ;  and  intuition  feasteth  on  these 
realities. 

ii.  And  as  to  the  objects  of  this  intuition,  their  excellency  will 
be  the  excellency  of  our  knowledge.  1 .  I  shall  know  God  better. 
2.  I  shall  know  the  universe  better.  3.  I  shall  know  Christ  bet- 
ter. 4.  I  shall  know  the  church,  his  body,  better,  with  the  holy 
angels.  5.  I  shall  better  know  the  methods  and  perfection  of  the 
Scripture,  and  all  God's  dirigent  word  and  will.  6.  I  shall  know 
the  methods  and  sense  of  disposing  Providence  better.  7.  I  shall 
know  the  divine  benefits,  which  are  the.  fruits  of  love,  better.  8.  I 
shall  know  myself  better.  9.  1  shall  better  know  every  fellow- 
creature,  which  I  am  concerned  to  know.  10.  And  I  shall  better 
know  all  that  evil,  sin,  Satan,  and  misery,  from  which  I  am  de- 
livered. 

1 .  Aquinas,  and  many  others,  took  it  for  the  chief,  natural  proof 
of  the  soul's  immortality,  that  man,  by  nature,  desireth  not  only  to 
know  effects,  and  second  causes,  but  to  rise  up  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  first  cause  ;  and,  therefore,  was  made  for  such  knowledge  in 
the  state  of  his  perfection ;  but  grace  hath  much  more  of  this  desire 
than  nature.  Not  that  we  must  not  be  content  to  be  without  a 
great  deal  of  knowledge,  which  would  be  unmeet  for  us,  useless, 
troublesome,  or  dangerous  to  us ;  nor  must  we  aspire  to  that  which 
is  above  our  capacity,  and  to  know  the  unsearchable  things  of  God  ; 
but  not  to  know  God,  is  to  know  nothing,  and  to  have  an  under- 
standing worse  than  none.  I  presume  not  to  pry  into  the  secrets 
of  the  Almighty,  nor  to  pretend  to  know  more  of  God  than,  indeed, 
I  do  ;  but  O  that  I  might  know  more  of  his  perfections,  of  his  will, 
and  love,  and  ways,  with  that  knowledge  which  is  eternal  life  ! 
Blessed  be  that  love  that  sent  the  Son  of  God  from  heaven,  to  re- 
veal him  to  us  in  the  gospel,  as  he  hath  done ;  but  all  that  hear  the 
same  words,  and  believe  them,  have  not  the  same  degree  of  light  or 
faith.  If  an  angel  from  heaven  came  down  on  earth  to  tell  us  all 
of  God  that  we  would  know,  and  might  lawfully  desire  and  ask  him, 
who  would  not  turn  his  back  on  libraries,  and  universities,  and 
learned  men,  to  go  and  discourse  with  such  a  messenger  ?  What 
travel  should  I  think  too  far,  what  cost  too  great,  for  one  hour's  talk 
with  such  a  messenger  ?  But  we  must  have  here  but  such  intima- 
tions as  will  exercise  faith,  and  excite  desire,  and  try  us  under  the 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.          113 

temptations  of  the  world  and  flesh.  The  glorious  light  is  the  re- 
ward of  the  victory  obtained  by  the  conduct  of  the  light  of  grace. 
God,  in  great  mercy,  even  here,  beginneth  the  reward.  They  that 
are  true  to  the  initial  light,  and  faithfully  follow  on  to  know  the  Lord, 
do  find,  usually,  such  increase  of  light  (not  of  vain  notions,  but  of 
quickening  and  comforting  knowledge  of  God)  as  greatly  encour- 
ageth  them  still  on  to  seek  for  more.  It  is  very  pleasant  here  to  in- 
crease in  holy  knowledge,  though  it  usually  bring  an  increase  of 
malignant  opposition,  and  so  of  sorrows  to  the  flesh.  The  pleasure 
that  the  mind  hath  in  common  knowledge,  brings  men  through  a 
great  deal  of  labor  to  attain  it.  How  many  years'  travel  over  land 
and  sea  do  some  men  take,  to  see  and  know  more  of  this  lower 
world,  though  it  is  little  that  they  bring  home,  but  more  acquaint- 
ance with  sin,  and  vanity,  and  vexation  !  How  many  more  years 
do  thousands  spend  in  the  reading  multitudes  of  tedious  volumes, 
that  they  may  know  what  others  knew  before  them  !  Printers  and 
booksellers  live  by  our  desire  of  knowledge.  What  soul,  then,  on 
earth,  can  possibly  conceive  bow  great  a  pleasure  it  will  be  for  a 
glorified  soul  to  see  the  Lord !  Though  I  cannot  now  conceive 
what  that  intuition  of  God  himself  will  be,  and  whether  it  will  not 
be  a  glorious  kind  of  concluding  or  abstractive  knowledge  ;  wheth- 
er the  glory  which  we  shall  see  be  only  a  created  appearance  of 
God,  or  be  his  very  essence,  it  satisfieth  me  that  it  will  be  as  per- 
fect a  knowledge  as  is  fit  for  me  to  desire  ;  and  I  shall  then  desire 
no  more  than  is  fit ;  and  what  it  is  I  shall  then  know  by  itself,  for 
it  is  not  otherwise  to  be  clearly  known.  And  all  the  pleasure  that 
I  shall  have  in  heaven,  in  knowing  any  of  the  works  of  God,  will 
be  in  rny  beholding  God  In'm^lf,  his  being,  his  vital  power  and 
action,  his  wisdom,  and  his  love  and  goodness,  in  those  works ;  for 
he  is  the  life  and  glory  of  them  all.  "  Blessed  are  the  pure  in 
heart,  for  they  shall  see  God." 

2.  And,  doubtless,  it  will  be  no  small  part  of  my  delight  to  see 
and  know  God's  perfect  works ;  I  mean  the.universe  itself.  I  can- 
not say  that  I  shall  have  so  large  a  capacity  as  to  comprehend  all 
the  world,  or  know  it  perfectly,  and  with  an  adequate  knowledge ; 
but  I  shall  know  it  in  such  perfection  as  is  suitable  to  my  capacity. 
It  is  exceeding  pleasant  to  know  the  least  particles  of  the  works  of 
God.  With  what  diligence  and  delight  have  men  endeavored  to 
anatomize  a  body,  yea,  a  small  part  of  a  carcass,  and  to  know  and 
describe  poor  worms  and  insects,  plants  and  minerals !  and  no  man 
ever  yet  perfectly  knew  the  least  of  them  all.  No  herbalist  or 
physician  ever  yet  knew  the  nature  and  uses  of  any  one  herb  with 
an  adequate  knowledge.  With  what  delight  and  diligence  are 
physical  searches  carried  on  in  the  world,  though  still  we  are  all 
but  groping  in  the  dark,  and  ignorant  of  many  things  for  one  that 

VOL.    II.  15 


114          BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

we  know,  and,  therefore,  know  no  one  perfectly,  because  we  are 
ignorant  of  the  rest!  But  if,  indeed,  we  were  above  our  dream- 
ing, erroneous  hypothesis,  and  saw  the  nature  of  every  creature, 
even  in  sea  and  land — this  little  spot  of  God's  creation,  and  the 
compages  of  all — O,  what  a  delightful  spectacle  would  it  be  ! 
How  much  more  to  see  the  whole  creation,  yea,  or  one  vortex 
or  system  of  the  globes,  and  to  know  their  union  and  com- 
munion, and  to  behold  their  beauteous  symmetry,  and  hear 
them,  in  concord  and  melodious  harmony,  praising  the  glory  of 
their  great,  wise,  amiable  Creator!  This  were  a  delectable  sight 
indeed.  I  shall  have  as  much  of  this  as  I  shall  be  capable  of; 
and  the  wonders  and  glories  of  the  works  of  God  shall  wrap  up  my 
soul  in  admiring,  joyful  praise  forever :  and  though  here  it  be  but 
little  of  God's  work  that  we  know,  I  have  great  reason  to  think 
that  it  will  be  far  otherwise  there.  (1.)  Because  the  state  of  per- 
fection must  far  excel  our  dark  and  infant  state  of  imperfection. 
We  have  now  desires  after  such  a  knowledge.  His  works  are 
great,  sought  out  of  them  that  have  pleasure  therein  ;  and  these 
desires,  being  of  God,  shall  not  be  frustrate.  (2.)  Because  there 
will  be  a  proportionableness  of  the  parts  of  our  perfection  ;  and 
therefore,  as  our  love  to  God  and  his  works  will  be  there  perfected, 
so  will  be  our  knowledge.  (3.)  Because  we  shall  know  God 
himself  as  much  as  we  are  capable,  and  therefore  we  shall  know 
his  works  in  him,  or  by  a  subordinate  knowledge,  the  less  being  in 
the  greater.  (4.)  Because  God  hath  made  his  works  to  be  known 
to  his  glory  ;  but  it  is  little  that  is  here  known  of  them  by  mortals ; 
therefore  they  are  known  by  them  in  heaven,  who  are  fitted  to 
improve  that  knowledge  to  his  praise.  • 

If  Christ,  who  is  the  wisdom  of  God,  will  teach  me  the  true  phi- 
losophy, how  to  love  God,  and  live  here  in  all  well-pleasing  unto 
him,  I  shalj  quickly,  in  heaven,  be  a  perfect  philosopher;  and  ex- 
perience will  tell  me  that  the  surest  way  to  be  truly  learned,  and 
know  the  wonderful  works  of  God,  was  to  know,  love  and  serve 
the  great  Creator ;  and  in  him  we  shall  have  all,  and  without  him 
we  know  nothing,  and  have  nothing  at  all. 

Satan  tempted  Christ,  by  showing  him  the  "  kingdoms  and  glory 
of  the  world/'  and  promising  them  all  to  him  if  he  would  have 
worshiped  him :  but  God  will  show  me  more  than  Satan  could 
show,  and  give  me  more  of  that  which  is  best  than  Satan  could 
give. 

3.  And  that  in  heaven  I  shall  better  know  Jesus  Christ,  and  all 
the  mystery  of  our  redemption  by  him,  will  not  be  the  least  of  my 
felicity  ;  for  in  him  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  :  and  to 
know  the  mystery  of  his  eternal  Godhead,  in  the  second  person, 
and  his  created  nature,  and  the  union  of  these,  and  to  see  God's 


BAXTER'S    DYING    THOL'UHTS.  115 

wonderful  design  and  work  of  grace  in  him  laid  open  to  our  clear- 
est view,  O,  what  beautifying  knowledge  would  this  be!  All  dark 
texts  concerning  his  person,  his  office,  and  his  works,  will  then  be 
expounded  and  fully  understood.  All  those  strange  and  difficult 
things  which  were  the  great  exercise  and  honor  of  faith,  will  then 
be  plain.  Difficulties  will  no  more  be  Satan's  advantage  to  tempt 
us  to  unbelief,  or  doubting.  The  sight  of  the  glory  of  my  Lord 
will  be  my  glory ;  John  xvii.  24.  If  Paul  had  not  then  attained 
to  perfection  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  the  power  of  his  res- 
urrection, but  was  pressing  forward  to  reach  that  crown  in  the  life 
to  come,  which  he  calleth  ';  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,"  (Phil, 
iii.  9 — 12.)  such  as  I  must  not  expect  here  to  attain  it ;  but  when 
that  which  is  perfect  is  come,  this  imperfect  knowledge  of  faith 
will  be  done  away,  as  childish  knowledge  is  in  manhood  :  and  the 
glass  and  riddle  shall  be  laid  aside,  when  we  "  shall  see  face  to  face, 
and  shall  know  as  we  are  known,"  (1  Cor.  xiii.  10 — 12.)  as  to 
our  sight  and  knowledge  of  Christ  and  his  triumphant  body  ;  for  I 
dare  not  apply  that  phrase  to  the  sigh't  and  knowledge  of  the  divine 
essence,  nor  yet  deny  it. 

If,  now,  though  we  see  not  Christ,  yet,  believing,  we  love  him, 
and  rejoice  in  him  with  unspeakable,  glorying  joy ;  what  love  and 
joy  will  the  everlasting  sight  of  our  blessed  Head  excite  there  in 
the  souls  of  all  the  glorified ! 

4.  I  shall  better,  O,  much  better,  know  the  heavenly  Jerusa- 
lem, the  triumphant  church,  the  blessed  angels,  and  glorified  saints ; 
and  as  my  love  to  them,  so  my  knowledge  of  them,  will  not  be  the 
least  part  of  my  heavenly  delight.  As  strangely  as  I  now  look 
upward  to  that  world,  because  I  cannot  see  it  with  these  eyes,  it  shall 
be  my  well-known  everlasting  habitation.  O,  what  a  sight,  what  a 
joyful  sight,  will  death  show  me  by  drawing  aside  the  veil,  or  rather 
the  Lord  of  life,  by  turning  death  to  my  advantage  !  When  I  am 
there  at  home,  I  shall  no  more  think  with  confusion,  fear,  or  doubting, 
of  that  blessed  place  or  state.  My  fears,  which  now  come  from  the 
smallness  of  my  faith,  will  end  when  faith  is  turned  into  vision. 
As  I  know  the  several  rooms  in  my  house,  and  houses  in  the 
street,  and  streets  in  the  city,  so  shall  I  then  know  the  many  man- 
sions which  Christ  hath  said  are  in  his  Father's  house.  Words 
now  give  me  so  poor,  imperfect  a  conception  of  the  world  and 
things  which  1  never  saw,  as  that  sometimes  I  can  scarcely  tell 
whether  the  joy  of  my  faith,  or  the  trouble  of  my  dark  apprehen- 
sions, be  the  greater.  But  when  I  shall  see  the  place  and  per- 
sons, the  glory  which  I  heard  of,  that  will  be  the  delightful  satisfy- 
ing and  possessing  kind  of  knowledge.  If  Nehemiah,  and  the 
godly  Jews,  made  so  great  a  matter  of  seeing  the  walls  of  Jerusa- 
lem repaired  ;  and  others,  of  the  imperfect  reedifying  of  the  temple, 


116  BAXTER'*  DVINO  THOUGHTS. 

O,  what  a  joyful  sight  to  me  will  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  then  be  ! 
The  most  glorious  sight  will  be  at  the  great  marriage-day  of  the 
Lamb,  when  Christ  shall  come  to  be  glorified  in  his  saints,  and  ad- 
mired in  all  them  that  now  believe  ;  but  the  next  to  that  will  be 
the  day  of  my  particular  deliverance,  when  I  shall  come  to  Christ, 
and  see  the  saints  admiring  him  in  glory. 

If  I  were  of  the  opinion  of  those  Greek  fathers,  who  thought  that 
stars  were  angels,  or  had  intellectual  souls,  (matters  unknown  to 
us,)  I  should  love  them  as  my  guardians,  and  take  it  to  be  yet 
more  of  my  concernment  to  be  advanced  to  the  fuller  knowledge 
of  them.  But  seeing  I  know  that  angels  love  us,  and  by  office  do 
attend  and  keep  us,  and  rejoice  at  our  good,  and  at  our  repentance, 
and,  which  is  far  more,  are  more  holy  and  excellent  creatures  than 
we  are,  it  is,  therefore,  my  comfort  to  think  that  I  shall  better  know 
then),  and  live  in  near  and  perpetual  acquaintance  and  communion 
with  them,  a  more  sensible  and  sweet  communion  than  we  can 
have  with  them  here.  Devils  are  aerial,  and  near  to  this  dark  and 
sinful  world,  and  oftener  appear  to  men  than  angels.  But  the 
angels  affect  not  such  descending  appearances,  till  love  and  obedi- 
ence to  their  Lord  make  it  pleasing  to  them  ;  and  therefore  we 
have  but  little  knowledge,  even  of  those  that  know,  and  love,  and 
keep  us.  But  when  we  come  home  to  their  nearest  society  and 
converse,  to  know  them  will  be  sweet  and  joyful  knowledge  ;  for 
they  are  more  excellent  creatures  than  the  most  glorious  that  are 
below  the  intellective  nature.  They  are  full  of  light,  and  full  of 
love  to  God  and  man.  Had  God  bid  me  pray  to  them,  I  would 
not  have  refused  it,  but  taken  it  for  my  honor ;  but  seeing  he  hath 
not,  I  will  do  that  which  he  bid  me,  even  love  them,  and  rejoice  in 
my  relation  to  the  innumerable  company  of  them,  in  the  city  of  the 
living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  (Heb.  xii.  22.)  and  long  to 
know  and  love  them  more ;  expecting,  ere  long,  to  bear  my  part  in 
the  praises  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb,  in  the  same  choir  where  they 
are  the  precentors. 

And  that  I  shall  know  the  spirits  of  the  perfected  just,  and  be 
of  their  communion,  will  be  no  small  addition  to  my  joy.  How 
sweet  hath  one  wise  and  holy,  though  weak  and  blemished,  com- 
panion been  to  me  here  on  earth  !  And  how  lovely  have  God's 
graces  in  such,  though  sullied,  appeared  to  me  !  O,  then,  what 
a  sight  will  it  be  when  we  shall  see  the  millions  of  souls  that  shine 
in  perfect  wisdom  and  holiness  with  Christ !  To  see  a  garden  that 
hath  some  beautiful  flowers  in  it,  is  something;  but  if  you  saw 
whole  fields  and  countries  shining  with  them,  it  would  be  a  glory, 
though  fading,  to  the  earth  A  well-built  city  is  a  pleasanter  sight 
than  a  single  house,  and  a  navy  than  a  ship,  and  an  army  than  one 
man.  And  if  this  poor,  low  world  did  all  consist  of  wise,  and  just, 


BAXTER'S  nvivf;  TiioronTs.  117 

and  holy  persons,  O,  what  an  orderly,  lovely  world  would  it  be ! 
If  one  kingdom  consisted  (prince,  magistrates,  pastors,  and  people) 
all  of  such,  what  a  blessed  kingdom  would  that  be!  The  plague 
of  wicked  men's  deceits,  and  falsehoods,  oppressions,  and  iniquities, 
may  help  to  make  us  sensible  of  this.  It  would  be  a  great  tempta- 
tion to  us  to  be  loath  to  die,  and  leave  such  a  country,  were  it  not 
that  the  more  the  beauty  of  goodness  appeareth,  the  more  the  state 
of  perfection  is  desired.  It  is  pleasant  to  me  to  pray  in  hope,  as 
Christ  hath  commanded  me,  that  earth  may  be  made  liker  unto 
heaven,  which  now  is  become  so  like  to  hell.  But  when  I  shall 
*ee  the  society  perfected  in  number,  in  holiness,  in  glory,  in 
heavenly  employment,  the  joyful  praises  of  Jehovah,  the  glory  of 
God,  and  the  Lamb  shining  on  them,  and  God  rejoicing  over  them 
as  his  delight,  and  myself  partaking  of  the  same,  that  will  be  the 
truly  blessed  day.  And  why  doth  my  soul,  imprisoned  in  flesh,  no 
more  desire  it  ? 

5.  I  shall  better  understand  all  the  word  of  God,  the  matter,  and 
the  method  of  it :  though  I  shall  not  have  that  use  for  it  as  I  have 
KHV  in  this  life  of  faith,  yet  I  shall  see  more  of  God's  wisdom  and 
his  goodness,  his  love,  mercy,  and  justice,  appearing  in  it,  than 
ever  man  on  earth  could  do.     As  the  creatures,  so  the  Scriptures, 
are  perfectly  known  only  by  the  perfect  spirits.     I  shall  then  know 
how  to  solve  all  doubts,  and  reconcile  all  seeming  contradictions, 
and  to  expound  the  hardest  prophecies :   that  light  will  show  me 
the  admirable  methods  of  those  sacred  words,  where  dark  minds 
now  suspect  confusion  !     How  evident  and  clear  then  will  every 
thing  appear  to  me !     Like  a  small  print  when  the  light  comes  in, 
which  I  could  not  read  in  the  glimmering  twilight.     How  easily 
shall  I  then  confute  the  cavils  of  all  our  present  unbelievers !  and 
how  joyfully  shall  I  praise  that  God   and  Savior  that  gave  his 
church  so  clear  a  light  to  guide  them  through  this  darksome  world, 
and  so  sure  a  promise  to  support  them  till  they  came  to  life  eternal ! 
How  joyfully  shall  I  bless  him  that  by  that  immortal  seed  did  re- 
generate me  to  the  hopes  of  glory,  and  that  ruled  me  by  so  holy 
and  just  a  law  ! 

6.  In  that  world  of  light  I  shall  better  understand  God's  present 
and  past  works  of  providence,  by  which  he  ordereth  the  matters  of 
this  world:  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  them  is  little  understood 
iti  little  parcels  :  it  is  the  union  and  harmony  of  all  the  parts  which 
^!io\veth  the  beauty  of  them,  when  the  single  parcels  seem  deform- 
ed, or  are  not  understood.     And  no  one  can  see  the  whole  together 
out  God,  and  they  that  see  it  in  the  light  of  his  celestial  glory :  it  is 
a  prospect  of  that  end,  by  which  we  have  here  any  true  under- 
standing of  such  parcels  as  we  see.     Then  I  shall  know  clearly 
why,  or  to  what  use,  God  prospered  the  wicked,  and  tried  the 


118  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS; 

righteous  by  so  many  afflictions  :  I  shall  know  why  he  set  up  the 
ungodly,  and  put  the  humble  under  their  feet ;  why  he  permitted 
so  much  ignorance,  ungodliness,  pride,  lust,  oppression,  persecu- 
tion, falsehood,  deceit,  and  other  sins  in  the  world :  I  shall  know 
why  the  faithful  are  so  few ;  and  why  so  many  kingdoms  of  the 
world  are  left  in  heathenism,  Mahometanism,  and  infidelity.  The 
strange  permissions  which  now  so  puzzle  me,  and  are  the  matter 
of  my  astonishment,  shall  all  be  then  as  clear  as  day :  I  shall  know 
why  God  disposed  of  me  as  he  did  through  all  my  life  ;  and  why  1 
suffered  what  I  did;  and  how  many  great  deliverances  I  had, 
which  I  understood  not  here,  and  how  they  were  accomplished. 
All  our  misinterpretations  of  God's  works  and  permissions  will  be 
then  rectified  ;  and  all  our  controversies  about  them,  which  Satan 
hath  made  so  great  advantage  of,  (by  a  pretended  zeal  for  some 
truths  of  God,)  will  then  be  reconciled,  and  at  an  end ;  and  all  the 
works  of  Divine  Providence,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  will 
then  appear  a  most  delectable,  beauteous  frame. 

7.  And  among  all  these  works,  I  shall  especially  know  more  the 
nature  and  excellency  of  God's  mercies  and  gifts  of  love,  which 
here  we  too  unthankfully  undervalued  and  made  light  of.     The 
special  works  of  love  should  be  the  matter  of  our  most  constant, 
sweet,  and  serious  thoughts,  and  the  fuel  of  our  constant  love  and 
gratitude :  the  lively  sense  of  love  and  mercy  maketh  lively  Chris- 
tians, abounding  in  love  to  God,  and  mercy  to  others;  but  the 
enemy  of  God  and  man  most  laboreth  to  obscure,  diminish,  and 
disgrace  God's  love  and  mercies  to  us,  or  to  make  us  disrelish  them, 
that  they  may  be  unfruitful,  as  to  their  excellent  ends  and  uses. 
Little  do  most  Christians  know  how  much  they  wrong  God  and 
themselves,  and  how  much  they  lose  by  the  diminutive,  poor  thoughts 
which  they  have  of  God's  mercies  :  ingratitude  is  a  grievous  misery  to 
the  sinner,  as  gratitude  is  a  very  pleasant  work.     Many  a  thousand 
mercies  we  now  receive,  which  we  greatly  undervalue.     But  when 
I  come  to  the  state  and  work  of  perfect  gratitude,  I  shall  have  a  more 
perfect  knowledge  of  all  the  mercies  which  ever  I  received  in  my  life, 
and  which  my  neighbors,  and  friends,  and  God's  church,  and  the 
world,  did  ever  receive  ;  for  though  the  things  be  past,  the  use  of 
it  is  not  past.     Mercies  remembered  must  be  the  matter  of  our 
everlasting  thanks  ;  and  we  cannot  be  perfectly  thankful  for  them 
without  a  perfect  knowledge  of  them.     The  worth  of  a  Christ  and 
al]   his  grace  ;  the  worth   of  the  gospel ;  the  worth  of  our  church 
privileges,  and  all  God's  ordinances  ;  the  worth  of  our  books  and 
friends,  and  helps  of  our  life  and  health,  and  all  conveniences,  will 
be  better  understood  in  heaven  than  the  most  holy  and  thankful 
Christian  here  understandeth  them. 

8.  And  it  will  be  some  addition  to  my  future  happiness,  that  I 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  119 

shall  then  be  much  better  acquainted  with  myself;  both  with  my 
nature,  and  with  my  sin  and  grace.  I  shall  then  better  know  the 
nature  of  a  soul,  and  its  formal  faculties,  (three  in  one  :)  I  shall 
know  the  nature  and  way  of  its  operations,  and  how  far  its  acts  are 
simple,  or  compound,  or  organical.  I  shall  know  how  far  memo- 
ry, fancy,  and  sense,  internal  and  external,  belong  to  the  rational 
soul,  and  whether  the  sensitive  and  rational  are  two  or  one  ;  and 
what  senses  will  perish,  and  what  not.  I  shall  know  how  the  soul 
doth  act  upon  itself,  and  what  acts  it  hath  that  are  not  felt  in  sleep, 

in  apoplexies,  and  in  the  womb.* 

****** 

I  shall  know  how  far  the  soul  is  receptive,  and  what  the  causa 
Jinalis  doth  to  it ;  and  what  each  object  is  to  the  constitution 
or  production  of  the  act ;  yea,  and  what  an  act  is,  and  what  a 
habit ;  and  how  a  soul,  acting  or  habited,  differeth  from  itself  not 
acting  or  habited  ;  and  how  its  acts  are  many,  and  yet  but  one  ;  or 
its  faculties  at  least.  Many  other  such  difficulties  will  all  be  solv- 
ed, which  now  philosophers  contend  about  in  the  dark,  and  pass 
but  under  doubtful  conjectures ;  or,  at  least,  are  known  to  very 
few. 

And  I  shall  know  how  God's  Spirit  operateth  on  souls  ;  and  how 
it  is  sent  from  Christ's  human  nature  to  work  on  man  ;  and  whether 
grace  be  properly,  or  only  metaphorically,  called  a  nature  (a  new 
nature,  a  divine  nature)  in  us.  I  shall  know  what  free-will  is,  and 
how  man's  will  can  be  the  first  determiner  of  any  act  of  its  own  in 
specie  morali  (good  or  evil)  without  being  such  a  causa  prima,  as 
none  but  God  can  be  ;  and  so  how  far  free  acts  are  necessitated  or 
not.  I  shall  know  what  power  the  intellect  hath  on  the  will,  and 
the  will  on  the  intellect ;  and  what  power  the  sense  and  fancy  hath 
on  either ;  and  what  any  intellectus  agens  doth  ;  whether  it  be  to 
our  intellection  as  the  sun  is  to  our  sight.  I  shall  know  what  is 
meant  by  the  degrees  of  acts  and  habits  in  the  soul ;  and  whether 
there  be  divers  degrees  of  substantiality,  or  of  the  virtus  velfacul- 
tas  formalis  of  several  souls.  I  shall  know  better  the  difference  of 
habits  called  acquired  and  infused ;  and  what  common  grace  is,  and 
what  it  doth ;  and  what  nature  can  do  of  itself,  or  by  common 
grace,  without  that  which  is  proper  to  the  justified  ;  and  how  far 
any  degrees  of  grace  are  lost. 

I  shall  know  what  measure  of  grace  I  had  myself;  and  how  far 
1  was  mistaken  in  myself;  and  what  acts  were  sincere ;  and  how 


*  A  large  page  of  philosophical  difficulties,  growing  out  of  the  inquiries  of 
"  Science  falsely  so  called."  is  here  omitted.  What  is  retained  is  a  sufficient 
specimen. — ED. 


120  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

much  that  was  not  sound  was  mixed  ;  and  what  was  of  myself 
and  sin. 

I  shall  know  much  more  of  my  sins  than  here  I  ever  knew,  the 
number  and  the  greatness  of  them  ;  that  so  I  may  know,  with 
greatest  thankfulness  and  love,  how  much  I  am  beholden  to  par- 
doning and  healing  grace. 

Yea,  I  shall  know  more  of  my  body,  as  it  was  the  habitation  of 
my  soul,  or  the  organical  matter  on  which  unitedly  it  worked.  I 
shall  know  how  far  it  helped  or  hindered  me  ;  and  what  were  all 
those  obscure  diseases,  that  puzzled  all  the  physicians  and  myself; 
and  how  marvelously  God  sustained,  preserved,  and  oft  delivered 
me  ;  and  what  of  my  actions  was  to  be  imputed  to  the  body,  and 
what  of  them  to  the  soul. 

9.  And  every  fellow-creature,  which  I  am  concerned  to  know, 
I  shall  know  far  better  than  now  I  do,  both  things  and  persons  : 
the  good  and  bad,  the  sincere  and  the  hypocrites,  will  be  there 
discerned  ;  and  many  an  action  that  here  went  for  honorable,  cov- 
ered or  colored  with  wit  or  worldly  advantages,  or  false  pretenses, 
will  then  be  found  to  be  odious  and  unjust  ;  and  wickedness  will  be 
flattered  or  extenuated  no  more  ;  and  many  a  good  and  holy  work 
which  false  men,  through  wickedness  and    worldly  interest,  re- 
proached as  some  odious  crime,  will  there  be  justified,  honored, 
and  rewarded.     All  sciences  are  there  perfect,  without  our  ambig- 
uous terms,  or  imperfect  axioms,  and  rules  of  art. 

10.  And  lastly,  I  shall  better  know  from  what  enemies,  what 
sins,  what  dangers,  I  was  here  delivered  ;  what  contrivances,  and 
malicious  endeavors  of  Satan  and   his   instruments   God   defeat- 
ed ;  how  many  snares  I  escaped  :  and  I  shall  better  know  how 
great   my  deliverance   is  by   Christ  from    the    wrath   to   come. 
Though  we  shall  not  know  hell  by  painful  sense,  we  shall  know  it 
so  far  as  is  necessary  to  fill  us  with  gratitude  to  our  Redeemer  : 
yea,  we  shall  know  much  of  it  far  better  than  the  damned  spirits 
that  feel  it  ;  for  we  shall  know,  by  sweet  and  full  fruition,  what 
the  joy  and  blessedness  is  which  they  have  lost  ;  when  they  have 
no  such  kind  of  knowledge. 

All  this  knowledge  will  be  thus  advanced  to  my  glorified  soul 
beyond  what  I  can  here  conceive  in  flesh  :  and  is  it  not  then  far 
better  to  be  with  Christ  ? 


'TV.  The   Constitutive  Reasons  from  the  State  of  my 

But  it  is  the  will  that  is  to  the  soul  what  the  heart  is  to  the 
body  :  as  it  is  the  prime  seat  of  morality,  so  is  it  the  chief  seat  of 
felicity.  My  greatest  evil  is  there;  and  my  greatest  subjective 


BAXTKll  b    DYING    THOUGHTS.  ^    (       121 

good  will  be  there.     Satan  did   most  against  it,  and  God  will  do 
most  for  it.     And  will  it  not  be  better  to  be  with  Christ  than  here? 

1 .  It  will  not  there  be  tied  to  a  body  of  cross  interests  and  in- 
clinations, which  is  now  the  greatest  snare  and  enemy  to  my  soul ; 
which  is  still  drawing  my  love,  and  care,  and  fears,  and  sorrows, 
to   and   for  itself,  and  turning   them   from  my  highest  interest. 
How  great  a  deliverance  will  it  be  to  be  freed  from  the  tempta- 
tions, and  the  inordinate  love,  and  cares,  and  fears,  for  this  corrup- 
tible flesh  ! 

2.  My  will  shall  not  there  be  tempted  by  a  world  of  inferior 
good,  which  is  the  bait  arid  provision  for  the  flesh,  where  meat,  and 
sleep,  and  possessions,  house,  lands,  and  friends,  are  all  become 
my  snares  and  danger.     God's  mercies  will  not  be  made  there 
the  tempter's  instruments.     I  shall  not  there  have  the  flatteries 
or  frowns,  promises  or  threatenings,  of  the  tyrants  of  the  world 
to  tempt  me :  bad  company  will  not  infect  me,  nor  divert  me  : 
the  errors  of  good  men  will  not  seduce  me ;  nor  reputation   or 
reverence  of  the  wise,  learned,  or  religious,  draw  me  to  imitate  them 
in  any  sin. 

3.  I  shall  there  have  none  of  Satan's  solicitations  to  pervert  my 
will :  he  will  not  have  that  advantage  by  my  sense  and  fancy,  nor 
that  access  unto  me,  as  now  he  hath.     But  of  this  I  spake  before. 

My  will  shall  there  be  better  than  here,  i.  Negatively,  because, 
(1.)  There  will  be  nothing  that  is  displeasing  to  God  ;  no  sinful 
inclination,  habit,  or  act;  nothing  to  strive  against  God's  Spirit; 
nor  grudge  at  any  word  or  work  of  God ;  no  principles  of  enmity 
or  rebellion  left.  (2.)  There  will  be  nothing  that  is  against  the 
good  of  others  ;  no  inclinations  to  injury,  or  any  thing  that  is  against 
my  neighbor's  of  the  common  good.  (3.)  There  will  be  nothing 
in  it  that  is  cross  to  itself;  no  more  war  or  striving  in  me;  not  a 
law  in  my  mind,  and  a  law  in  my  members,  that  are  contrary  to 
each  other;  no  crossness  between  sense  and  reason,  nor  between 
the  sensitive  appetite  and  the  rational :  all  will  be  at  unity  and 
peace  within. 

ii.  Positively,  Christ  will  have  finished  his  cure  on  my  will. 
The  work  of  sanctification  will  be  perfect.  My  will  shall  there, 
by  union  and  communion,  be  made  conformable  to  the  will  of 
Christ,  and  so  unto  the  Father's  will.  This  must  needs  be  meant 
(whatever  more)  in  the  prayer  of  Christ,  where  he  prayeth,  "  That 
they  may  be  one,  as  thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that 
they  may  be  one  in  us,  that  they  may  be  one,  even  as  we  are  one." 
John  xvii.  21,  22.  The  will  of  Christ  and  of  the  Father  will  be 
my  will :  that  is,  1  shall  love  and  will  (dispositively  and  actually) 
the  same  that  God  loveth  and  willeth,  (in  the  measure  of  a  crea- 
ture infinitely  below  him.)  And  if  so,  1.  How  can  the  will  of 

VOL.  II.  16 


. 


IS'2    __    «.  BAXTERS  IJYINC  THOUGHTS. 

»- 

man  have  greater  honor  than  to  be  the  same  With  the  will  of  God? 
Assimilation  to  a  king,  among  us  poor  mortals,  goeth  for  honor  ;  as- 
similation to  angels  is  much  more.  That  we  shall  be  like,  or  equal 
to.  angels,  is  a  high  part  of  the  blessed's  praise  ;  but  how  much 
more  is  it  to  be  thus  far  like  to  God  !  Indeed,  God's  image,  and 
the  divine  nature  in  us  here,  can  be  no  less  than  this  similitude  to 
God's  will  in  the  degree  'that  we  have  it.  But,  alas  !  that  degree 
is  so  very  low,  as  that  we  can  hardly  tell  whether  our  similitude 
or  dissimilitude  be  the  more  ;  I  mean,  whether  our  wills  are  for 
more  that  God  willeth,  or  against  more.  O,  how  many  thou- 
sand wishes  and  desires  have  we  had,  which  are  against  the  will  of 
God  !  But  there  we  shall  have  the  full  impression  of  God's  will 
upon  our  wills,  as  face  answereth  face  in  a  glass,  or  as  the  wax 
answereth  the  seal  ;  as  the  finger  on  the  outside  answereth  to  the 
motion  of  the  clock  within,  so,  in  all  things  which  belong  to  our 
duty  and  perfection,  we  shall  answer  the  will  of  God.  As  the 
echo  answereth  the  voice,  defectively,  but  truly,  without  contra- 
diction or  discord,  so  will  our  wills  be  as  the  echo  of  God's  will. 

2.  And  then  I  am  sure  that  there  will  be  nothing  in  my  will 
but  good  ;  for  God  willeth  no  evil. 

3.  And  this  will  be  virtually  all  obedience  ;  for  all  sin  is  volun- 
tary, and  all  moral  good  is  primarily  in  the  will. 

4.  And  then  there  will  be  no  matter  of  disquiet  in  me,  but  all 
\vill  be  in  perfect  peace  ;  for  all  that  is  like  God  will  be  pleasing 
both  to  God  and  me  ;  no  troubling  crossness  will  remain. 

5.  And  how  easy  and  sweet,  then,  will  all  my  obedience  be, 
when  I  shall  perfectly  will  it,  without  any  reluctancy  or  averseness  ! 
All  will  be  my  very  pleasure  that  I  do. 

And  seeing  my  will  shall  be  the  same  with  the  will  of  God,  it 
followeth  that  it  shall  never  be  frustrate,  but  I  shall  have  all  what- 
soever I  would  have,  and  shall  be  and  do  whatsoever  I  would  be 
and  do.  For  I  shall  desire  nothing  but  what  God  willeth,  and  God's 
will  shall  certainly  be  done.  J  shall  have  as  much  love  and  joy  as 
I  would  have  ;  ]  shall  be  as  happy  as  I  would  be  ;  I  shall  desire 
nothing  for  ethers  but  it  shall  be  done.  Indeed,  if  God's  will  were 
there  unknown  to  me,  I  might  ignorantly  go  against  it,  as  I  do  Here  ; 
but  there,  before  1  will  or  desire  any  thing,  I  shall  know  whether  it 
be  God's  will  or  not,  so  that  I  shall  never  wish  any  thing  which  shall 
not  be  accomplished.  And  as  it  is  God's  perfection  to  have  his 
will  always  done,  (though  all  his  laws  be  not  obeyed,)  so  my  per- 
fection shall  consist  in  this  likeness  unto  God,  that  my  will  shall  be 
still  fulfilled.  And  then  Christ's  promises  will  be  perfectly  performed 
-  —  "  Whatsoever  ye  ask  the  Father  in  my  name,  he  will  give  it  you. 
Ye  shall  ask  what  you  will,  and  it  shall  be  dene  unto  yon  ;  "  John  xv. 
16.  and  xvi.  23.  and  xiv.  13,  14.  and  xv.  7.  While  their  will  was 


DYING    THOUUHTS.  1  \'3 

the  same  with  the  will  of  Christ :  bujhesaith  not  that  it  shall  all  bu 
given  us  here.  We  ask  for  perfection,  and  we  shall  have  it ,  but  not  here. 

iii.  Yea,  my  will  itself  shall  be  my  fruition,  for  it  shall  not  be 
the  will  of  one  in  need  ;  a  desire  of  what  I  want,  for  I  shall  want 
nothing  ;  therefore  it  is  said  that  we  shall  thirst  no  more  :  but  it  will 
be  a  complacency  in  what  I  do  possess,  and  in  this  also  my  perfection 
will  be  the  image  of  God's  perfection;  not  but  that  all  creatures 
still  receive  from  God,  and  in  that  sense  may  be  said  to  need, 
in  that  they  have  nothing  of  themselves,  but  all  by  gift  and  com- 
munication from  him  ;  but  being  still  and  full  possessors,  they  can- 
not properly  be  said  to  wrant.  Complacency  in  that  which  we 
possess  is  love  and  pleasure  in  one  act ;  and,  indeed,  pleasure  and 
love  are  the  same  thing.  To  love  any  thing,  is  to  have  that  thing 
to  be  pleasing  to  my  mind.  Even  wThen  it  is  wanted,  it  is  thought 
on  as  a  pleasing  thing,  and  therefore  desired,  so  that  the  desiring 
act  of  the  will  is  but  a  second  act  occasioned  by  want,  and  follow- 
ing the  first  act,  which  is  complacency,  or  simple  love.  I  desire 
it  because  I  love  it.  Rightly,  therefore,  is  the  will  itself  called 
love,  for,  in  the  first  act,  love,  will,  and  rational  appetite,  are  all 
words  of  the  same  signification.  My  will,  therefore,  must  needs 
be  perpetually  full  of  perfect  joy,  \vhen  enjoying  love  and  pleasure 
will  be  my  will  itself.  Thus  shall  I  have  in  me  the  spring  of  living 
waters,  and  the  Comforter  will  then  perfectly  do  his  work,  when 
my  constant  will  itself  shall  be  comfort.  Well,  therefore,  is  glory 
said  to  be  the  perfection  of  sanctifying  grace,  when  this  grace  is  the 
beginning  of  that  love  and  joy  which  glory  is  the  perfection  of; 
and  perfection  is  the  Spirit's  wrork. 

iv.  And  it  will  be  much  of  my  felicity  that  my  will  shall  be 
confirmed  and  fixed  in  this  conformity  to  the  will  of  God,  and  holy 
love  will  be  its  nature.  Now7,  both  understanding  and  will  are  so 
lamentably  mutable,  that,  further  than  God  promiseth  to  uphold  us, 
we  know  not  one  day  what  we  shall  think,  judge,  or  will  the  next. 
But  when  love  is  as  a  fixed  nature  in  us,  we  shall  be  still  the  same, 
adhering  to  amiable  goodness,  without  intermission  or  cessation. 
It  will  be  as  easy  to  us  (and  more)  to  love  God  and  holiness,  as  it 
is  to  the  hungry  and  thirsty  to  love  meat  and  drink,  or  to  the  proud 
to  love  praise  or  domination,  yea,  or  to  any  man  to  love  his  life. 
And  we  shall  be  no  more  weary  of  loving,  than  the  sun  is  of  shin- 
ing, or  than  the  hungry  is  of  feasting,  or  a  friend  of  friendly  love 
and  converse.  Nay,  the  comparison  is  quite  too  low,  for  all  crea- 
tures here  have  a  fading  vanity  which  wearieth  the  satiated  or 
failing  appetite  ;  but  there  is  no  such  thing  in  heaven. 

And  as  from  the  nature  of  that  act,  so  much  more  from  the  na- 
ture of  the  object,  my  love  will  appear  to  be  my  happiness.  The 
objects  (which  arc  the  matter  of  the  act)  will  be  these : — 


124          BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

1.  God  himself  will  be  the  full  and  everlasting  object  of  my  love. 
And  he  that  could  but  understand,  as  well  as  those  in  heaven  do, 
what  this  word  signifieth,  'to  love  God,  and  be  beloved  of  him,' 
would  say,  that  there  needs  no  other  description  of  perfect  happi- 
ness :  perfect,  joyful  complacency  in  God  is  the  heaven  which  I 
desire  and  hope  lor.     This  is  my  felicity,  and  much  more.     As  I 
am  the  agent  of  love  to  God,  and  the  object  of  God's  love  to  me, 
it  is  my  felicity.     As  God  is  the  ultimate  object  of  my  love,  and 
the  agent  of  his  love  to  me,  (that  is,  of  the  effects  of  it,)  so  it  is  un- 
speakably more  high  and  excellent  than  to  be  my  felicity.     Love 
is  the  closure  of  the  wills  of  God  and  man,  and  as  it  is  God's  part 
or  interest,  (efficiently  or  objectively,)  it  is  infinitely  more  excellent 
than  as  it  is  my  part  and  interest. 

In  God  there  is  all  that  love  can  desire  for  its  full,  everlasting 
faith.  1.  He  is  infinitely  good  in  himself,  that  is,  most  amiable  ; 
and  the  nature  of  man's  will  is  to  love  good  as  good.  Could  we 
love  God  with  a  love  that  is  adequate  to  the  object,  we  should  be 
God  ourselves,  which  is  impossible  :  none  but  God  can  adequately 
know  God  or  love  him.  In  God's  love  to  himself,  both  the  act 
and  object  are  infinite,  and,  indeed,  are  both  one,  there  being  not 
that  formally  which  we  know  by  the  name  of  act  and  object ;  but 
'  act  and  object '  are  our  analogical,  inadequate  conceptions  of  that 
act  of  God  which  is  his  essence.  But  in  our  love  to  God  the  act 
is  finite,  and  infinitely  below  the  object ;  yea,  the  object,  which  in 
reality  is  itself  infinite,  yet  proximately  as  the  esse  cognitum  is  the 
object  of  our  love,  is  finite  there.  It  is  the  conception  or  idea  of 
God  in  the  intellect,  which  is  the  proper  and  nearest  object  of  the 
will ;  and  this  is  as  a  face  in  a  glass,  a  shadow,  even  the  finite  little 
shadow  of  an  infinite  Being.  The  same  infinite  good  is  a  felicity 
to  divers  persons  in  divers  degrees,  according  as  they  diversely  love 
him,  and  are  receptive  of  his  love. 

2.  God,  who  is  infinitely  good  in  himself,  will  be  that  most  suit- 
able good  to  me,  and  meetest  for  the  dearest  embracements  of  my 
will.      For,  He  hath  all   in  himself  that  I  need  or  can    desire. 
There  is  no  room,  nothing  above  him,  or  beyond  him,  or  without 
him,  for  love  to  cleave  to.     Though  below  him    the  creature, 
though  not  being  without  him,  is  loved  without  him,  by  the  decep- 
tion of  the  mind. 

He  is  willing  to  be  loved  by  me.  He  disdaineth  not  my  love. 
He  might  have  refused  to  be  embraced  by  such  affections  as  have 
so  oft  and  sinfully  polluted  themselves  by  embracing  vanity  and 
filth.  As  persons  of  state,  and  stately  cleanliness,  will  not  be 
touched  by  filthy  hands,  much  less  let  dogs  or  dirty  swine  leap  on 
them,  which  come  from  wallowing  in  the  mire ;  God  might  have 
driven  me  away  from  the  happiness  of  loving  him,  and  have  denied 


DYING  THOUGHTS.  125 

me  the  leave  for  so  high  a  work  ;  but  he  commandeth  my  love, 
and  maketh  it  my  greatest  duty.  He  inviteth  and  entreateth  me, 
as  if  he  were  a  gainer  by  my  happiness.  He  seeketh  to  me  to 
seek  to  him  ;  and  us  he  is  the  first,  so  is  he  the  most  earnest  suitor. 
He  is  far  readier  to  receive  my  love  than  I  am  to  give  it  him. 
All  the  compassionate  invitations  which  I  have  had  from  him 
here,  by  his  word  and  mercies,  assure  me  that  he  will  there  re- 
ceive me  readily :  he  that  so  valued  my  poor,  cold,  imperfect  love 
to  him  on  earth,  will  not  reject  my  perfect  love  in  heaven.  He 
that  made  it  the  great  work  of  his  Spirit  to  effect  it,  will  not  refuse 
it  when  it  is  made  perfect  by  himself. 

And  he  is  near  to  me,  and  not  a  distant  God,  out  of  my  reach, 
and  so  unsuitable  to  my  love.  Blind  unbelievers  may  dream  that 
he  is  far  off;  but  he  is  as  near  us,  even  now,  as  we  are  to  ourselves. 
He  is  not  far  from  any  of  us,  for  in  him  we  live,  and  move,  and  have 
our  being.  The  light  of  the  sun  is  not  so  near  my  eyes,  as  God 
will  be  forever  to  my  mind.  When  he  would  sanctify  us  to  love 
him,  he  bringeth  us  nigh  to  him  in  Christ.  As  we  love  ourselves 
easily,  as  being,  as  they  say,  the  nearest  to  ourselves,  so  we  shall 
as  easily  love  God  as  ourselves,  when  we  see  that  he  is  as  near  us 
as  we  are  to  ourselves,  as  well  as  that  he  is  infinitely  more  amiable 
in  himself. 

And  because  of  the  imparity  of  the  creature  and  the  Creator, 
he  hath  provided  such  means  to  demonstrate  to  us  his  nearness,  as 
are  necessary  to  the  exercise  of  our  love.  We  shall  see  his  glory, 
and  taste  his  love,  in  our  glorified  Mediator,  and  in  the  glory  of 
the  church  and  world.  God  will  condescend  to  show  himself  to 
us  according  to  our  capacities  of  beholding  him.  Here  we  see 
him  in  his  works  and  word,  and  there  we  shall  see  him  in  the 
glory  of  all  his  perfect  works.  But  this  leadeth  me  to  the  second 
object  of  my  love. 

ii.  Under  God,  as  I  shall  see,  so  I  shall"  delightfully  love,  the 
glorious  perfection  of  the  universe,  even  the  image  of  God  in  all 
the  world  ;  as  my  love  will  be  my  delight,  so  I  shall  love  best 
that  which  i>  best,  and  most  delight  in  it:  and  the  whole  is  better 
than  any  part ;  and  there  is  a  peculiar  beauty  and  excellency  in 
the  whole  world,  as  perfect,  compaginate,  harmonious,  which  is 
not  to  be  found  in  any  part,  no,  not  in  Christ  himself,  as  man,  nor 
in  his  church. 

The  marvelous  inclination  that  all  things  have  to  union,  even 
the  inanimates,  might  persuade  me,  if  I  felt  it  not  certainly  in 
myself,  that  it  Is  most  credible  that  man  also  shall  have  the  like 
inclination,  and  such  as  is  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  his  faculties ; 
and  therefore  our  love  and  delight  in  all  things  is  that  uniting  in- 
clination in  man. 


126  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUUHTS. 

iii.  And  I  sliall  liavc  a  special  love  to  the  holy  society,  the  tri- 
umphant, universal  church,  consisting  of  Christ,  angels,  and  saints, 
as  they  are  specially  amiable  in  the  image  and  glory  of  God.  God 
himself  loveth  them  more  than  his  inferior  works ;  that  is,  his 
essence,  which  is  love,  and  hath  no  degrees  or  change,  doth  send 
forth  fuller  streams  of  good  upon  them,  or  mnketh  them  better  and 
happier  than  the  rest.  And  my  love  will  imitate  the  love  of  God, 
in  my  capacity.  And  if  societies  on  earth,  more  holy  and  wise 
than  others,  though  imperfectly,  are  very  amiable,  what  then  will 
the  heavenly  society  be  ?  Of  this  I  spake  before,  (of  knowing 
them.) 

1.  Think  here,  O  my  soul,  how  sweet  a  state  unto  thee  it  will 
be  to  love  the  Lord  Jesus,  thy  glorified  Head,  with  perfect  love ! 
When  the  glory  of  God,  which  shineth  in  him,  will  feast  thy  love 
with  full  and  everlasting  pleasure,  the  highest  created  perfection 
of  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness,  refulgent  in  him,  will  not  give 
leave  to  thy  love  to  cease,  or  intermit,  or  abate  its  fervor.     When 
thou  shall  see  in  the  glorified  church  the  precious  fruits  of  Christ's 
redemption,  grace,  and  love,  this  also  will  feed  thy  love  to  him, 
from  whom  this  heavenly  glory  cometh.     And  when  thou   shalt 
feel   thyself  possessed  of  perfect  happiness,  by  his  love  to  thee, 
will  not  this  also  do  its  part  ?     Yea,  the  remembrance  of  all  his 
former  love,  what  he  did  for  thee,  and  what  he  did  in  thee  here 
on  earth ;  how  he  called  thee  with  an  holy  calling ;  how  he  washed 
thee  in  his  blood  from  all  thy  sins ;  how  he  kindled  in  thee  those 
desires  which  tended  to  that  perfect  glory ;  how  he  renewed  thy 
nature ;  how  he  instructed,  and  guided,  and  preserved  thee  from 
thy  childhood ;  and  how  many  and  how  great  sins,  enemies,  dan- 
gers and  sufferings,  he  saved  thee  from  ; — all  this  will  constrain  thee 
everlastingly  to  love  him.     Thus,  (though  he  give  the  kingdom 
to  the   Father,  as  ceasing  his  mediatory,  healing,  saving  work  of 
acquisition,)  he  will  be  to  thee  the  Mediator  of  fruition.     God  in 
him  will  be  accessible,  and  condescend  to  a  suitable  communion 
with  us ;  John  xvii.  24.     And  as  Christ  is  thy  life,  radically  and 
efficiently,  as  he  is  the  Giver  of  grace  and  Spirit  of  love,  so  he  will 
be  objectively  thy  life   as  he  is  lovely,  and  it  will  be  formally  thy 
life  to  love  him,  and  God  in  him,  forever. 

2.  Think,  also,  O  my  soul,  how  delectable   it  will  be  to  love 
(as  well  as  to  know)  those  angels  that  most  fervently  love  the 
Lord  !     They  will  be  lovely  to  thee  as  they  have  loved  thee,  and 
more  as  they  have  been  lovers  and  benefactors  to  the  church  and 
to  mankind ;  but  far  more   as   they  are  so  many  refulgent  stars, 
which  continually  move  and  shine,  and  burn  in  purest  love  to  their 
Creator.     O,  blessed  difference  between  that  amiable  society  of 
holy  spirits,  and  this  dark,  mad,  distracted,  wicked  world !     Here 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  127 

devils  tempt  me  within,  and  devils  incarnate  persecute  me  without. 
Blaspheming  of  God,  reviling  godliness,  deriding  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures, and  sacred  exercises,  malignant  slandering  of  the  servants 
of  God,  hating,  persecuting,  silencing,  and  saying  all  manner  of 
evil  falsely  of  them,  for  their  righteousness'  sake,  while  such 
crimes  are  pretended,  as  they  once  falsely  charged  on  Christ 
himself.  This  is  the  conversation  of  those  that  I  have  long  dwelt 
with  in  the  world :  atheism,  infidelity,  papal  church  tyranny, 
bloody  wars,  destroying  the  righteous,  oppressing  the  poor,  adul- 
tery and  fornication,  stigmatizing  perjury,  ambition,  violence, 
covetousness,  deceit,  sottish  ignorance,  willfulness  in  sin,  hatred  of 
reproof,  revengeful  malice  ; — these,  and  such  like,  are  the  fruits  of 
the  soil  where  I  have  long  sojourned,  (though,  through  the  grace 
of  Christ,  among  the  faithful,  there  have  been  better  fruits.)  And 
is  not  the  company  of  holy  angels  better  than  this  ?  With  whom 
God  is  all ;  who  are  even  made  up  of  shining  wisdom,  and  holy 
love,  and  beneficent  activity ;  who  are  the  blessed  choir  that 
melodiously  sing  forth  the  high  praises  of  their  Maker.  Among 
whom  God  dwelleth  as  in  his  presence-chamber,  or  his  temple, 
and  in  whom  he  taketh  his  great  delight.  With  these  I  shall  see 
or  hear  no  evil.  No  mixture  of  fools  or  wicked  ones  do  pollute 
or  trouble  their  society.  There  will  be  no  false  doctrine,  no  evil 
example,  no  favoring  wickedness,  no  accusing  goodness,  no  hurt- 
ful violence ;  but  holy,  powerful,  operative  love,  will  be  all,  and 
do  all,  as  their  very  nature,  life,  and  work.  And  is  it  not  better 
to  be  a  door-keeper  there,  than  to  dwell  in  the  palaces  of  wicked- 
ness ?  And  is  not  a  day  with  them  better  than  a  thousand  here  ? 
3.-  And  with  the  holy  angels  I  shall  love  holy  souls  that  are 
made  like  unto  them,  and  joined  with  them  in  the  same  society  ; 
and  it  is  likely  with  them  judge,  that  is,  rule  the  world.  All  their 
infirmities  are  there  put  off  with  the  flesh ;  they  also  are  spirits 
made  up  of  holy  life,  and  light,  and  love.  There  is  none  of  their 
former  ignorance,  error,  imprudence,  selfishness,  contentiousness, 
impatience,  or  any  other  troubling,  hurtful  thing.  When  I  think 
with  what  fervent  love  to  God,  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  one  another, 
they  will  be  perfectly  united  there,  alas !  how  sad  and  how  shame- 
ful is  it,  that  they  should  here  be  prone  to  disaffections  and  divis- 
ions, and  hardly  agree  to  call  each  other  the  servants  of  God,  or 
to  worship  God  in  the  same  assemblies  !  but  the  remnants  of  divid- 
ing principles,  viz.  pride,  error,  and  uncharitableness,  will  be 
all  left  behind.  Society  with  imperfect  saints  is  sweet ;  the  imper- 
fect image  of  God  upon  them  is  amiable  ;  but  their  frailties  here 
are  so  vexatious,  that  it  is  hard  to  live  with  some  of  them  in  peace. 
But  perfect  love  will  make  them  one ;  and  O,  how  delightful  will 
that  communion  of  saints  he  !  I  can  never  forget  how  sweet  God 


128  BAXTER'S  imNG  THOUGHTS. 

hath  made  the  course  of  my  pilgrimage,  by  the  fragrancy  and  use- 
fulness of  his  servants'  graces.  How  sweet  have  my  bosom  friends 
been,  though  mutable !  How  sweet  hath  the  neighborhood  of 
the  godly  been  !  How  sweet  have  the  holy  assemblies  been ; 
and  how  many  hours  of  comfort  have  I  there  had  !  How  profita- 
ble have  their  writings,  their  conference,  and  their  prayers  been  ! 
What  then  will  it  be,  to  live  in  the  union  of  perfect  love  with  per- 
fect saints  in  heaven  forever,  and  with  them  concordantly  to  love 
the  God  of  love  ! 

And  as  the  act  and  object  of  love  will  constitute  my  felicity,  so 
will  my  reception  from  the  love  of  God  and  his  creatures  be  sweet- 
er to  me  than  my  own  activity  can  be  ;  for  it  is  mutual  love  that 
makes  it  up.  I  shall  not  be  the  fountain  of  my  own  delights  ;  nor 
can  I  act  till  I  am  acted,  nor  offer  any  thing  to  God,  but  what  I  have 
first  received  from  him.  And  receive  I  shall,  abundantly  and  con- 
tinually, and  from  thence  shall  overflow  to  God  ;  and  receiving  and 
returning  are  now.  and  will  be,  the  circular,  endless  motion,  and 
our  true  perpetual  life  and  happiness. 

All  my  receivings  shall  be  from  God.  His  love  is  not  a  mere 
immanent  will,  nor  a  wish  which  toucheth  not  the  object ;  but  it  is 
what  heat  is  in,  or  from,  the  sun  or  fire  :  it  is  an  efflux  of  goodness  : 
it  is  the  most  powerful,  sweet,  communicating  principle,  or  work. 
All  love  is  communicative  ;  but  none  in  comparison  of  God's  ;  as 
there  is  none  primitively  and  simply  good  but  God.  How  much 
doth  love  in  the  affairs  of  men !  All  that  is  pleasant  in  the  world 
is  it,  or  its  effects.  *  *  Were  it  not  for  natural  love,  mothers 
would  never  endure  the  pain,  and  trouble,  and  care,  which  is  ne- 
cessary to  human  birth  and  education  ;  were  it  not  for  love,  par- 
ents would  never  labor  all  their  lives  to  leave  their  children  well 
instructed,  and  well  provided  for,  when  they  are  gone.  My  food 
would  not  please  me  did  I  not  love  it,  and  I  should  neglect  it  to 
the  neglect  of  my  life.  Did  I  not  love  my  books,  and  learning  it- 
self, I  should  never  have  bestowed  so  much  of  seventy  years  in  por- 
ing on  them  and  searching  for  knowledge  as  I  have  done  ;  did  I 
not  love  my  house,  my  conveniences  and  necessaries,  I  should 
neglect  them,  and  they  would  be  to  me  of  small  use  ;  did  I  not 
love  my  friends,  I  should  be  less  profitable  to  them,  and  they  to 
me  ;  did  I  not  love  my  life,  I  should  neglect  it,  and  never  have  en- 
dured the  labor  and  cost  about  it  as  I  have  done.  If  a  man  love 
not  his  country,  posterity,  and  the  common  good,  he  will  be  as  a 
burdensome  drone  in  the  hive,  or  as  pernicious  vermin.  What  is 
done  in  the  world  that  is  good,  but  by  love  ? 

And  if  created  love  be  so  necessary,  so  active,  so  communicative, 
how  much  more  will  the  infinite  love  of  the  Creator  be  !  His 
love  is  now  the  life  of  the  world  ;  his  love  is  the  life  of  nature  in 


BAXTERS    DYING    jflQUGHTS.  129 

the  living,  the  life  of  holiness  in  saints,  and  the  life  of  glory  in  the 
blessed.  In  this  infinite  love  it  is  that  I,  and  all  the  saints,  shall 
dwell  for  evermore.  And  if  I  dwell  in  love,  and  love  in  me,  sure- 
ly I  shall  have  its  sweet  and  plenteous  communication,  and  shall 
ever  drink  of  the  rivers  of  pleasure.  It  is  pleasant  to  nature  to  be 
beloved  of  others,  especially  of  the  great,  and  wise,  and  good  ; 
much  more  to  have  all  the  communications  of  love,  in  converse 
and  gifts,  in  plenty  and  continuance,  which  may  be  still  expressing 
it  to  our  greatest  benefit !  Had  I  a  friend  now,  that  did  for  me  but 
the  hundredth  part  of  what  God  doth,  how  dearly  should  I  love 
him !  Think,  then,  think  believingly,  seriously,  constantly,  O  my 
soul,  what  a  life  thou  shall  live  forever  in  the  presence,  the  face, 
the  bosom  of  infinite,  eternal  love.  He  now  shineth  on  me  by  the 
sun,  and  on  my  soul  by  the  sun  of  righteousness ;  but  it  is  as 
through  a  lantern,  or  the  crevices  of  my  darksome  habitation  ;  but 
then  he  will  shine  on  me,  and  in  me,  openly,  and  with  the  fullest 
streams  and  beams  of  love. 

God  is  the  same  God  in  heaven  and  earth,  but  I  shall  not  be 
the  same  man.  Here  I  receive  comparatively  little,  but  live  in 
darkness,  doubtful  and  frequent  sorrows,  because  my  receptivity 
is  less ;  the  windows  of  my  soul  are  not  open  to  his  light ;  sin 
hath  raised  clouds,  and  consequently  storms,  against  my  comforts  ; 
the  entrances  to  my  soul  by  the  straits  of  flesh  and  sense  are  nar- 
row ;  and  they  are  made  narrower  by  sin  than  they  were  by  na- 
ture. Alas,  how  often  would  love  have  spoken  comfortably  to  me, 
and  I  was  not  at  home  to  be  spoken  with,  but  was  abroad  among 
a  world  of  vanities,  or  was  not  at  leisure,  or  was  asleep,  and  not 
willing  to  be  awaked !  How  oft  would  love  have  come  in  and 
dwelt  with  me,  and  I  have  unkindly  shut  my  doors  against  him  ! 
How  oft  would  he  have  been  with  me  in  secret,  where  he  freely 
would  embrace  me,  but  I  had  some  pleasing  company  or  business 
which  I  was  loath  to  leave  !  How  oft  would  he  have  feasted  me,  and 
had  made  all  ready,  but  I  was  taken  up  and  could  not  come  !  Nay, 
when  his  table  hath  been  spread  before  me,  Christ,  grace,  and 
glory,  have  been  offered  to  me,  my  appetite  hath  been  gone,  or 
dull,  and  all  hath  been  almost  neglected  by  me,  and  hath  scarce 
seemed  pleasant  enough  to  be  accepted,  or  to  call  off  my  mind 
from  luscious  poison.  How  oft  would  he  have  shined  upon  me, 
and  I  have  shut  my  windows  or  mine  eyes  !-  He  was  jealous  indeed, 
and  liked  not  a  partner :  he  would  have  been  all  to  me,  if  I  would 
have  been  all  for  him.  But  I  divided  my  heart,  my  thoughts,  my 
love,  my  desires,  and  my  kindnesses  ;  and,  alas,  how  much  did  go 
besides  him,  yea,  against  him,  to  his  enemies,  even  when  I  knew 
that  all  was  lost,  and  worse  than  lost,  which  was  not  his !  What 
wo'.uler,  then,  if  so  foolish  and  unkind  a  sinner  had  little  pleasure 

VOL.    II.  17 


130          BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

in  his  love;  and  if  so  great  ingratitude  and  neglect  of  sovereign 
goodness  were  punished  with  such  strangeness,  and  fears,  and  faint- 
ings,  as  I  have  long  with  groans  lamented  !  Recipitur  ad  modum 
recipientis. 

But  in  heaven  I  shall  have  none  of  these  obstructions ;  all  old 
unkindness  and  ingratitude  will  be  forgiven  ;  the  great  Reconciler 
in  whom  I  am  beloved  will  then  have  perfected  his  work ;  I  shall 
then  be  wholly  separated  from  the  vanity  which  here  deceived  me  ; 
my  open  soul  will  be  prepared  to  receive  the  heavenly  influx  ; 
with  open  face  I  shall  behold  the  open  face  of  glorifying  love  ; 
I  shall  joyfully  attend  his  voice,  and  delightfully  relish  the  celestial 
provisions.  No  disease  will  corrupt  my  appetite  ;  no  sluggishness 
will  make  me  guilty  again  of  rny  old  neglects  ;  the  love  of  the 
Father,  by  the  grace  of  the  Son,  and  the  communion  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  will  have  got  the  victory  over  all  my  deadness,  folly,  and 
disaffection,  and  my  God-displeasing  and  self-undoing  averseness  and 
enmity  will  be  gone  forever.  The  perfect  love,  which  God  doth 
first  effect  in  me,  will  be  my  everlasting  receptivity  of  the  fullest 
love  of  God.  Benevolent  love  will  make  me  good  ;  that  is,  a  holy 
lover  of  God ;  and  then  pleased  love  will  make  me  his  delight,  and 
benevolence  will  still  maintain  me  in  my  capacity. 

Study  this  heavenly  work  of  love,  O  my  soul ;  these  are  not 
dead  or  barren  studies  ;  these  are  not  sad,  unpleasant  studies ;  it  is 
only  love,  that  can  relish  love  and  understand  it ;  the  will  here 
hath  its  gust  so  like  to  an  understanding,  as  make  some  philosophers 
say,  voluntas  percipit  is  a  proper  phrase.  What  can  poor,  carnal 
worldlings  know  of  glorious  love,  who  study  it  without  love? 
What  sounding  brass  and  tinkling  cymbals,  a  lifeless  voice,  are  they 
that  preach  of  God,  and  Christ,  and  heavenly  glory,  without  love ! 
But  gazing  upon  the  face  of  love  in  Christ,  and  tasting  of  its  gifts, 
and  looking  up  to  its  glorious  reign,  is  the  way  to  kindle  the  sacred 
fire  in  thee.  Look  upwards,  if  thou  wouldest  see  the  light  that 
must  lead  thee  upwards.  It  is  not  for  nothing  that  Christ  hath 
taught  us  to  begin  our  prayers  with  "  Our  Father,  which  art  in  heav- 
en ; "  it  is  '  fatherly '  love  that  must  win  our  hearts,  and  that  must 
comfort  them  ;  and  it  is  in  '  heaven '  where  this  is  gloriously  manifest- 
ed. As  I  said  before,  as  the  soul  is  in  all  the  body,  but  yet  uncler- 
standeth  not  in  the  hand  as  it  doth  in  the  head,  and  rejoiceth  not  in 
the  foot  as  it  doth  in  the  heart  ;  so  God,  that  is  every  where,  doth 
not  every  where  glorify  his  love  as  he  doth  it  in  heaven.  Thither, 
therefore,  the  mind  and  eye  are  even  by  nature  taught  to  look  up 
as  to  God,  as  we  look  a  man  in  the  face  when  we  speak  to  him, 
rather  than  to  his  feet,  though  his  soul  he  also  there. 

My  sinful  heart  hath  needed  sorrow.  My  careless,  rash,  pre- 
sumptuous soul  hath  needed  fears;  and  1  have  had  some  part  of 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUCJHTS.  131 

these.  Mercy  saw  it  good  for  me,  as  necessary  to  prevent  my 
dangerous  deceits  and  lapses  ;  and  O,  that  in  the  hour  of  sensual 
temptations  I  had  feared  more,  and  departed  from  evil.  But  it 
is  holy  love  that  must  be  my  life ;  or  else  I  am  dead,  notwith- 
standing fear. 

0,  come,  then,  and  study  the  life  of  love.     It  is  more  of  a 
holy  nature  than  of  art ;  but  yet  study  must  do  much  to  prepare 
thee  to  receive  it.     This  is  the  great  use  of  a  heavenly  conversa- 
tion.    It  is  the  contemplation,  belief,  and  hope  of  the  glorious  state 
of  love  hereafter,  that  must  make  us  like  it,  and  kindle  it  in  us 
here.     The  burning-glass  must  be  turned  directly  to  the  sun,  if 
you  will  have  it  set  any  thing  on  fire.      There  is  a   carnal   or 
common  love  to  God,  which  is  kindled  in  men  by  carnal  pleasures ; 
but  a  holy  love,  like  that  in  heaven,  must  be  studiously  fetched 
from  heaven,  and  kindled  by  the  foresight  of  what  is  there,  and 
what  we  shall  be  there  forever.     Faith  must  ascend  and  look  with- 
in the  veil.     Thou  must  not  live  as  a  stranger  to  thy  home,  to  thy 
God,  and  Savior,  and  thy  hopes.     The  fire  that  must  warm  thee 
is  in  heaven,  and  thou  must  come  near  it,  or  open  thyself  to  its  in- 
fluence, if  thou  wilt  feel  its  powerful  efficacy.     It  is  night  and  win- 
ter with  carnal  minds,  when  it  is  day  and  summer  with  those  that 
set  their  faces  heavenward. 

But,  though  all  my  receivings  will  be  from  God,  they  will  not 
be  from  him  alone.  We  must  live  in  perfect  union  also  with  one 
another,  and  with  all  the  heavenly  society ;  and  therefore  as  we 
must  love  them  all,  so  shall  we  be  beloved  by  them  all ;  and  this 
will  be  a  subordinate  part  of  our  blessedness.  God  there  will 
make  use  of  second  causes,  even  in  communicating  his  love  and 
glory. 

1.  The  Lord  Jesus    Christ  will  not  only  be  the  object  of  our 
delightful  love,  but  will  also  love  us  with  an  effectual,  operative 
love  forever.     His  love  will  be  as  the  vital  heat  and  motion  of  the 
heart  to  all  the  members,  the  root  of  our  life  and  joy.     The  love 
of  our  Redeemer  will  flow  out  into  us  all  as  the  vital  spirits,  and 
his  face  of  glory  will  be  the  sun  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and 
will  shine  upon  us,  and  show  us  God ;  and  in  his  light  we  shall 
have  light.     Did  his  tears  for  a  dead  Lazarus  make  men  say,  *  Be- 
hold how  he  loved  him  ! '     O,  then,  what  will  the  reviving  beams 
of  heavenly  life  make  us  say  of  that  love  which  filleth  us  with  the 
pleasures  of  his  presence,  and  turneth  our  souls  into  joy  itself! 
He  comforteth  us  now  by  the  teaching  of  his  word ;  but,  surely, 
the  fruition  of  salvation  will  be  more  gladdening  than  the  tidings  of 
it.     When  he  that  told  us  of  glory,  in  his  gospel,  shall  give  it  us, 
we  shall  not  only  believe  but  feel  that  he  loveth  us. 

Believe,  O  my  soul,  thy  Savior's  love,  that  thou  mayest  foretaste 


1^  BAXTERS  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

it,  and  be  fit  to  feel  it.  We  were  incapable,  in  sinful  flesh,  of  see- 
ing him  otherwise  than  as  clothed  with  flesh,  and  his  consolations 
were  administered  by  a  woru  of  promise  suitable  to  his  appearance ; 
but  when  he  withdrew  his  bodily  presence,  the  Comforter  was  sent 
with  a  fuller  consolation.  But  all  that  was  but  the  earnest,  and 
the  first  fruits,  of  what  he  will  be  to  us  forever.  Be  not  seldom, 
nor  unbelieving,  nor  slight,  in  the  thoughts  of  thy  Savior's  love ; 
for  it  is  he  that  is  the  way  to  the  infinite  love.  Let  thy  believing 
be  so  much  of  thy  daily  work,  that  thou  mayest  say  that  he  dwell- 
eth  in  thy  heart  by  faith  ;  (Eph.  iii.  17.)  and  that  while  thou  liv- 
est  here,  it  is  Christ  that  liveth  in  thee ;  and  that  thy  life  in  the 
flesh  is  not  a  fleshly  life,  but  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God  that 
hath  loved  thee,  and  given  himself  for  thee  ;  (Gal.  ii.  20.)  and  that 
though  thou  see  him  not,  yet,  believing  thou  lovest  him  also  with 
unspeakable  joy,  as  believing  the  unspeakable  perfect  joy  which 
his  love  will  communicate  to  thee  forever. 

Look  upon  the  sun,  and  think  thus  with  thyself:  How  wonder- 
ful is  the  emanation  of  this  sun  ;  its  motion,  light,  and  heat,  com- 
municated to  so  many  millions  of  creatures  all  over  the  earth,  and 
in  the  seas !  What  if  all  these  beams  of  light  and  heat  were  pro- 
portionable beams  of  perfect  knowledge,  love,  and  joy  ;  and  that 
all  creatures  that  are  under  the  sun  had,  from  its  influx,  as  much 
wisdom,  love,  and  joy,  as  they  have  light,  heat,  and  motion  ! 
Would  not  then  this  earth  be  as  a  world  of  angels,  and  a  heaven? 
O,  what  a  blessed  world  would  it  be ;  and  what  a  benefactor  would 
the  sun  be  to  the  world  !  Why,  even  such  will  Jesus  Christ  be 
to  the  celestial  world.  He  is  the  sun  of  glory.  His  influence  will 
send  forth  life  and  light,  and  joyful  love  upon  all  the  blessed,  from 
the  face  of  God,  as  the  sun  sends  forth  from  God  its  motion,  light, 
and  heat  upon  this  world.  Now,  therefore,  begin,  and  live  upon 
him  :  live  upon  the  influence  of  his  grace,  his  teaching,  love-kin- 
dling, and  quickening  grace,  that  thou  mayest  have  his  name  and 
mark,  and  he  may  find  in  thee  something  of  himself,  or  of  his  own 
when  thou  comest  to  his  righteous  trial.  His  grace  is  not  in  my 
power,  nor  at  my  command.  It  is  not  meet  it  should  be  so ;  but 
he  hath  not  bid  me  seek  and  beg  in  vain.  If  he  had  never  told 
me  that  he  will  give  it  me,  it  is  equal  to  a  promise  if  he  do  but  bid 
me  seek  and  ask.  But  I  have  more.  He  teacheth  me  to  pray : 
he  maketh  my  prayers :  he  vvriteth  me  out  a  prayer  book  on  my 
heart :  he  giveth  me  desires,  and  he  loveth  to  be  importuned  by 
them :  his  Spirit  is  first  a  spirit  of  supplication,  and  after  of  conso- 
lation, and  in  both  a  spirit  of  adoption.  So  far  is  he  from  being 
loath  to  be  troubled  with  my  importunity,  that  he  seeketh  me  to 
seek  his  grace,  and  is  displeased  with  me  that  I  will  ask  and  have 
no  more. 


•lit: 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.      .  133 

All  this  is  true  :  but  how  then  cometh  my  soul  to  be  yet  so  low, 
so  dark,  so  fond  of  this  wretched  flesh  and  world,  and  so  backward 
to  go  home,  and  dwell  with  Christ  ?     Alas!   a  taste  of  heaven  on 
earth  is  a  mercy  too   precious    to  be    cast    away  upon  such  as 
have  long  grieved  and  quenched  the  Spirit,  and  are  not,  by  dili- 
gent and  patient  seeking,  prepared  to  receive  it.     He  that  pro- 
claimeth  a  general  peace,  will  give  peace  only  to  the  sons  of  peace. 
If,  after  such  unkind  neglects,  such  willful  sins  as  I  have  been  guil- 
ty of,  1  should  expect  to  be  suddenly  in  my  Savior's  arms  and  to  be 
feasted  presently  with  the  first-fruits  of  heaven,  I  should   look  that 
the  Most  Holy  should  too  little  manifest  his  hatred  of  my  sin.     Ms- 
conscience  remembereth  the  follies  of  my  youth,  and  many  a  later 
odious  sin  ;   and  telleth  me  that  if  heaven  were  quite  hid  from  my 
sight,  and   I  should  never  have  a  glimpse  of  the  face  of  glorious, 
eternal  love,  it  were  but  just.     I  look  upward  from  day  to  day  ;  I 
groan  to  see  his  pleased  face,  and  better  to  know  my  God  and  my 
home.     I  cry  to  him  daily,  '  My  God,  this   little  is  better  than  all 
the  pleasures  of  sin.     My  hopes  are  better  than  all  the  possessions 
of  this  world.     Thy  gracious  looks  have  oft  revived  me,  and  thy 
mercies  have  been  immeasurable  to  my  soul  and  body.     But,  O, 
how  far  short  am  I  of  what,  even  fifty  years  ago,  I  hoped  sooner  to 
have  attained  !     Where  is  the  peace  that  passeth  understanding, 
that  should   keep  my  heart  and  mind   in  Christ?     O,  where  is 
the   seeing,  the    longing,    the    rejoicing,    and    triumphing   faith  ? 
Where    is  that    pleasant    familiarity  above,  that  should  make  a 
thought  of  Christ  and  heaven  to  be  sweeter  to  me  than  the  thoughts 
of  friends,  or  health,  or  all  the  prosperity  and  pleasure  of  this  wTorld  ? 
Do  those  that  dwell  in  God,  and  God  in  them,  and  have  their  hearts 
and  conversations  in  heaven,  attain  to  no  more  clear  and  satisfying 
perceptions  of  that  blessed  state  than  I  have  yet  attained  ?    Is  there 
no  more  acquaintance  above  to  be  here  expected  ;  no  livelier  sense 
of  future  joys,  nor  sweeter  foretaste ;  no  fuller  silencing  of  doubts 
and  fears  ?     I  am  not  so  loath  to  go  to  a  friend,  nor  to  the  bed 
where  I  oft  spend  the  night  in  restless  pains  and  rolling,  as  I  have 
too  often  been  to  come  to  thee.     Alas  !  how  many  of  thy  servants 
are  less  afraid  to  go  to  a  prison  than  to  their  God,  and  had  rather 
be  banished  to  a  land  of  strangers  than  sent  to  heaven  !     Lord, 
must  I,  that  am  called  thy  child,  and  an  heir  of  heaven,  and  a  co- 
heir with  Christ,  have  no  more  acquaintance  with  my  glorified  Lord, 
and  no  more  love  to  thee,  that  art  my  portion,  before  I  go  hence, 
and  come  before  thee  ?     Shall   I  have  no  more  of  the  heavenly 
life,  and  light,  and  love  ?     Alas  !  I  have  scarce  enough  in  my  med- 
itations to  denominate  them  truly  heavenly  meditations.     I  have 
scarce  enough  in  a  prayer  to  make  it  indeed  a  heavenly  prayer,  or 
in  a  sermon  to  make  it  a  heavenly  sermon  ;  and  shall  I   have  no 


134  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

more  when  I  come  to  die  ?  Must  I  go  hence  so  like  a  stranger  to 
my  home  ?  Wilt  thou  take  strangers  into  heaven,  and  know  them 
as  thine  that  do  not  better  know  thee  here  ?  O  my  God,  vouchsafe 
a  sinner  yet  more  of  his  Spirit  that  came  down  on  earth  to  call  up 
earthly  minds  to  God,  and  to  open  heaven  to  all  believers  !  O 
what  do  I  beg  for  so  frequently,  so  earnestly,  for  the  sake  of  my 
Redeemer,  as  the  spirit  of  life  and  consolation,  which  may  show 
me  the  pleased  face  of  God,  and  unite  all  my  affections  to  my  glori- 
fied Head,  and  draw  up  this  dark  and  drowsy  soul  to  love  and  long 
to  be  with  thee  ! ' 

But,  alas  !  though  these  are  my  daily  groans,  how  little  yet  do  I 
ascend !  I  dare  not  blame  the  God  of  love  ;  he  is  full  and  willing. 
I  dare  not  blame  my  blessed  Savior  ;  he  hath  showed  that  he  is 
not  backward  to  do  good.  I  dare  not  accuse  the  Holy  .Spirit ;  it 
is  his  work  to  sanctify  and  comfort  souls.  If  I  knew  no  reason  of 
this,  my  low  and  dark  estate,  I  must  needs  conclude  that  it  is 
somewhat  in  myself.  But,  alas  !  my  conscience  wants  not  matter 
to  satisfy  me  of  the  cause.  Sinful  resistance  of  the  Spirit,  and 
unthankful  neglects  of  grace  and  glory,  are  undoubtedly  the  cause. 
But  are  they  not  a  cause  that  mercy  can  forgive,  that  grace 
can  overcome  ?  And  may  I  not  yet  hope  for  such  a  victory  be- 
fore I  die  ? 

Lord,  I  will  lie  at  thy  doors  and  groan  :  I  will  pour  out  my 
moans  before  thee.  I  will  beg,  and  whatever  thou  wilt,  do  thou 
with  me.  Thou  describest  the  kindness  of  the  dogs  to  a  Lazarus 
that  lay  at  a  rich  man's  door  in  sores :  thou  commendest  the  neigh- 
borly pity  of  a  Samaritan,  that  took  care  of  a  wounded  man  :  thou 
condemnest  those  that  will  not  show  mercy  to  the  poor  and  needy : 
thou  -  bid dest  us  be  merciful  as  our  heavenly  Father  is  merciful. 
If  we  see  our  brother  have  need,  and  shut  up  the  bowels  of  our 
compassion  from  him,  it  is  because  thy  love  dwelleth  not  in  us : 
and  shall  I  wait,  then,  at  thy  doors  in  vain,  and  go  empty  away 
from  such  a  God,  when  I  beg  but  for  that  which  thou  hast  com- 
manded me  to  ask,  and  without  which  I  cannot  serve  thee  or 
come  to  thee,  live  or  die  in  a  habit  beseeming  a  member  of  Christ, 
a  child  of  God,  and  an  heir  of  heaven?  O  give  me  the  wedding 
garment,  without  which  I  shall  but  dishonor  thy  bounteous  feast. 
Let  me  wear  a  livery. which  becometh  thy  family,  even  a  child  of 
God.  How  oft  hast  thou  commanded  me  to  rejoice  ;  yea,  to  re- 
joice with  exceeding  and  unspeakable  joy  !  and  how  fain  would  I 
in  this  obey  thee  !  O  that  I  had  more  faithfully  obeyed  thee  in 
other  preparatory  duties,  in  ruling  my  senses,  my  fancy,  my  tongue, 
and  in  diligent  using  all  thy  talents !  Then  I  might  more  easily 
have  obeyed  thee  in  this.  Thou  knowest,  Lord,  that  love  and  joy  are 
duties  that  must  have  more  than  a  command.  O  bid  me  do  them 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  135 

with  an  effecting  word.  How  can  I  rejoice  in  death  and  darkness? 
When  the  bridegroom  is  absent  I  must  fast  and  mourn.  While  I 
look  towards  heaven  but  through  the  crevices  of  this  dungeon  flesh, 
my  love  and  joy  will  be  but  answerable  to  my  light.  How  long  is 
it  since  I  hoped  that  I  had  been  translated  from  the  kingdom  of 
darkness,  and  delivered  from  the  power  of  the  prince  of  darkness, 
and  brought  into  that  light  which  is  the  entrance  of  the  inheritance 
of  saints !  And  yet,  alas  !  darkness,  darkness  is  still  my  misery. 
There  is  light  round  about  me,  in  thy  word  and  works,  but  dark- 
ness is  within  me ;  and  if  my  eye  be  dark,  the  sun  will  be  no 
sun  to  me.  Alas  !  my  Lord,  it  is  not  all  the  learning  in  the  world  ; 
no,  not  of  theology,  that  consisteth  in  the  knowledge  of  words  and 
methods,  which  I  can  take  for  the  satisfactory,  heavenly  light.  To 
know  what  thou  hast  written  in  the  sacred  book,  is  not  enough  to 
make  me  know  my  glorified  Savior,  my  Father,  and  my  home.  It 
must  be  a  light  from  heaven  that  must  show  me  heaven,  and  a 
light  accompanied  with  vital  heat  that  must  turn  to  love  and  joy 
within  me.  O  let  me  not  have  only  dreaming  knowledge  of  words 
and  signs,  but  quickening  light,  to  show  the  things  which  these 
words  do  signify,  to  my  mind  and  heart.  Surely,  the  faith  by  which 
we  must  live,  must  be  a  living  faith,  and  must  reach  further  than  to 
words,  how  true  soever.  Can  faith  live  in  the  dark  ?  What  is  it  but 
an  effect  of  thine  illumination  ?  What  is  my  unbelief  but  the  dark- 
ness of  my  soul  ?  Lord  Jesus,  scatter  all  these  mists !  Make  thy 
way,  O  thou  Sun  of  Righteousness,  into  this  benighted  mind  !  O 
send  thine  advocate  to  silence  every  temptation  that  is  against  thy 
truth  and  thee  ;  and  thine  agent  to  prosecute  thy  cause  against  thine 
enemies  and  mine,  and  to  be  the  resident  witness  of  thy  verity,  and 
my  sonship  and  salvation.  Hearing  of  thee  is  not  satisfactory  to 
me :  it  must  be  the  presence  and  operation  of  thy  light  and  love, 
shed  abroad  by  thy  Spirit  on  my  heart,  that  must  quiet  and  con- 
tent my  soul.  I  confess,  with  shame,  that  I  have  sinned  against 
heaven  and  before  thee,  and  am  unworthy  to  have  any  glimpse  or 
taste  of  heaven ;  but  so  did  many  that  are  now  entertained  and 
feasted  by  thy  love  in  glory. 

My  Lord,  I  know  that  heaven  is  not  far  from  me  :  it. is  not,  I  be- 
lieve, one  day's  or  hour's  journey  to  a  separated  soul.  How  quick 
is  the  communion  of  my  eyes  with  the  sun,  that  seems  far  off!  and 
couldst  thou  not  show  it  me  in  a  moment  ?  Is  not  faith  a  seeing 
grace?  It  can  see  the  invisible  God,  the  unseen  world,  the  new 
Jerusalem,  the  innumerable  angels,  and  the  spirits  of  the  perfected 
just,  if  it  be  animated  by  thine  influx  ;  without  which  it  can  do 
nothing,  and  is  nothing.  Thou,  that  oft  healedst  the  blind  here  in 
the  flesh,  didst  tell  us  that  it  is  much  mqre  thy  work  to  illuminate 


136  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

souls.  It  is  but  forgiving  all  my  sins,  and  removing  this  film  that 
sin  hath  gathered,  and  my  illuminated  soul  will  see  thy  glory.  1 
know  that  the  veil  of  flesh  must  be  also  rent  before  I  shall  see  thee 
with  open  face,  and  know  my  fellow-citizens  above  as  I  am  known. 
It  is  not  heaven  on  earth  that  I  am  begging  for  ;  but  that  I  may 
see  it  from  Mount  Nebo,  and  have  the  bunch  of  grapes,  the  pledge 
and  the  first-fruits,  that  faith  and  hope  which  may  kindle  love  and 
desire,  and  make  me  run  my  race  in  patience,  and  live  and  die  in 
the  joy  which  beseemeth  an  heir  of  heaven. 

But  if  my  part  on  earth  must  be  no  greater  than  yet  it  is,  let  it 
make  me  the  wearier  of  this  dungeon,  and  groan  more  fervently  to 
be  with  thee,  and  long  for  the  day  when  all  my  longing  shall  be 
satisfied,  and  my  soul  be  filled  with  thy  light  and  love. 

2.  And,  doubtless,  as  I  shall  love  the  angels  and  saints  in 
heaven,  so  I  shall,  some  way,  in  subordination  to  Christ,  be  a  re- 
ceiver from  them.  Our  love  will  be  mutual  ;  and  which  way 
soever  I  owe  duty,  T  shall  expect  some  answerable  return  of  bene- 
fit. The  sun  shineth  upon  the  stars,  as  well  as  upon  the  earth, 
and  stars  on  one  another.  If  angels  are  greatly  useful  to  me  here, 
it  is  like  they  will  be  much  more  there,  where  I  shall  be  a  more 
capable  receiver.  It  will  be  no  diminution  to  Christ's  honor,  that 
he  there  maketh  use  of  my  fellow-creatures  to  my  joy,  no  more 
than  it  is  here.  The  whole  creation  will  still  be  one  compaginat- 
ed frame  ;  and  the  heavenly  society  will  forever  retain  their  rela- 
tion to  each  other,  and  their  aptitude  and  disposition  to  the  duties 
and  benefits  of  those  relations.  And  as  we  shall  be  far  fitter  for 
them  than  here  we  are,  so  shall  we  have  far  more  comfort  in  them. 
How  gloriously  will  God  shine  in  the  glory  of  the  blessed !  How 
delightful  will  it  be  to  see  their  perfection,  in  wisdom,  holiness, 
love  and  concord  !  What  voices  they  use,  or  what  communication, 
instead  of  voices,  we  shall  shortly  know ;  but  surely  tbere  is  a 
blessed  harmony  of  minds,  and  wills,  and  practice.  All  are  not 
equal ;  but  all  accord  to  love  and  praise  their  glorious  God,  and 
readily  to  obey  him,  and  perfectly  to  love  each  other.  There  is 
no  jarring,  or  discordant  spirit  that  is  out  of  tune  ;  no  separation  or 
opposition  to  each  other.  As  God's  love  in  Christ  is  our  full  and 
final  happiness,  so  nature,  which  hath  made  us  sociable,  teacheth 
us  to  desire  to  be  loved  of  each  other,  but  especially  by  wise  and 
worthy  persons.  Saints  and  angels  in  heaven  will  love  incomparably 
better  than  our  dearest  friends  on  earth  can  do,  and  better  than  they 
did  themselves  when  we  were  on  earth  ;  for  they  will  love  that  best 
which  is  best,  and  where  there  is  most  of  God  appearing ;  else  it 
were  not  intellectual  love.  And  therefore  they  will  love  us  as 
much  better  when  we  come  to  heaven,  as  we  shall  be  better.  If 


s    DYING    THOUGHTS.  Kj7 

\ve  go  from  loving  friends  on  earth,  we  shall  go  to  them  that  love 
us  far  more.  The  love  of  those  here  doth  but  pity  us  in  our  pains, 
and  go  weeping  with  our  carcasses  to  the  grave  ;  but  the  love  of 
those  above  will  joyfully  convoy,  or  welcome,  our  souls  to  their 
triumphant  society.  All  the  holy  friends  that  we  thought  we  had 
lost,  that  went  before  us,  we  shall  find  rejoicing  there  with  Christ. 

And,  O,  what  a  glorious  state  will  be  that  common  uniting,  and 
united  love  !  If  two  or  three  candles  joined  together  make  a  great- 
er flame  and  light,  what  would  ten  thousand  stars  united  do? 
When  all  the  love  of  angels  and  saints  in  full  perfection  shall  be  so 
united,  as  to  make  one  love,  to  God  that  is  one,  and  to  one  another, 
who  are  there  all  one  in  Christ,  O  what  a  glorious  love  will  that 
be  !  That  love  and  joy  will  be  the  same  thing ;  and  that  one  uni- 
versal love  will  be  one  universal  joy. 

Little  know  we  how  great  a  mercy  it  is  to  be  here  commanded 
to  love  our  neighbors  as  ourselves ;  and  much  more,  to  be  effectu- 
ally taught  of  God  so  to  love  one  another.  And  did  we  all  here 
live  in  such  unfeigned  love,  we  should  be  like  to  heaven,  as  bear- 
ing the  image  of  the  God  of  Love ;  but,  alas !  our  societies  here  are 
small ;  our  goodness,  which  is  our  amiableness,  wofully  imperfect 
and  mixed  with  loathsome  sin  and  discord  :  but  there,  a  whole 
heaven  full  of  blessed  spirits  will  flame  forever,  in  perfect  love  to 
God,  to  Christ,  and  one  another. 

Go,  then,  go  willingly,  O  my  soul !  Love  joineth  with  light  to 
draw  up  thy  desires !  Nature  inclineth  all  things  unto  union : 
even  th'e  lifeless  elements  have  an  aggregative  motion,  by  which 
the  parts,  when  violently  separated,  do  hastily  return  to  their  natu- 
ral adhesion.  Art  thou  a  lover  of  wisdom,  and  wouldest  thou  not 
be  united  to  the  wise  ?  Art  thou  a  lover  of  holiness,  and  wouldest 
thou  not  be  united  to  the  holy,  who  are  made  of  love  ?  Art  thou 
a  hater  of  enmity,  discord,  and  divisions,  and  a  lover  of  unity  here 
on  earth,  and  wouldest  thou  not  be  where  all  the  just  are  one  ?  It 
is  not  an  unnatural  union  to  thy  loss ;  nothing  shall  be  taken  from 
thee  by  it :  thou  shalt  receive  by  it  more  than  thou  canst  con- 
tribute ;  it  shall  not  be  forced  against  thy  will ;  it  is  but  a  union  of 
minds  and  wills;  a  perfect  union  of  loves.  Let  not  natural  or  sin- 
ful selfishness  cause  thee  to  think  suspiciously  or  hardly  of  it,  for 
it  is  thy  happiness  and  end.  What  got  the  angels  that  fell  to  self- 
ishness, from  unity  ':  and  what  got  Adam,  that  followed  them  here- 
in ?  The  further  any  man  goeth  from  unity,  by  selfishness,  the 
deeper  he  falleth  into  sin  and  misery  from  God.  And  what  doth 
grace  but  call  us  back  from  sin  and  selfishness,  to  God's  unity 
again  ?  Dote  not,  then,  on  this  dark,  divided  world.  Is  not  thy 
body,  while  the  parts  by  an  uniting  soul  are  kept  together,  and 
make  one,  in  a  better  state,  than  when  it  is  crumbled  into  lifeless 

VOL.    II.  18 


138  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

dust  ?  And  doth  not  death  creep  on  thee  by  a  gradual  dissolu- 
tion ?  Away,  then,  from  this  sandy,  incoherent  state ;  the  further 
from  the  centre,  the  further  from  unity.  A  unity  indeed  there  is 
of  all  things  ;  but  it  is  one  heavenly  life,  and  light,  and  love,  which 
is  the  true  felicitating  union. 

We  dispute  here  whether  the  aggregative  motion  of  separated 
parts  (as  in  descensu  gravium)  be  from  a  motive  principle  in  the 
part,  or  by  the  attraction  of  the  whole,  or  by  any  external  impulse. 
It  is  like  that  there  is  somewhat  of  all  these ;  but  sure  the  greatest 
cause  is  like  to  do  most  to  the  effect.  The  body  of  the  earth  hath 
more  power  to  attract  a  clod,  or  stone,  than  the  intrinsic  principle 
to  move  it  downwards ;  but  intrinsic  gravity  is  also  necessary. 
The  superior  attractive  love  and  loveliness  must  do  more  to  draw 
up  this  rnind  to  God,  than  my  intrinsic  holiness  to  move  it  upward  ; 
but  without  this  holiness,  the  soul  would  not  be  capable  of  feeling 
that  attractive  influx.  Every  grace  comelh  from  God,  to  fit  and 
lead  up  my  soul  to  God.  Faith,  therefore,  believeth  the  heavenly 
state,  and  love  doth,  with  some  delight,  desire  it,  and  hope  gapeth 
after  it,  that  I  may  at  last  attain  it. 

They  that  have  pleaded  against  propriety,  and  would  have  all 
things  common  in  this  world,  have  forgotten  that  there  is  a  pro- 
priety in  our  present  egoity  and  natural  constitution,  which  ren- 
dereth  some  accidental  propriety  necessary  to  us.  Every  man 
hath  his  own  bodily  parts  and  inherent  accidents  ;  and  every  man 
must  have  his  own  food,  his  own  place,  clothing,  and  acquisitions', 
his  own  children,  and,  therefore,  his  own  wife,  &tc.  But  that  the 
greatest  perfection  is  most  for  community,  as  far  as  nature  is  capa- 
ble of  it,  God  would  show  us,  in  making  the  first  receivers  of  the 
extraordinary  pourings-out  of  his  Spirit,  to  sell  all,  and  voluntarily 
make  all  common,  none  saying,  This  or  that  is  my  own  ;  which 
was  not  done  by  any  constraining  law,  but  by  the  law  or  power  of 
uniting  love :  they  were  first  all  as  of  one  heart  and  soul ;  Acts 
iv.  32. 

Take  not,  then,  thy  inordinate  desire  of  propriety  for  thy  health, 
but  for  thy  sickness  ;  cherish  it  not,  and  be  not  afraid  to  lose  it, 
and  measure  not  the  heavenly  felicity  by  it :  spirits  are  penetrable  ; 
they  claim  not  so  much  as  a  propriety  of  place,  as  bodies  do.  It 
is  thy  weakness  and  state  of  imperfection  now  which  maketh  it  so 
desirable  to  thee  that  thy  house  should  be  thine,  and  no  one's  but 
thine  ;  thy  land  be  thine,  and  no  one's  but  thine  ;  thy  clothes,  thy 
books,  yea,  thy  knowledge  and  grace,  be  thine,  and  no  one's 
but  thine.  How  much  more  excellent  a  state  were  it,  (if  we 
were  here  capable  of  it,)  if  we  could  say,  that  all  these  are  as  the 
common  light  of  the  sun,  which  is  mine,  and  every  one's  as  well 
as  mine  !  Why  are  we  so  desirous  to  speak  all  languages,  but  that 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.          139 

we  might  understand  all  men,  and  be  understood  of  all,  and  so 
might  make  our  sentiments  as  common  as  is  possible  ?  Whence  is 
it  that  men  are  so  addicted  to  talkativeness,  but  that  nature  would 
make  all  our  thoughts  and  passions  as  common  as  it  can  ?  And 
why  else  are  learned  men  so  desirous  to  propagate  their  learning, 
and  godly  men  so  desirous  to  make  all  others  wise  and  godly  ?  It 
seemeth  one  of  the  greatest  calamities  of  this  life,  that  when  a  man 
hath,  with  the  longest  and  hardest  study,  attained  to  much  knowl- 
edge, he  cannot  bequeath  it,  or  any  part  of  it,  to  his  heir,  or  any 
person  when  he  dieth,  but  every  man  must  acquire  it  for  himself; 
and  when  God  hath  sanctified  the  parents,'  they  cannot  communi- 
cate their  holiness  to  their  children,  (though  God  promise  to  bless 
them  on  their  account.)  Much  less  can  any  man  make  his  grace 
or  knowledge  common :  nature  and  grace  incline  us  to  desire  it ; 
but  we  cannot  do  it.  For  this  end  we  talk,  and  preach,  and  write ; 
for  this  end  we  study  to  be  as  plain,  and  convincing  and  moving  as 
we  can,  that  we  make  our  knowledge  and  affections  as  common  to 
our  hearers  and  readers  as  we  can.  And,  O,  what  a  blessed  work 
should  we  take  preaching  and  writing  for,  if  we  could  make  them 
all  know  but  what  we  know,  and  love  what  we  are  persuading 
them  to  love  !  There  would  then  be  no  need  of  schools  and  uni- 
versities :  a  few  hours  would  do  more  than  they  do  in  an  age. 
But,  alas !  how  rare  is  it  for  a  father  of  excellent  learning  and 
piety  to  have  one  son  like  himself,  after  all  his  industry ! 

Is  not  the  heavenly  communion,  then,  desirable,  where  every 
man  shall  have  his  own,  and  yet  his  own  be  common  to  all  others  ? 
My  knowledge  shall  be  my  own,  and  other  men's  as  well  as  mine; 
my  goodness  shall  be  my  own  and  theirs ;  my  glory  and  felicity 
shall  be  mine  and  theirs  ;  and  theirs  also  shall  be  mine  as  well  as 
theirs.  The  knowledge,  the  goodness,  the  glory,  of  all  the  heaven- 
ly society,  shall  be  mine,  according  to  my  capacity :  grace  is  the 
seed  of  such  a  state,  which  rnaketh  us  all  one  in  Christ,  (neither 
Barbarian  nor  Scythian,  circumcision  nor  uncircumcision,  bond  nor 
free,)  by  giving  us  to  love  our  neighbors  as  ourselves,  and  to  love 
both  our  neighbors  and  ourselves,  for  Christ,  and  Christ  in  all  : 
well  might  Paul  say,  All  things  are  yours.  But  it  is  here  but  as 
in  the  seed  ;  the  perfect  union  and  communion  is  hereafter.  Earth 
and  heaven  must  be  distinguished  ;  we  must  not  extend  our  hopes 
or  pretensions  here  beyond  the  capacity  of  our  natures.  As  per- 
fect holiness  and  knowledge,  so  perfect  unity  and  concord,  is  proper 
to  heaven,  and  is  not  here  to  be  expected.  The  Papal  preten- 
sions of  an  impossible  union  in  one  governor  of  all  the  earth,  is  the 
means  to  hinder  that  union  which  is  possible.  But  the  state  of 
perfection  is  the  state  of  perfect  union  and  communion.  Hasten, 
then,  upwards,  O  my  soul,  with  the  ferventest  desires,  and  breathe 


14O  BAXTER'S    DYINfi    THOUGHTS. 

after  that  state  with  the  strongest  hopes  ;  where  them  shalt  not  be 
rich,  and  see  thy  neighbors  poor  about  thee ;  nor  be  poor,  while 
they  are  rich ;  nor  be  well  while  they  are  sick,  or  sick  while  they 
are  well ;  but  their  riches,  their  health,  their  joy,  will  be  all  thine, 
and  thine  will  be  all  theirs,  as  the  common  light ;  and  none  will 
have  the  less  for  the  participation  of  the  rest ;  yea,  communion 
will  be  part  of  every  one's  felicity ;  it  constituteth  the  very 
being  of  the  city  of  God.  This  celestial  communion  of  saints  in 
one  holy  church,  above  what  is  here  to  be  attained,  is  now  an 
article  of  our  belief;  but  believing  will  soon  end  in  seeing  and 
enjoying. 

V.   The  Constitutive  Reasons  from  the  Heavenly  Life  or  Practice. 

Seeing  and  loving  will  be  the  heavenly  life ;  but  yet  it  seemeth 
that,  besides  these,  there  will  be  executive  powers,  and,  therefore, 
some  answerable  practice.  There  are  good  works  in  heaven,  and 
far  more  and  better  than  on  earth.  For,  1.  there  will  be  more 
vital  activity,  and,  therefore,  more  exercise  for  it ;  for  the  power 
is  for  action.  2.  There  will  be  more  love  to  God  and  one  another; 
and  love  is  active.  3.  There  wrill  be  more  likeness  to  God  and 
our  Redeemer,  who  is  communicative,  and  doth  good,  as  he  is 
good.  4.  Our  union  with  Christ,  who  will  be  everlastingly  be- 
neficent, as  well  as  benevolent,  will  make  us  in  our  places  also 
beneficent.  5.  Our  communion  in  the  city  of  God  will  prove 
that  we  shall  all  bear  our  part  as  the  members  of  the  body,  in 
contributing  to  the  welfare  of  the  whole,  and  in  the  common  re- 
turns to  God. 

But  what  are  the  heavenly  works  we  must  perfectly  know  when 
we  come  thither?  In  general,  we  know,  1.  That  they  will  be 
the  works  of  love  to  God  and  to  his  creatures ;  that  is,  such  as 
love  inclineth  us  to  exercise.  2.  And  they  will  be  works  of  obe- 
dience to  God  ;  that  is,  such  as  we  shall  do  to  please  his  will,  and 
because  he  willeth  them  to  be  our  duty.  3.  They  will  be  useful 
works  to  others.  4.  They  will  be  pleasant  to  ourselves,  and  part 
of  our  felicity.  5.  And  they  will  carry  all  to  God,  our  end. 

And  somewhat  of  them  is  particularly  described  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures;  as,  1.  We  shall,  in  concord  with  the  holy  society,  or 
choir,  give  thanks  and  praise  to  God  and  our  Redeemer;  Rev. 
xix.  5.  1  Pet.  iv.  11.  Rev.  vii.  4.  and  iv.  7.  11.  and  v.  13.  and 
vii.  12.  and  xix.  1.  Phil.  iv.  20.  Whether  there  be  any  voice, 
or  only  such  spiritual  activity  and  exultation  as  to  man,  in  flesh,  is 
not  to  be  clearly  understood,  is  not  fit  for  us  here  to  presume  to 
determine  :  it  will  be  somewhat  more  high  and  excellent  than  our 
vocal  praise  and  singing  is ;  and  of  which  this  beareth  some  ana- 


1* 

«. 

BAXTER'S   DYINO   THOI  »JIITS.        •&  141 

, 

ogical  resemblance  or  signification.  As  all  passions  earnestly  de- 
sire vent  and  exercise,  so  specially  do  our  holy  affections  of  love, 
joy,  and  admiration  of  God  Almighty.  And  there  is  in  us  a  desire 
of  communion  with  many  in  such  affections  and  expressions.  Me- 
thinks,  when  we  are  singing  or  speaking  God's  praise  in  the  great 
assemblies,  with  joyful  and  fervent  souls,  I  have  the  liveliest  fore- 
taste of  fieaven  on  earth  ;  and  I  could  almost  wish  that  our  voices 
were  loud  enough  to  reach  through  all  the  world,  and  unto  heaven 
itself;  nor  could  I  ever  be  offended  (as  many  are)  at  the  organs, 
and  other  convenient  music,  soberly  and  seasonably  used,  which 
excite  and  help  to  tune  my  soul  in  so  holy  a  work,  in  which  no 
true  assistance  is  to  be  despised.  IVo  work  more  comforteth  me 
in  my  greatest  sufferings,  none  seemeth  more  congruous  and  pleas- 
ant to  me  while  I  wait  for  death,  than  psalms,  and  words  of  praise 
to  God ;  nor  is  there  any  exercise  in  which  I  had  rather  end  my 
life :  and  should  I  not,  then,  willingly  go  to  the  heavenly  choir, 
wheT-e  God  is  praised  with  perfect  love,  and  joy,  and  harmony  ? 
Had  I  more  of  a  praising  frame  of  soul,  it  would  make  me  long 
more  for  that  life  of  praise.  For  I  never  find  myself  more  willing 
to  be  there  than  when  I  most  joyfully  speak  or  sing  God's  praise. 
Though  the  dead  praise  not  God  in  the  grave,  and  dust  doth  not 
give  him  thanks,  yet  living  souls  in  heaven  do  it  joyfully,  while 
their  fleshly  clothing  turns  to  dust. 

Lord,  tune  my  soul  to  thy  praises  now,  that  sweet  experience 
may  make  me  long  to  be  where  I  shall  do  it  better !  I  see  where 
any  excellent  music  is,  nature  maketh  men  flock  to  it ;  and  they 
that  are  but  hearers,  yet  join  by  a  concurrent  fancy  and  delight : 
surely,  if  I  had  once  heard  the  heavenly  choir,  I  should  echo  to 
their  holy  songs,  though  I  could  not  imitate  them ;  and  I  should 
think  it  the  truest  blessedness  to  be  there,  and  bear  my  part.  My 
God,  the  voice  of  thy  comforting  Spirit,  speaking  thy  love  effectu- 
ally to  my  soul,  would  make  such  holy  music  in  me,  that  would 
incline  me  to  the  celestial  concert ;  and  without  it  all  these 
thoughts  and  words  will  be  in  vain.  It  is  the  inward  melody  of 
thy  Spirit  and  my  conscience  that  must  tune  me  to  desire  the 
heavenly  melody.  O  speak  thy  love  first  to  my  heart,  and  then 
I  shall  joyfully  speak  it  to  my  brethren,  and  shall  ambitiously  seek 
that  communion  of  them  that  praise  thee  better  than  sinful,  groan- 
ing mortals  can :  and  though  my  sins  here  make  a  loathed  jar  and 
discord  in  my  songs,  I  hope  my  groans  for  those  sins,  and  their 
effects,  will  make  no  discord.  Sighs  and  tears  have  had  the  honor 
to  be  accepted  by  thee,  who  despisest  not  a  contrite  soul :  but  if 
thy  Spirit  will  sing  and  speak  within  me,  and  help  me  against  the 
discordant  murmurs  of  my  unbelieving  heart,  and  pained  flesh,  I 
shall  offer  thee  that  which  is  more  suitable  to  thy  love  and  grace. 


142  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

V 

I  confess,  Lord,  that  daily  tears  and  sighs  are  not  unsuitable  to  the 
eyes  and  voice  of  so  great  a  sinner,  who  is  under  thy  correcting 
rod.  What  better  could  I  expect  when  I  grieved  thy  Spirit,  than 
that  it  should  prove  my  grief?  Yea,  this  is  far  better  than  the 
genuine  effects  of  sin.  But  this  is  not  it  that  is  meetest  to  be 
offered  to  the  God  of  love :  he  that  ofFereth  praise  doth  glorify 
thee  :  and  is  not  this  the  spiritual  sacrifice  accepted  through  Christ, 
for  which  we  were  made  priests  to  God  ?  1  Pet.  ii.  5.  I  refuse 
not,  Lord,  to  lie  in  tears  and  groans  when  thou  requires!  it  ;  and 
do  not  thou  refuse  those  tears  and  groans ;  but  O  give  me  better, 
that  I  may  have  better  of  thine  own  to  offer  thee ;  and  by  this 
prepare  me  for  the  far  better,  which  1  shall  find  with  Christ ;  and 
that  which  is  best  to  us  thy  creatures  will  be  accepted  as  best  by 
thee,  who  art  glorified  and  pleased  in  the  perfection  of  thy  works. 

2.  It  is,  at  least,  very  probable  that  God  maketh  glorified  spirits 
his  agents  and  ministers  of  much  of  his  beneficence  to  the  crea- 
tures that  are  below  them.  For,  (1.)  We  see  that  where  he  en- 
dueth  any  creature  with  the  noblest  endowments,  he  maketh  most 
use  of  that  creature  to  the  benefit  of  others :  we  shall  in  heaven  be 
most  furnished  to  do  good ;  and  that  furniture  will  not  be  unused. 
(2.)  And  Christ  tells  us  that  we  shall  be  like,  or  equal  to,  the 
angels ;  which,  though  it  mean  not  simply  and  in  all  things,  yet  it 
meaneth  more  than  to  be  above  carnal  generation ;  for  it  speaketh 
of  a  similitude  of  nature  and  state  as  the  reason  of  the  other. 
And  that  the  angels  are  God's  ministers  for  the  good  of  his  chosen 
in  this  world,  and  administrators  of  much  of  the  affairs  on  earth,  is 
past  all  doubt.  (3.)  The  apostle  telleth  us  that  the  saints  shall 
judge  the  world  and  angels ;  and  judging  in  Scripture  is  oft  put 
for  ruling.  It  is  therefore  probable,  at  least,  that  the  devils,  and 
the  damned,  shall  be  put  under  the  saints,  and  that,  with  the 
angels,  they  shall  be  employed  in  some  ministerial  oversight  of 
the  inhabitants  and  affairs  of  the  promised  new  earth.  (4.)  And 
when  even  the  more  noble  superior  bodies,  even  the  stars,  are  of 
so  great  use  and  influx  to  inferior  bodies,  it  is  like  that,  accordingly, 
superior  spirits  will  be  of  use  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  world  be- 
low them. 

But  I  think  it  not  meet  to  venture  here  upon  uncertain  conjec- 
tures beyond  the  revelation  of  God's  word,  and  therefore  shall  add 
no  more,  but  conclude  that  God  knoweth  what  use  to  make  of 
us  hereafter  as  well  as  here,  and  that  if  there  were  no  more  for  us 
to  do  in  heaven,  but  with  perfect  knowledge,  love,  and  joy,  to 
hold  communion  with  God  and  all  the  heavenly  society,  it  were 
enough  to  attract  a  sensible  and  considerate  soul  to  fervent  desires 
to  be  at  home  with  God. 

And  here  I  must  not  overpass  my  rejection  of  the  injurious 

1 

' 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  143 

opinion  of  too  many  philosophers  and  divines,  who  exclude  all 
sense  and  affection  from  heaven,  and  acknowledge  nothing  there 
but  intellect  and  will  ;  and  this  is  because  they  find  sense  and  af- 
fection in  the  brutes ;  and  they  think  that  the  souls  of  brutes  are 
but  some  quality,  or  perishing  temperament  of  matter,  and,  there- 
fore, that  sense  and  affection  is  in  us  no  better. 

But,  1.  What  felicity  can  we  conceive  of  without  any  affection 
of  delight  or  joy  ?  Certainly  bare  volition  now  without  these  doth 
seem  to  be  no  felicity  to  us ;  nor  knowledge  neither,  if  there  were 
no  delight  in  knowing. 

2.  Yea,  I  leave  it  to  men's  experience  to  judge,  whether  there 
be  now  any  such  thing  in  us  as  proper  willing,  which  is  not  also 
some  internal  sense  of,  and  affection  to,  the  good  which  we  will : 
if  it  be  complacency,  or  the  pleasedness  of  the  will,  this  signifies 
some  pleasure ;  and  love,  in  the  first  act,  is  nothing  else  but  such 
an  appetite :  if  it  be  desire,  it  hath  in  it  a  pleasedness  in  the  thing 
desired,  as  in  esse  cognito,  as  it  is  thought  on  by  us;  and  what  is 
love  without  all  sense  and  affection  ? 

3.  Why  doth  the  Scripture  ascribe  love  and  joy  to  God  and  an-  ?*  f 
gels  if  there  were  not  some  reason  for  it  ?     Doubtless  there  is  great 
difference  between  the  heavenly  love  and  joy,  and  ours  here  in  the 
body ;  and  so  there  is  also  between  their  knowledge  and  ours,  and 

their  will  and  ours :  but  it  is  not  that  theirs  is  less  or  lower  than 
ours,  but  somewhat  more  excellent,  which  ours  giveth  us  some  an- 
alogical, or  imperfect,  formal  notion  of. 

4.  And  what  though  brutes  have  sense  and  affection,  doth  it 
therefore  follow  that  we  have  none  now  ?  or  that  we  shall  have 
none  hereafter  ?     Brutes  have  life ;   and  must  we  therefore  have 
no  life  hereafter,  because  it  is  a  thing  that  is  common  to  brutes  ? 
Rather,  as  now  we  have  all  that  the  brutes  have,  and  more,  so 
shall  we  then  have  life,  and  sense,  and  affection,  of  a  nobler  sort 
than  brutes,  and  more.     Is  not  God  the  living  God  ?     Shall  we 
say  that  he  liveth  not  because  brutes  live?  or,  rather,  that  they 
live  a  sensitive  life,  and  man  a  sensitive  and  intellectual,  because 
God  is  essential,  transcendent,  infinite  life,  that  makes  them  live. 

5.  But  if  they  say  that  there  is  no  sensation  or  affection  but 
by  bodily  organs,  I  answered  before  to  that :  the  body  feeleth  noth- 
ing at  all,  but  the  soul  in  the  body  :  the  soul  uniteth  itself  most 
nearly  to  the  igneous  aerial  parts,  called  the  spirits ;  and  in  them 
it  feeleth,  seeth,  tasteth,  smelleth,  &c.     And  that  soul  that  feeleth 
and  seeth,  doth  also  inwardly  love,  desire  and  rejoice ;  and  that 
soul  which  doth  this  in  the  body,  hath  the  same  power  and  faculty 
out  of  the  body  :  and  if  they  judge  by  the  cessation  of  sensation, 
when  the  organs  are  undisposed,  or  dead,  so  they  might  as  well 
conclude  against  our  future  intellection  and  will,  whose  operation 


1-14        :  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

in  an  apoplexy  we  no  more  perceive  than  that  of  sense.  But  I 
have  before  showed  that  the  soul  will  not  want  exercise  for  its  es- 
sential faculties,  for  want  of  objects,  or  bodily  organs ;  and  that 
men  conclude  basely  of  the  souls  of  brutes,  as  if  they  were  not  an 
enduring  substance,  without  any  proof  or  probability ;  and  tell  us 
idle  dreams,  that  they  are  but  vanishing  temperaments,  &ic.,  which 
are  founded  on  another  dream,  that  fire  (or  the  motive,  illuminative, 
calefactive  cause)  is  no  substance  neither ;  and  so  our  unnatural 
somatists  know  none  of  the  most  excellent  substances,  which  ac- 
tuate all  the  rest,  but  only  the  more  base  and  gross,  which  are  ac- 
tuated by  them :  and  they  think  they  have  well  acquitted  them- 
selves by  telling  us  of  subtile,  active  matter  and  motion,  without 
understanding  what  any  living,  active,  motive  faculty  or  virtue  is. 
And  because  no  man  knoweth  what  God  doth  with  the  souls  of 
brutes,  (whether  they  are  only  one  common  sensitive  soul  of  a 
more  common  body,  or  whether  individuate  still,  and  transmigrant 
from  body  to  body,  or  what  else,)  therefore  they  make  ignorance 
a  plea  for  error,  and  feign  them  to  be  no  substances,  or  to  be  an- 
nihilated. 

I  doubt  not  but  sensation  (as  is  aforesaid)  is  an  excellent  opera- 
tion of  the  essential  faculties  of  real  substances,  called  spirits ;  and 
that  the  highest  and  noblest  creatures  have  it  in  the  highest  excel- 
lency ;  and  though  God,  that  fitteth  every  thing  to  its  use,  hath 
given,  e.  g.  a  dog  more  perfect  sense  of  smelling  than  a  man,  yet 
man's  internal  sense  is  far  more  excellent  than  the  brutes',  and 
thereby  is  an  advantage  to  our  intellection,  volition,  and  joy,  here 
in  the  flesh ;  and  that  in  heaven  we  shall  have  not  less,  but  more, 
even  more  excellent  sense  and  affections  of  love  and  joy,  as  well 
as  more  excellent  intellection  and  volition  ;  but  such  as  we  cannot 
now  clearly  conceive  of. 

Therefore,  there  is  great  reason  for  all  those  analogical  collec- 
tions which  I  have  mentioned  in  my  book  called  'The  Saint's 
Rest '  from  the  present  operations  and  pleasures  of  the  soul  in  flesh, 
to  help  our  conceptions  of  its  future  pleasures  ;  and  though  we  can- 
not conclude  that  they  will  not  inconceivably  differ  in  their  manner 
from  what  we  now  feel,  I  doubt  not  but  feel  and  rejoice  we  shall, 
as  certainly  as  live,  and  that  the  soul  is  essential  life,  and  that  our 
life,  and  feeling,  and  joy,  will  be  inconceivably  better. 

The  Concluding  Application. 

I  am  convinced  that  it  is  far  better  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ 
than  to  be  here  :  but  there  is  much  more  than  such  conviction  ne- 
cessary to  bring  up  my  soul  to  such  desires.  Still  there  resisteth, 
J.  The  natural  averseness  to  death,  which  God  hath  put  into  every 


• 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.          145 

animal,  and  which  is  become  inordinate  and  too  strong  by  sin.  II. 
The  remnants  of  unbelief,  taking  advantage  of  our  darkness  here 
in  the  flesh,  and  our  too  much  familiarity  with  this  visible  world. 
III.  The  want  of  more  lively  foretastes  in  a  heavenly  mind  and 
love,  through  weakness  of  grace,  and  the  fear  of  guilt.  These 
stand  up  against  all  that  is  said  ;  and  words  will  not  overcome  them  : 
what,  then,  must  be  done  ?  Is  there  no  remedy  ? 

There  is  a  special  sort  of  the  teaching  of  God,  by  which  we 
must  learn  "  so  to  number  our  days  as  to  apply  our  hearts  to  wis- 
dom ; "  without  which,  we  shall  never,  effectually,  -practically, 
and  savingly,  learn  either  this  or  any  the  most  common,  obvi- 
ous, and  easy  lesson.  When  we  have  read,  and  heard,  and 
spoken,  and  written,  the  soundest  truth  and  certainest  argu- 
ments, we  know  yet  as  if  we  knew  not,  and  believe  as  if  we  be- 
lieved not,  with  a  slight  and  dreaming  kind  of  apprehension,  till 
God,  by  a  special  illumination,  bring  the  same  things  clearly  to  our 
minds,  and  awaken  the  soul  by  a  special  suscitation,  to  feel  what 
we  know,  and  suit  the  soul  to  the  truth  revealed  by  an  influx  of  his 
love,  which  giveth  us  a  pleasing  sense  of  the  amiableness  and  con- 
gruity  of  the  things  proposed.  Since  we  separated  ourselves  from 
God,  there  is  a  hedge  of  separation  between  our  senses  and  our 
understandings,  and  between  our  understandings  and  our  wills  and 
affections,  so  that  the  communion  between  them  is  violated,  and 
we  are  divided  in  ourselves  by  this  schism  in  our  faculties.  All 
men  still  see  the  demonstrations  of  divine  perfections  in  the  world, 
and  every  part  thereof;  and  yet  how  little  is  God  known !  All 
men  may  easily  know  that  there  is  a  God,  who  is  almighty,  omni- 
scient, goodness  itself,  eternal,  omnipresent,  the  Maker,  Preserver' 
and  Governor  of  all,  who  should  have  our  whole  trust,  and  love, 
and  obedience  ;  and  yet  how  little  of  this  knowledge  is  to  be  per- 
ceived in  men's  hearts  to  themselves,  or  in  their  lives  to  others  ! 
All  men  know  that  the  world  is  vanity ;  that  men  must  die  ; 
that  riches  then  profit  not ;  that  time  is  precious ;  and  that  we. 
have  only  this  little  time  to  prepare  for  that  which  we  must  re- 
ceive hereafter ;  and  yet  how  little  do  men  seem  to  know,  indeed, 
of  all  such  things  as  no  man  doubts  of!  And  when  God  doth  come 
in  with  his  powerful,  awakening  light  and  love,  then  all  these 
things  have  another  appearance  of  affecting  reality  than  they  had 
before ;  as  if  but  now  we  began  to  know  them :  words,  doctrines, 
persons,  things,  do  seem  as  newly  known  to  us. 

All  my  best  reasons  for  our  immortality  and  future  life  are  but  as 
the  new-formed  body  of  Adam,  before  God  breathed  into  him  the 
breath  of  life.  It  is  he  that  must  make  them  living  reasons.  To 
the  Father  of  Lights,  therefore,  1  must  still  look  up,  and  for  his 
light  and  love  I  must  still  wait,  as  for  his  blessing  on  the  food 

VOL.    II.  19 


J46  BA-XTErt's    DVtNti    THOUGHTS. 

which  I  have  eaten,  which  must  concoct  it  into  my  living  sub- 
stance. Arguments  will  be  but  undigested  food,  till  God's  effect- 
ual influx  do  digest  them.  I  must  learn  both  as  a  student  and  a 
beggar :  when  I  have  thought,  and  thoughj  a  thousand  times,  I 
must  beg  thy  blessing,  Lord,  upon  my  thoughts,  or  they  will  all 
be  but  dullness  or  self-distraction.  If  there  be  no  motion,  light, 
and  life  here,  without  the  influx  of  the  sun,  what  can  souls  do,  or 
receive,  or  feel,  without  thy  influx?  This  world  will  be  to  us, 
without  thy  grace,  as  a  grave  or  dungeon,  where  we.  shall  lie  in 
death  and  darkness.  The  eye~of  my  understanding,  and  all  its 
thoughts,  will  be  useless  or  vexatious  to  me,  without  thine  illumi- 
nating beams.  O  shine  the  soul  of  thy  servant  into  a  clearer  knowl- 
edge of  thyself  and  kingdom,  and  love  him  into  more  divine  and 
heavenly  love,  and  then  he  will  willingly  come  to  thee. 

I.  And  why  should  I  strive,  by  the  fears  of  death,  against  the 
common  course  of  nature,  and  against  my  only  hopes  of  happiness  ? 
Is  it  not  appointed  for  all  men  once  to  die  ?  Would  I  have  God 
to  alter  this  determinate  course,  and  make  sinful  man  immortal 
upon  earth  ?  When  we  are  sinless,  we  shall  be  immortal.  The 
love  of  life  was  given  to  teach  me  to  preserve  it  carefully,  and  use 
it  well,  and  not  to  torment  me  with  the  continual,  troubling  fore- 
sight of  death.  Shall  I  make  myself  more  miserable  than  the 
vegetatives  and  brutes?  Neither  they  nor  I  do  grieve  that  my 
flowers  must  fade  and  die,  and  that  my  sweet  and  pleasant  fruits 
must  fall,  and  the  trees  be  unclothed  of  their  beauteous  leaves  until 
the  spring.  Birds,  and  beasts,  and  fishes,  and  worms,  have  all  a 
self-preserving  fear  of  death,  which  urgeth  them  to  fly  from  dan- 
ger ;  but  few,  if  any  of  them,  have  a  tormenting  fear  arising  from 
the  forethoughts  that  they  must  die.  To  the  body,  death  is  less 
troublesome  than  sleep  ;  for  in  sleep  I  may  have  disquieting  pains 
or  dreams  ;  and  yet  I  fear  not  going  to  my  bed.  But  of  this  before. 

If  it  be  the  misery  after  death  that  is  feared,  O,  what  have  I 
now  to  do,  but  to  receive  the  free,  reconciling  grace  that  is  offered 
me  from  heaven,  to  save  me  from  such  misery,  and  to  devote  my- 
self totally  to  him  who  hath  promised  that  those  that  come  to  him 
he  will  in  no  wise  cast  out ! 

But  this  cometh  by  my  selfishness.  Had  I  studied  my  duty, 
and  then  remembered  that  I  am  not  mine  own,  and  that  it  is  God's 
part,  and  not  mine,  to  determine  of  the  duration  of  my  life,  I  had 
been  quiet  from  these  fruitless  fears.  But  when  I  fell  to  myself, 
from  God,  I  am  fallen  to  care  for  myself,  as  if  it  were  my  work  to 
measure  out  my  days  :  and  now  I  trust  not  God,  as  I  should  do, 
with  his  own.  And  had  my  resignation  and  devotedness  to  him 
been  more  absolute,  my  trust  in  him  would  have  been  more  easy. 
But.  Lord,  thou  knowest  that  I  would  fain  be  thine,  and  wholly 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUUHTS.  147 

thine  ;  and   it   is  to  thee  that  I   ilusire  to  live :  therefore  let  me 
quietly  die  to  thee,  and  wholly  trust  thee  with  my  soul. 

II.  And  why  should  my  want  of  formal  conceptions  of  the  fu- 
ture state  of  separated  souls,  and  my  strangeness  to  the  manner  of 
their  subsistence  and  operations,  induce  me  to  doubt  of  those  gen- 
erals, which  are  evident,  and  beyond  all  rational  doubting  ?  That 
souls  are  substances,  and  not  annihilated,  and  essentially  the  same, 
when  they  forsake  the  body,  as  before,  I  doubt  not.  Otherwise, 
neither  the  Christian's  resurrection,  nor  the  Pythagorean's  transmi- 
gration, were  a  possible  thing.  For,  if  the  soul  cease  to  be,  it 
cannot  pass  into  another  body,  nor  can  it  reenter  info  this.  If  God 
raise  this  body,  then  it  must  be  by  another  soul.  For  the  same 
soul  to  be  annihilated,  and  yet  to  begin  again  to  be,  is  a  contradic- 
tion ;  for  the  second  beginning  would  be  by  creation,  which  maketh 
a  new  soul,  and  not  the  same  that  was  before.  It  is  the  invisible 
things  that  are  excellent,  active,  operative,  and  permanent.  The 
visible  (excepting  light,  which  maketh  all  things  else  visible)  are 
of  themselves  but  lifeless  dross.  It  is  the  unseen  part  of  plants 
and  flowers  which  causeth  all  their  growth  and  beauty,  their  fruit 
and  sweetness.  Passive  matter  is  but  moved  up  and  down  by  the 
invisible  active  powers,  as  chess-men  are  moved  from  place  to 
place  by  the  gamester's  hands.  What  a  loathsome  corpse  were^^lfC 
the  world,  without  the  invisible  spirits  and  natures  that  animate, 
actuate,  or  move  it.  To  doubt  of  the  being  or  continuation  of 
the  most  excellent,  spiritual  parts  of  the  creation,  when  we  live  in 
a  world  that  is  actuated  by  them,  and  where  every  thing  de- 
monstrates them,  as  their  effects,  is  more  foolish  than  to  doubt  of 
the  being  of  these  gross  materials  which  we  see. 

How  oft  have  I  been  convinced  that  there  are  good  spirits  with 
whom  our  souls  have  as  certain  communion,  though  not  so  sensi- 
ble, as  our  life  hath  with  the  sun,  and  we  have  with  one  another  I 
And  that  there  are  evil  and  envious  spirits  that  fight  against  our 
holiness  and  peace,  as  certain  narratives  of  apparitions  and  witch- 
es, and  too  sad  experience  of  temptations,  do  evince.  And  the 
marvelous  diversity  of  creatures  on  earth,  for  kind  and  number; 
yea,  the  diversity  of  stars  in  heaven,  as  well  as  the  diversities 
of  angels  and  devils,  do  partly  tell  me,  that  though  all  be  of  one, 
and  through  one,  and  to  one,  yet  absolute  unity  is  the  divine  pre- 
rogative, and  we  must  not  presume  to  expect  such  perfection  as 
to  lose  our  specific  or  numerical  diversity,  by  any  union  which 
shall  befall  our  souls.  Nor  can  I  reasonably  doubt  that  so  noble 
and  active  a  nature  as  souls  dwelling  above  in  the  lucid  regions,  in 
communion  with  their  like,  and  with  their  betters,  shall  be  without 
the  activity,  the  pleasure  and  felicity,  which  is  suitable  to  their  na- 
ture, their  region,  and  their  company.  And  my  Savior  hath  en- 


.. 
148  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

tered  into  the  holiest,  and  hath  assured  me  that  there  are  many 
mansions  in  his  Father's  house  ;  and  that  when  we  are  absent  from 
the  body  we  shall  be  present  with  the  Lord. 

Organical  sight  is  given  me  for  my  use  here  in  the  body ;  and  a 
serpent  or  hawk  hath  as  much  or  more  of  this  than  I  have.  Mental 
knowledge  reacheth  further  than  sight,  and  is  the  act  of  a  nobler 
faculty,  and  for  a  higher  use.  Though  it  be  the  soul  itself  un- 
bodied in  the  igneous  spirits  that  seeth,  yet  it  is  by  a  higher  and 
more  useful  faculty  that  it  understandeth  ;  and  faith  is  not  an  un- 
derstanding act :  it  knoweth  things  unseen,  because  they  are  reveal- 
ed. Who  can"  think  that  all  believing,  holy  souls,  that  have  pass- 
ed hence  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  have  been  deceived  in 
their  faith  and  hope  ?  And  that  all  the  wicked,  worldly  infidels, 
whose  hope  was  only  in  this  life,  have  been  the  wisest  men,  and 
have  been  in  the  right?  If  virtue  and  piety  are  faults  or  follies, 
and  brutish  sensuality  be  best,  then  why  are  not  laws  made  to 
command  sensuality,  and  forbid  piety  and  virtue  ?  To  say  this,  is 
to  deny  humanity,  and  the  wisdom  of  our  Creator,  and  to  feign 
the  world  to  be  governed  by  a  lie,  and  to  take  the  perfection  of 
our  nature  for  its  disease,  and  our  greatest  disease  for  our  perfection. 
But  if  piety  and  virtue  be  better  than  impiety  and  vice,  the  prin- 
ciples and  necessary  motives  of  them  are  certainly  true,  and  the 
exercise  of  them  is  not  in  vain.  What  abominable  folly  and  wick- 
edness were  it  to  say  that  the  wicked  only  attain  their  ends,  and 
that  they  all  lose  their  labor,  and  live  and  die  in  miserable  deceit, 
who  seek  to  please  God  in  hope  of  a  better  life  to  come,  believing 
that  God  is  the  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek  him  !  Would 
not  this  justify  the  foolish  Manichees,  that  thought  a  bad  God 
made  this  world  ;  yea,  and  would  infer  that  he  not  only  made  us 
for  a  mischief,  but  ruleth  us  to  our  deceit  and  hurt,  and  giveth  us 
both  natural  and  supernatural  laws,  in  ill-will  to  us,  to  mislead 
us  to  our  misery,  and  to  fill  our  lives  with  needless  troubles  ? 
Shall  I  not  abhor  every  suggestion  that  containeth  such  inhuman 
absurdities  as  these  ?  Wonderful,  that  Satan  can  keep  up  so  much 
unbelief  in  the  world,  while  he  must  make  men  such  fools,  that  he 
may  make  them  unbelievers  and  ungodly  ! 

III.  That  my  soul  is  no  more  heavenly,  and  my  foretaste  of  future 
blessedness  is  so  small,  is  partly  the  fruit  of  those  many  willful  sins 
by  which  I  have  quenched  the  Spirit  that  should  be  my  Comforter ; 
and  it  is  partly  from  our  common  state  of  darkness  and  strangeness, 
while  the  soul  is  in  the  flesh,  and  operateth  as  the  body's  form, 
according  to  its  interest  and  capacity.  Affections  are  more  easily 
stirred  up  to  things  seen,  than  to  things  that  are  both  unseen  and 
known  only  very  defectively,  by  general,  and  not  by  clear,  dis- 
tinct apprehensions.  And  yet  this,  O  this,  is  the  misery  and  bur- 


BAXTER" s  DYING  THOUGHTS.  149 

den  of  my  soul !  Though  I  can  say  that  I  love  God's  truth  and 
graces,  his  work,  and  his  servants,  and  whatever  of  God  1  see  in 
the  world,  and  that  this  is  a  love  of  God  in  his  creatures,  word  and 
works ;  yet  that  I  have  no  more  desiring  and  delightful  love  of 
heaven,  where  his  loveliness  will  be  more  fully  opened  to  my  soul, 
and  that  the  thoughts  of  my  speedy  appearing  there  are  no  more 
joyful  to  me  than  they  are,  is  my  sin,  and  my  calamity,  and  my 
shame.  And  if  I  did  not  see  that  it  is  so  with  other  of  the  ser- 
vants of  Christ,  as  well  as  with  me,  I  should  doubt  whether  affec- 
tions so  unproportionable  to  nay  profession  did  not  signify  unsound- 
ness  in  my  belief.  It  is  strange  and  shameful,  that  one  that  ex- 
pecteth  quickly  to  see  the  glorious  world,  and  to  enter  the  holy, 
celestial  society,  should  be  no  more  joyfully  affected  with  these 
hopes,  and  that  I  should  make  any  great  matter  of  the  pain,  and 
languishing,  and  perishing  of  the  flesh,  when  it  is  the  common  way 
to  such  an  end.  O  hateful  sin  !  that  hath  so  darkened  and  cor- 
rupted souls  as  to  estrange  and  indispose  them  to  the  onlv  state  of 
their  hoped  happiness.  Alas!  what  did  man  when  he  forsook 
the  love  and  obedience  of  his  God.?  How  just  it  is,  that  this 
flesh  and  world  should  become  our  prison,  which  we  would 
make  our  home,  and  would  not  use  as  our  Lord  appointed  us,  as 
our  servant  and  way  to  our  better  state  !  Though  our  way  must 
not  be  our  home,  our  Father  would  not  have  been  so  strange  to  us 
in  the  way,  if  we  had  not  unthankfully  turned  away  from  his  grace 
and  love. 

It  is  to  us  that  know  not  the  mysteries  of  infinite  wisdom,  the 
saddest  thought  that  ever  doth  possess  our  minds,  to  consider  that 
there  is  no  more  grace  and  holiness,  knowledge  of  God,  and  com- 
munion with  him  in  this  world.  That  so  few  are  saints,  and  those 
few  so  lamentably  defective  and  imperfect.  That  when  the  sun 
shineth  on  all  the  earth,  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  shineth  on  so 
small  a  part  of  it,  and  so  few  live  in  the  love  of  God,  and  the  joy- 
ful hopes  of  future  blessedness  ;  and  those  few  have  so  low  a  meas- 
ure of  it,  and  are  corrupted  and  troubled  with  so  many  contrary 
affections.  Infinite  goodness  is  not  undisposed  to  do  good.  He 
that  made  us  capable  of  holy  and  heavenly  affections,  gave  us  not 
that  capacity  in  vain  ;  and  yet,  alas!  how  little  of  God  and  glory 
taketb,  up  the  hearts  of  men  ! 

But  rnan  hath  no  cause  to  grudge  at  God.  The  devils,  before 
their  fall,  were  not  made  indefectible:  divine  wisdom  is  delighted 
in  the  diversity  of  his  works,  and  maketh  them  not  all  of  equal  ex- 
cellency. Free  will  was  to  act  its  part:  hell  is  not  to  be  as 
good  as  heaven:  and  sin  hath  made'earth  to  be  next  to  hell;  so 
much  sin,  so  much  hell.  What  is  sin  but  a  willful  forsaking  of 
God  ?  And  can  we  forsake  him,  and  yet  love  him,  and  enjoy  his 


> 
150  BAXTER'S  rm.Nfi  TIK;I,I;HTS. 

love  ?  God's  kingdom  is  not  to  be  judged  t.f  by  his  gaol  or  gibbets. 
We  willfully  forsook  the  light,  and  made  the  world  a  dungeon  to 
ourselves.  And  when  recovering  light  doth  shine  unto  us,  how 
unthankfully  do  we  usually  entertain  it !  We  cannot  have  the 
conduct  and  comfort  of  it  while  we  shut  our  eyes  and  turn  away. 
And  what  though  God  give  not  all  men  an  overcoming  measure, 
nor  to  the  best  so  much  as  they  desire :  the  earth  is  but  a  spot, 
or  print  of  God's  creation  ;  not  so  much  as  an  ant-hillock  to  a 
kingdom,  or,  perhaps,  to  all  the  earth.  And  who  is  scandalized  be- 
cause the  world  hath  an  heap  of  ants  in  it,  yea,  or  a  nest  of  snakes, 
that  are  not  men  ?  The  vast,  unmeasurable  worlds  of  light, 
which  are  above  us,  are  possessed  by  inhabitants  suitable  to  their' 
glory.  A  casement  or  crevice  of  light,  or  a  candle  in  this  dark- 
some world,  is  an  unspeakable  mercy  ;  yea,  that  we  may  but  hear 
of  a  better  world  and  may  seek  it  in  hope.  We  must  not  grudge 
that  in  our  prison  we  have  not  that  presence  of  our  King,  and 
pleasures  of  the  kingdom,  as  innocent  and  free  subjects  have  :  hope 
of  pardon,  and  a  speedy  deliverance,  are  great  mercies  to  male- 
factors. 

And  if  my  want  of  the  knowledge  and  love  of  God,  and  joyful 
communion  with  the  heavenly  society,  be  my  prison,  and  as  the 
suburbs  of  hell,  should  it  not  make  me  long  for  the  day  of  my  re- 
demption, and  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God?  My  true 
desires  of  deliverance,  and  of  holiness  and  perfection,  are  my  evi- 
dences that  I  shall  obtain  them.  As  the  will  is  the  sinner,  so 
it  is  the  obstinate  continuance  of  a  will  to  sin,  which  is  the  bon- 
dage, and  the  cause  of  continued  sin ;  and  a  continued  hell  is  con- 
tinued sin,  as  to  the  first  part  at  least.  Therefore,  they  that  con- 
tinue in  hell  do  continue  in  a  sinning  will,  and  so  continue  in  a 
love  and  willingness  of  so  much  of  hell.  So  far  as  God  maketh  us 
willing  to  be  delivered  from  sin,  so  far  we  are  delivered  ;  and  our 
initial,  imperfect  deliverance  is  the  way  to  more.  If  pains,  then, 
make  me  groan  for  ease,  and  sickness  make  me  wish  for  health, 
why  should  not  my  remnants  of  ignorance,  unbelief,  and  strange- 
ness to  God,  occasion  me  to  long  for  the  day  of  my  salvation  ? 
This  is  the  greatest  of  all  my  troubles ;  and  should  it  not  then  be 
the  greatest  wearying  burden  from  which  I  should  earnestly  desire 
to  be  eased  ?  As  grace  never  doth  hurt  efficiently,  and  yet  may 
be  ill  used,  and  do  hurt  objectively,  (as  to  them  that  are  proud  of 
it.)  so  sin  never  doth  good  efficiently,  and  of  itself,  and  yet  objective- 
ly may  do  good  ;  for  sin  may  be  the  object  of  grace,  and  so  to  use 
it,  is  not  sin.  My  unbelief,  and  darkness,  and  disaffection,  and 
inordinate  love  of  this  life,  do,  of  themselves,  most  hinder  my  de- 
sires of  deliverance,  and  of  a  better  life  ;  but,  objectively,  what 
more  fit  to  make  me  weary  of  such  a  grievous  state  ?  Were  my 


BAXTER'S   DYING   THOUGHTS.  151 

unbelief  and  earthly  mind  predominant,  they  would  chain  my  af- 
fections to  this  world  ;  or,  if  I  were  constrainedly  weary  of  a  mise- 
rable life,  I  should  have  no  comfortable  hopes  of  a  better.  But  as 
it  is  the  nature  of  my  sin  to  draw  down  my  heart  from  God  and 
glory,  it  is  the  nature  of  my  faith,  and  hope,  and  love,  to  carry  it 
upward,  and  to  desire  the  heavenly  perfection  ;  not  to  love  death, 
but  to  love  that  which  is  beyond  it.  And  have  I  been  so  many 
years  in  the  school  of  Christ,  learning  both  how  to  live  and  die, 
begging  and  studying  for  this  grace,  and  exercising  it  against  this 
sinful  flesh,  and  shall  I  now,  after  all,  find  flesh  more  powerful  to 
draw  me  downward,  than  faith,  hope,  and  love,  to  carry  my  desires 
up  to  God  ? 

O  God  forbid  !  O  thou  that  freely  gavest  me  thy  grace,  main- 
tain it  to  the  last  against  its  enemies,  and  make  it  finally  victorious  ! 
It  came  from  thee ;  it  hath  been  preserved  by  thee  ;  it  is  on  thy 
side,  and  wholly  for  thee.  O  let  it  not  now  fail,  and  be  conquered 
by  blind  and  base  carnality,  or  by  the  temptations  of  a  hellish  con- 
quered enemy  ;  without  it  I  had  lived  as  a  beast,  and  without  it  I 
should  die  more  miserably  than  a  beast.  It  is  thine  image  which 
thou  lovest ;  it  is  a  divine  nature  and  heavenly  beam.  What  will 
a  soul  be  without  it,  but  a  dungeon  of  darkness,  a  devil  for  malig- 
nity, and  dead  to  holiness  and  heaven  ?  Without  it,  who  shall 
plead  thy  cause  against  the  devil,  world,  and  flesh  ?  Without  thy 
glory,  earth  is  but  earth  :  without  thy  natural  efficacy,  it  would  be 
nothing :  without  thy  wise  and  potent  ordination,  it  would  be  but 
a  chaos ;  and,  without  thy  grace,  it  would  be  a  hell.  O  rather 
deny  rne  the  light  of  the  sun,  than  the  light  of  thy  countenance ! 
Less  miserable  had  I  been  without  life  or  being,  than  without  thy 
grace.  Without  thee,  and  my  Savior's  help,  I  can  do  nothing  ;  1 
did  not  live  without  thee ;  I  could  not  pray  or  leam  without  thee ; 
I  never  could  conquer  a  temptation  without  thee  ;  and  can  I  die, 
or  be  prepared  to  die,  without  thee  ?  Alas !  1  shall  but  say  as 
Philip  of  Christ,  "  I  know  not  whither  my  soul  is  going,  and  how 
then  shall  I  know  the  way  ? "  My  Lord,  having  loved  his  own  in 
the  world,  did  love  them  to  the  end.  Thou  lovest  fidelity  and 
pei-severance  in  thy  servants  :  even  those  that  in  his  sufferings 
forsook  him  and  fled,  yet  are  commended  and  rewarded  by  Christ, 
for  continuing  with  him  in  his  temptations ;  Luke  xxii.  28. 
And  wilt  thou  forsake  a  sinner  in  his  extremity,  who  consenteth  to 
thy  covenant,  and  would  not  forsake  thee  ?  My  God,  I  have  often 
sinned  against  thee  ;  but  yet  thou  knowest  I  would  fain  be  thine : 
I  have  not  served  thee  with  the  resolution,  fidelity,  and  delight, 
as  such  a  master  should  have  been  served,  but  yet  I  would  not  for- 
sake thy  service,  nor  change  my  master,  or  my  work.  I  can  say, 
with  thy  servant  Paul,  that  thou  art  the  God  whose  I  am,  and 


152  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

whom  I  serve :  (Acts  xxvii.  23.)  and  O  that  I  could  serve  thee 
better  !  For  to  serve  thee  is  but  to  receive  thy  grace,  and  to  use 
it  for  my  own  and  others'  good,  and  so  to  glorify  thee,  and  please 
thy  will,  which,  being  love  itself,  is  best  pleased  when  we  receive 
and  do  most  good.  I  have  not  loved  thee  as  infinite  goodness,  and 
love  itself,  and  fatherly  bounty,  should  have  been  loved ;  but  yet 
I  would  not  forsake  thy  family ;  and  nothing  in  this  world  is  more 
my  grief,  than  that  I  love  thee  no  more.  Forsake  not,  then,  a 
sinner  that  would  not  forsake  thee,  that  looketh  every  hour  to- 
wards thee  ;  that  feeleth  it  as  a  piece  of  hell  to  be  so  dark  and  strange 
unto  thee  ;  that  gropeth,  and  groaneth,  and  gaspeth  after  thee  ; 
feeling,  to  his  greatest  sorrow,  (though  thou  art  every  where,)  that 
while  he  is  present  in  the  body,  he  is  absent  from  the  Lord.  My 
Lord,  I  have  nothing  to  do  in  this  world,  but  to  seek  and  serve 
thee.  I  have  nothing  to  do  with  a  heart  and  its  affections,  but  to 
breathe  after  thee.  I  have  nothing  to  do  with  my  tongue  and  pen, 
but  to  speak  to  thee,  and  for  thee,  and  to  publish  thy  glory  and  thy 
will.  What  have  I  to  dp  with  all  my  reputation,  and  interest  in 
my  friends,  but  to  increase  thy  church,  and  propagate  thy  holy 
truth  and  service  ?  What  have  I  to  do  with  my  remaining  time, 
even  these  last  and  languishing  hours,  but  to  look  up  unto  thee, 
and  wait  for  thy  grace  and  thy  salvation  ?  O  pardon  all  my  car- 
nal thoughts,  and  all  my  unthankful  neglects  of  thy.  precious  grace 
and  love,  and  all  my  willful  sin  against  thy  truth  and  thee ;  and 
let  the  fuller  communications  of  thy  forfeited  grace  now  tell  me 
by  experience  that  thou  dost  forgive  me  !  Even  under  the  ter- 
rible law  thou  didst  tell  man  thy  very  nature,  by  proclaim- 
ing thy  name,  "  The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious, 
long-suffering,  and  abundant  in  goodness  and  truth,  keeping  mercy 
for  thousands,  forgiving  iniquity,  and  transgression,  and  sin ; " 
Exod.  xxxiv.  6,  7.  And  is  not  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  revealed  in  the  gospel  for  our  more  abundant  faith  and  con- 
solation ?  My  God,  I  know,  as  I  cannot  love  thee  according  to  thy 
loveliness,  so  I  cannot  trust  thee  according  to  thy  faithfulness :  1 
can  never  be  sufficiently  confident  of  thy  all-sufficient  power,  thy 
wisdom,  and  thy  goodness.  When  I  have  said  as  Psalm  Ixxvii. 
7,  "  Will  the  Lord  cast  off  forever?  And  will  he  be  favorable  no 
more  ?  Is  his  mercy  clean  gone  forever  ?  Doth  his  promise  fail 
to  generations  ?  Hath  God  forgotten  to  be  gracious  ?  Hath  he 
in  anger  shut  up  his  tender  mercies  ?  "  conscience  hath  replied, 
that  this  is  my  infirmity :  I  never  wanted  comfort,  because  thou 
wantedst  mercy  ;  but  because  I  wanted  faith  and  fitness  to  receive 
it  and  perceive  it.  But  hast  thou  not  mercy  also  to  give  me,  everr 
that  fitness,  and  that  faith  ?  My  God,  all  is  of  thee,  and  through 
thrr,  and  all  is  to  thee ;  and  when  I  have  the  felicity,  the  glory  of 


BAXTER 'b  DYING  THOUGHTS.  153 

all  forever  will  be  thine.  None  that  trusteth  in  thee  (according  to 
thy  nature  and  promise)  shall  be  ashamed.  If  I  can  live  and  die 
in  trusting  in  thee,  surely  I  shall  not  be  confounded. 

Why,  then,  should  it  seem  a  difficult  question,  how  I  may,  will- 
ingly, leave  this  world,  and  rny  soul  depart  to  Christ  in  peace  ? 
The  same  grace  which  regenerated  me,  must  bring  me  to  my  de- 
sired end,  as  the  same  principle  of  vegetation  which  causeth  the 
end,  must  bring  the  fruit  to  'sweet  maturity,  I.  Believe  and  trust 
thy  Father,  thy  Savior,  and  thy  Comforter.  II.  And  hope  for  the 
joyful  entertainments  of  his  love,  and  for  the  blessed  state  which 
he  hath  promised.  III.  And  long,  by  love,  for  nearer  union  and 
communion  with  him  ;  and  thus,  O  my  soul,  thou  mayest  depart 
in  peace. 

I.  How  sure  is  the  promise  of  God !  How  suitable  to  his  love, 
and  to  the  nature  of  our  souls,  and  to  the  operations  of  every  grace  ! 
It  is  initially  performed  here,  whilst  our  desires  are  turned  towards 
him,  and  the  heavenly  seed  and  spark  is  here  ingenerated  in  a  soul 
that  was  dead,  and  dark,  and  disaffected.  Is  it  any  strange  thing 
for  fire  to  ascend  ?  yea,  or  the  fiery  principle  of  vegetation  in  a 
tree,  to  carry  up  the  earthy  matter  to  a  great  height  ?  Is  it  strange 
that  rivers  should  hasten  to  the  sea  ?  Whither  should  spirits  go 
but  to  the  region  or  world  of  spirits  ?  And  whither  should  Christ's 
members  and  holy  spirits  go  but  to  himself,  and  the  heavenly  so- 
ciety ?  And  is  not  that  a  more  holy  and  glorious  place  and  state 
than  this  below  ?  Earth  is  between  heaven  and  hell  ;  a  place  of 
gross  and  passive  matter,  where  spirits  may,  indeed,  operate  upon 
that  which  needeth  them,  and  where  they  may  be  detained  a  while 
in  such  operation,  or  as  incorporated  forms,  if  not  incarcerated  de- 
linquents ;  but  it  is  not  their  centre,  end,  or  home.  Even  sight 
and  reason  might  persuade  me,  that  all  the  noble  invisible  pow- 
ers, that  operate  on  this  lower  world,  do  principally  belong  unto 
a  higher ;  and  what  can  earth  add  to  their  essence,  dignity,  or 
perfection  ? 

But  why,  O  my  soul,  art  thou  so  vainly  solicitous  to  have 
formal,  clear,  distinct  conceptions  of  the  celestial  world,  and  the  in- 
dividuation  and  operations  of  separated  souls,  any  more  than  of  the 
angels  ?  While  thou  art  the  formal  principle  of  an  animated  body, 
thy  conceptions  must  be  suitable  to  their  present  state  and  use. 
When  thou  art  possessed  of  a  better  state,  thou  shalt  know  it  as  a 
possessor  ought  to  do ;  for  such  a  knowledge  as  thou  lookest  after 
is  part  of  the  possession,  and  to  long  to  know  and  love,  in  clear- 
ness and  perfection,  is  to  long  to  possess.  It  is  thy  Savior,  and  his 
glorified  ones,  that  are  comprehensors  and  possessors ;  and  it  is  his 
knowledge  which  must  now  be  most  6f  thy  satisfaction.  To  seek 
his  prerogative  to  thyself,  is  vain,  usurping  arrogance.  Wouldest 
VOL.  ii.  20 


154  BAXTF.K'S  OYINO  THOUGHTS. 

thou  be  a  God  and  Savior  to  thyself?  O,  consider  how  much  of 
the  fall  is  in  this  selfish  care  and  desire  to  be  as  God,  in  knowing 
that  of  good  and  evil  which  belongeth  not  to  thee,  but  to  God,  to 
know.  Thou  knowest,  past  doubt,  that  there  is  a  God  of  infinite 
perfection,  who  is  the  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek  him. 
Labor  more  to  know  thy  duty  to  this  God,  and  absolutely  trust 
him,  as  to  the  particularities  of  thy  felicity  and  reward.  Thou 
didst  trust  thy  parents  to  provide  thee  food  and  raiment,  when 
thou  didst  but  dutifully  obey  them  ;  though  they  could  have  forsa- 
ken thee,  or  killed  thee  every  hour,  thou  didst  never  fear  it.  Thou 
hast  trusted  physicians  to  give  thee  even  ungrateful  medicines, 
without  inquiring  after  every  ingredient,  or  fearing  lest  they  should 
willfully  give  thee  poison.  I  trust  a  barber  with  my  throat :  I 
trust  a  boatman  or  shipmaster  with  my  life  ;  yea,  my  horse,  that 
might  cast  me  ;  because  I  have  no  reason  to  distrust  them,  saving 
their  insufficiency  and  uncertainty  as  creatures.  If  a  pilot  under- 
take to  bring  thee  to  the  Indies,  thou  canst  trust  his  conduct,  though 
thou  know  thyself  neither  the  ship,  nor  how  to  govern  it ;  neither 
the  way  nor  the  place  to  which  thou  art  conveyed.  And  must 
not  thy  God  and  Savior  be  trusted  to  bring  thee  safe  to  heaven, 
unless  he  will  satisfy  all  thy  inquiries  of  the  individuation  and  ope- 
ration of  spirits?  Leave  unsearchable  and  useless  questions  to 
him  that  can  easily  resolve  them,  and  to  those  to  whom  the  knowl- 
edge of  them  doth  belong.  Thou  dost  but  entangle  thyself  in  sin 
and  self-vexation,  while  thou  wouldest  take  God's  work  upon  thee, 
and  wouldest  know  that  for  thyself  which  he  must  know  for  thee. 
Thy  knowledge  and  care  for  it  did  not  precede,  nor  prepare  for, 
thy  generation,  nor  for  the  motion  of  one  pulse  or  breath,  or  for 
the  concoction  of  one  bit  of  all  thy  food,  or  the  continuance  of  thy 
life  one  hour ;  supposing  but  thy  care  to  use  the  means  which  God 
appointed  thee,  and  to  avoid  things  hurtful,  and  to  beg  his  blessing. 
The  command  of  being  careful  for  nothing,  and  casting  all  thy  care 
on  God,  who  careth  for  us,  obligeth  us  in  all  things  that  are  God's 
part ;  and  for  our  souls  as  well  as  for  our  bodies  ;  yea,  to  trust  him 
with  the  greatest  of  our  concerns  is  our  greatest  duty ;  supposing 
we  be  careful  about  our  own  part,  viz.  to  use  the  means,  and  obey 
his  precepts.  To  dispose  of  a  departing  soul  is  God's  part,  and 
not  ours :  O,  how  much  evil  is  in  this  distrustful,  self-providing 
care!  If  I  did  but  know  what  1  would  know  about  my  soul  and 
myself;  and  if  I  might  but  choose  what  condition  it  should  be  in, 
and  be  the  final  disposer  of  it  myself,  O,  what  satisfaction  and  joy 
would  it  afford  me  !  And  is  not  this  to  be  partly  a  god  to  myself? 
Is  he  not  fitter  to  know,  and  choose,  and  dispose  of  me  than  I  am  ? 
I  could  trust  myself  easily,  even  my  wit  and  will,  in  such  a  choice, 
if  I  had  but  power;  and  cannot  I  trust  God  and  my  Redeemer, 


BAXTKK'S  DYINU  THOUGHT,*.  150 

without  all  this  care,  and  fear,  and  trouble,  and  all  these  particular 
inquiries?  If  you  are  convoying  your  child  tin  a  boat,  or  coach, 
by  water,  or  by  land,  and  he  at  every  turn  be  crying  out,  '  O  fa- 
ther, whither  do  we  go?'  or,  'What  shall  I  do?'  or,  'I  shall  be 
drowned,  or  fall : ' — is  it  not  rather  his  trust  in  you,  than  the  par- 
ticular satisfaction  of  his  ignorant  doubts,  that  must  quiet  and 
silence  him?  Be  not,  then,  foolishly  distrustful  and  inquisitive. 
Make  not  thyself  thy  own  disquieter  or  tormentor,  by  an  inordinate 
care  of  thy  own  security.  Be  not  cast  down,  O  departing  soul, 
nor,  by  unbelief,  disquieted  within  me.  Trust  in  God,  for  thq-u 
shalt  quickly,  by  experience,  be  taught  to  give  him  thanks  and 
praise,  who  is  the  health  of  my  countenance,  and  my  God. 

0.  what  clear  reason,  what  great  experience,  do  command  me 
to  trust  him,  absolutely  and  implicitly  to  trust  him,  and  to  distrust 
myself ! 

1.  He  is  essentjal,  infinite,  perfection,  power,  wisdom,  and  love. 
There  is  in  him  all  that  should  invite  and  encourage  rational  trust, 
and  nothing  that  should  discourage  it. 

2.  There  is  nothing  in  any  creature  to  be  trusted  but   God  in 
that  creature,  or  God  working  in  and  by  it.     Distrust  him,  and  there 
is  nothing  to  be  trusted  ;  not  the  earth  to  bear  me,  nor  the  air  to 
breath  in,  much  less  any  mutable  friend. 

3.  I  am  altogether  his  own,  his  own  by  right,  and  his  own  by 
devotion  and  consent.     And  shall  I  not  trust  him  with  his  own  ? 

4.  He  is  the  great  Benefactor  of  all  the  world,  that  giveth  all 
good  to  every  creature,  not  by  constraint,  or  by  commutation,  but 
as  freely  as  the  sun  giveth  forth  its  light.     And  shall  we  not  trust 
the  sun  to  shine  ? 

5.  He  is  my  Father  and  special  Benefactor,  and  hath  taken  me 
into  his  family  as  his  child.     And  shall  I  not  trust  my  heavenly 
Father? 

6.  He  hath  given  me  his  Son,  as  the  great  pledge  of  his  love; 
and  what,  then,  will  he  think  too  dear  for  me  ?     Will  he  not  with 
him  give  me  all  things?     Rom.  viii.  32. 

7.  His  Son  came  purposely  to  reveal  the  Father's  unspeakable 
love,  and  purposely  to  save  us.     And  shall  I  not  trust  him  that 
hath  proclaimed  his  love  and  reconciliation  by  such  a  messenger 
from  heaven  ? 

8.  He  hath  given  me  the  Spirit  of  his  Son,  even  the  spirit  of 
adoption,  which  is  the  surest  character  of  his  child,  the  witness, 
pledge  and  earnest  of  heaven,  the  name  and  mark  of  God  upon  me, 
holiness  to  the  Lord.     And  yet  shall  I  not  believe  his  love,  and 
trust  him? 

9.  He  hath  made  me  a  member  of  his  Son,  and  so  far  already 
united  me  to  him.     And  will  he  not  take  care  of  the  members  of 


UAXTEUS    DYING    THOUGHTS. 


his  Son  ?     Will  he  lose  those  that  are  given  him  ?     Is  not  Christ 
to  be  trusted  with  his  members  ? 

10.  I  am  his  interest,  and  the  interest  of  his  Son.     Freely  belov- 
ed ;  dearly  bought  ;  for  whom  so  much  is  suffered  and  done,  that 
he  is  pleased  to  call  us  his  peculiar  treasure.     And  may  I  not  trust 
him  with  his  dear-bought  treasure  ? 

11.  He  hath  stated  me  in  a  relation    to  angels,  who    rejoic- 
ed at  my  repentance,  and  to  the  heavenly  society,  which  shall 
not  miss  the  smallest  part.     Angels  shall  not  lose  their  joy,  nor 
ministration. 

12.  He  is  in  covenant  with  me;  even  the  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost.     He  hath  given  me  many  great  and  precious  prom- 
ises ;  and  shall  I  fear  lest  he  will  break  his  word  or  covenant  ? 

13.  My  Savior  is  the  forerunner,  entered  into  the  holiest,  and 
there  appearing  and  interceding  for  me.     And  this  after  he  had 
conquered  death,  and  risen  again  to  assure  me  of  a  future  life,  and 
ascended  into  heaven,  to  show  us  whither  we  must  ascend  ;  and 
that  after  these  comfortable  words,  "  Say  to  my  brethren,  I  ascend 
to  my  Father  and  your  Father,  to  my  God  and  your  God."     John 
xx.    17.     And  shall  I  not  follow  him  through  death,  and  trust 
such  a  Guide  and  Captain  of  my  salvation  ? 

14.  He  is  there  to  prepare  a  place  for  me,  and  will  take  me  to 
himself.     And  may  I  not  confidently  expect  it  ? 

15.  He  told  a  malefactor  on  the  cross,  that  he  should  be  that 
day  with  him  in  paradise,  to  tell  believing  sinners  what  they  may 
expect. 

16.  The  church,  by  the  article  of  his  descent  into  hell,  hath 
signified  their  common  belief  that  his  separated  soul  had  its  sub- 
sistance  and  operation,  and  did  not  sleep  or  perish,  to  tell  us  the 
immortality  of  separated  souls. 

17.  His  apostles,  and  other  servants,  have  on  earth  served  him 
with  all  these  expectations. 

18.  The  spirits  of  the  perfected  just  are  now  in  possession  of 
what  I  hope   for.     And  I  am  a  follower  of  them  who,  by  faith 
and    patience,  have   attained   the   promised    felicity.     And    may 
I  not  trust    him  to  save  me,  who  hath    already  saved   millions 
in  this  way,  when  I  could  trust  a  ferryman  to  pass  me  over  a 
river,  that  had  safely  passed  over  thousands  before  me  ?  or  I  could 
trust  a  physician  who  cureth  all  that  he  undertaketh  of  the  same 
disease. 

19.  I  must  be  at  his  disposal,  whether  I  will  or  not.     I  shall  live 
while  he  will,  and  die  when  he  will,  and  go  whither  he  will.     I 
may  sin,  and  vex  my  soul  with  fears,  and  cares,  and  sorrows  ;  but  I 
shall  never  prevail  against  his  will. 

20.  Therefore,  there  is  no  rest  for  souls  but  in  the  will  of  God. 


BAXTER'S  I»VING   TIIO-  <;MTS.  157 

That  will  created  us,  and  that  will  did  govern  us,  and  that  will 
shall  be  fulfilled  on  us.  It  was  our  efficient  and  our  regent  cause, 
and  it  shall  be  our  end.  Where  else  is  it  that  we  should  rest  ?  In 
the  will  of  men,  or  angels,  or  in  our  own  wills  ?  All  creatures  are 
but  creatures,  and  our  own  wills  have  undone  us :  they  have  mis- 
governed us,  and  they  are  our  greatest  enemies  ;  our  disease,  our 
prison,  and  our  death,  till  they  are  brought  over  to  the  will  of  God. 
Till  then  they  are  like  a  foot  out  of  joint ;  like  a  child  or  subject 
in  rebellion.  There  is  no  rectitude  or  health,  no  order,  no  peace 
or  true  felicity,  but  in  the  conformity  of  our  wills  to  the  will  of 
God.  And  shall  I  die  in  distrustful  striving  against  his  will,  and 
desiring  to  keep  up  my  own  before  it? 

21.  What  abundant  experience  have  I  had  of  God's  fidelity 
and  love  !  And  after  all  this  shall  I  not  trust  him  ?  His  undeserv- 
ed mercy  gave  me  being ;  it  chose  my  parents  ;  it  gave  them  a 
tender  love  to  me,  and  desire  of  my  good ;  it  taught  them  to  in- 
struct me  early  in  his  word,  and  to  educate  me  in  his  fear;  it 
chose  me  suitable  company  and  habitation  ;  it  gave  me  betimes 
a  teachable  ingeny  ;  it  chose  my  schoolmasters ;  it  brought  to  my 
hands  many  excellent  and  suitable  books  ;  it  gave  me  some  profit- 
able public  teachers  ;  it  placed  me  in  the  best  of  lands  on  earth,  and 
I  think  in  the  best  of  ages  which  that  land  had  seen  ;  it  did  early  de- 
stroy all  great  expectations  and  desires  of  the  world,  teaching  me  to 
bear  the  yoke  from  my  youth,  and  causing  me  rather  to  groan  under 
my  infirmities,  than  to  fight  with  strong  and  potent  lusts  ;  it  chasten- 
ed me  betimes,  but  did  not  destroy  me.  Great  mercy  hath  trained 
me  up  all  my  days,  since  I  was  nineteen  years  of  age,  in  the  school 
of  affliction,  to  keep  my  sluggish  soul  awake  in  the  constant  ex- 
pectations of  my  change,  and  to  kill  my  pride  and  overvaluing  of 
this  world,  and  to  lead  all  my  studies  to  the  most  necessary  things, 
and  as  a  spur  to  excite  my  soul  to  seriousness,  and  especially  to 
save  me  from  the  supine  neglect  and  loss  of  time.  Oh  !  what  un- 
speakable mercy  hath  a  life  of  constant  but  gentle  chastisement 
proved  to  me  !  It  urged  me,  against  all  dull  delays,  to  make  my 
calling  and  election  sure,  and  to  make  ready  my  accounts,  as  one 
that  must  quickly  give  them  up  to  God.  The  face  of  death,  and 
nearness  of  eternity,  did  much  convince  me  what  books  to  read, 
wh.it  studies  to  prefer  and  prosecute,  what  company  and  conver- 
sation to  choose.  It  drove  me  early  into  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord, 
and  taught  me  to  preach  as  a  dying  man  to  dying  men.  It  was 
divine  love  and  mercy  which  made  sacred  truth  so  pleasant  to  me, 
that  my  life  hath  been  (under  all  my  infirmities)  almost  a  constant 
recreation  and  delight,  in  its  discoveries,  contemplation  and  practi- 
cal use  :  how  happy  a  teacher  have  I  had  !  What  excellent  help 
and  sweet  illumination  !  How  far  beyond  my  expectation  hath 


15cJ  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

divine  mercy  encouraged  me  in  his  sacred  work  !  How  congru- 
ously did  he  choose  every  place  of  my  ministration  and  habitation 
to  this  day,  without  my  own  forecast  or  seeking  !  When,  and  where, 
since  he  first  sent  me  forth,  did  I  labor  in  vain  ?  How  many  are 
gone  to  heaven,  and  how  many  are  in  the  way,  to  whom  he  hath 
blessed  the  word,  which,  in  weakness,  I  did,  by  his  grace  and  prov- 
idence, deliver  !  Many  good  Christians  are  glad  of  now  and 
then  an  hour's  time  to  meditate  on  God's  word,  and  recreate 
themselves  in  his  holy  worship  ;  but  God  hath  allowed  and  called 
me  to  make  it  the  constant  business  of  my  life.  My  library  hath 
offered  me  both  profitable  and  pleasant  company  and  help,  at  all 
times,  whenever  I  would  use  them.  I  have  dwelt  among  the 
shining  lights  which  the  learned,  wise  and  holy  men  of  all  ages 
have  set  up,  and  left  to  illuminate  the  world.  How  many  comfort- 
able hours  have  I  had  in  the  society  of  living  saints,  and  in  the  love 
of  faithful  friends !  How  many  joyful  days  have  I  had  in  the 
solemn  assemblies,  where  God  hath  been  worshiped  in  seriousness 
and  alacrity,  by  concordant  (though  imperfect)  saints  ;  where  the 
spirit  of  Christ  hath  manifested  his  presence,  by  helping  myself  and 
my  brethren  in  speaking,  and  the  people  in  ready,  delightful  hear- 
ing, and  all  of  us  in  loving  and  gladly  receiving  his  doctrine,  cove- 
nant, and  laws!  How  unworthy  was  such  a  sinful  worm  as  I,  (who 
never  had  any  academical  helps,  nor  much  from  the  mouth  of  any 
teacher,)  that  books  should  become  so  great  a  blessing  to  me,  and 
that,  quite  beyond  my  own  intentions,  God  should  induce  or  con- 
strain me  to  provide  any  such  like  helps  for  others  !  How  unwor- 
thy was  I  to  be  kept  from  the  multiplied  snares  of  sects  and  errors 
which  reigned  in  this  age,  and  to  be  used  as  a  means  for  other  men's 
preservation  and  reduction ;  and  to  be  kept  in  a  love  of  unity  and 
peace  !  How  unworthy  was  I  that  God  should  make  known  to  me 
so  much  of  his  reconciling  truth,  while  extremes  did  round  about 
prevail,  and  were  commended  to  the  churches  by  the  advantage 
of  piety  on  one  side,  arid  of  worldly  prosperity  and  power  on  the 
other  ;  and  that  God  should  use  me  above  forty  years  in  so  com- 
fortable a  work  as  to  plead  and  write  for  love,  peace,  and  concord, 
and  to  vouchsafe  me  so  much  success  therein  as  he  hath  done,  not- 
withstanding the  general  prevalency  of  the  contentious  military 
tribe !  Mercy  I  have  had  in  peace,  and  liberty  in  times  of  violence ; 
and  mercy  I  have  had  in  wars,  living  two  years  in  safety  in  a  city 
of  defense,  in  the  very  midst  of  the  land,  (Coventry,)  and  seeing  no 
enemy  while  the  kingdom  was  in  wars  and  flames ;  and  only  hear- 
ing of  the  common  calamities  round  about ;  and  when  I  went  abroad 
and  saw  the  effects  of  human  folly  and  fury,  and  of  God's  displeas- 
ure, he  mercifully  kept  me  from  hurting  any  one,  and  being  hurt 
by  any.  How  many  a  time  hath  he  preserved  me,  by  day  and  night, 


BAXTER'S  DVINO  THOUGHTS.          159 

in  difficulties  and  dangers,  from  the  malice  of  Satan,  and  from  the 
wrath  of  man,  and  from  accidents  which  threaten  sudden  death ! 
While  I  beheld  the  ruins  of  towns  and  countries,  and  the  fields 
covered  with  the  carcasses  of  the  slain,  I  was  preserved,  and  re- 
turned home  in  peace.  And  O,  how  great  was  the  mercy  he 
showed  me,  in  a  teachable,  tractable,  peaceable,  humble,  unani- 
mous people  !  So  many  in  number  and  so  exemplary  in  quality  ; 
who  to  this  day  keep  their  integrity  and  concord,  when  violence 
hath  separated  me  from  them  above  thirty  years  :  yea,  the  like 
mercy  of  acceptance  and  success  beyond  my  expectation,  he  hath 
showed  me  everywhere :  I  have  had  opportunity  of  free  ministration  ; 
even  where  there  were  many  adversaries  I  have  had  an  open  door; 
in  the  midst  of  human  wrath  and  rage  he  hath  preserved  my  liber- 
ty beyond  expectation,  and  continued  my  acceptance  and  success. 
When  I  might  not  speak  by  voice  to  any  single  congregation,  he 
enabled  me  to  speak  by  writing  to  many  ;  and  for  the  success  of 
my  plainest  and  popular  writings,  which  cost  me  least,  I  can  never 
be  sufficiently  thankful;  some  of  which  he  sent  to  preach  abroad, 
in  other  languages,  in  foreign  lands.  When  my  mouth,  with  eigh- 
teen hundred  or  two  thousand  more,  had  been  many  years  stop- 
ped, he  hath  since  opened  them  in  some  degree ;  and  the  suffer- 
ings intended  us  by  men  have  been  partly  put  by,  and  partly  much 
alleviated,  by  his  providence ;  and  the  hardness  of  our  terms  hath 
not  so  much  hindered  the  success  of  faithful  labors  as  we  feared,  and 
as  others  hoped  it  would  have  done.  I  have  had  the  comfort  of 
seeing  some  peace  and  concord,  and  prosperity  of  truth  and  piety, 
kept  up,  under  the  utmost  opposition  of  diabolical  and  human  pow- 
er, policy,  and  wrath.  When  I  have  been  sent  to  the  common 
jail  for  my  services  and  obedience  to  him,  he  hath  there  kept  me 
in  peace,  and  soon  delivered  me.  He  hath  made  the  mouths  of 
my  greatest  enemies,  who  have  studied  my  defamation  and  my 
ruin,  to  become  my  witnesses  and  compurgators,  and  to  cross  their 
own  designs.  How  wonderful  is  it  that  I  should  so  long  dwell  in 
so  much  peace,  in  the  midst  of  those  that  seemed  to  want  neither 
power  nor  skill,  and  much  less  will,  to  tread  me  down  into  con- 
tempt and  misery !  And  O,  how  many  a  danger,  fear  and  pain 
hath  he  delivered  this  frail  and  languishing  body  from !  How  oft 
hath  he  succored  me,  when  flesh,  and  heart,  and  art  have  failed ! 
He  hath  cured  my  consuming  coughs,  and,  many  a  time,  stayed  my 
flowing  blood  :  he  hath  eased  my  pained  limbs,  and  supported  a 
weary,  macerated  skeleton:  he  hath  fetched  me  up  from  the  jaws 
of  death,  and  reversed  the  sentence  which  men  have  passed  on  me. 
How  many  thousand  weary  days  have  been  sweetened  with  his 
pleasant  work  ;  and  how  many  thousand  painful,  weary  nights  have 
had  a  comfortable  morning !  How  many  thousand  strong  and 


160  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

healthy  persons  have  been  taken  away  by  death,  whilst  I  have  been 
upheld  under  all  this  weakness  !  Many  a  time  have  I  cried  to  the 
Lord  in  my  trouble,  and  he  hath  delivered  me  out  of  my  distress. 
I  have  had  fifty  years  added  to  my  days  since  I  would  have  been 
full  glad  of  Hezekiah's  promise  of  fifteen.  Since  the  day  that  I 
first  preached  his  gospel,!  expected  not,  of  long  time,  to  live  above 
a  year ;  and  I  have  lived  since  then  fifty  years.  When  my  own 
prayers  were  cold  and  unbelieving,  how  many  hundreds  have 
prayed  for  me  !  And  what  strange  deliverances,  encouraging  fast- 
ing and  prayer,  have  I  oft  had,  upon  their  importunate  requests  ! 
My  friends  have  been  faithful,  and  the  few  that  proved  unfaithful 
have  profitably  taught  me  to  place  no  confidence  in  man,  and  not 
to  be  inordinately  affected  to  any  thing  on  earth  ;  for  I  was  for- 
saken by  none  of  them,  but  those  few  that  I  excessively  valued 
and  overloved.  My  relations  have  been  confortable  to  me,  con- 
trary to  my  deserts,  and  much  beyond  my  expectations.  My 
servants  have  been  faithful :  my  neighbors  have  been  kind :  my 
enemies  have  been  impotent,  harmless,  or  profitable  :  my  superi- 
ors have  honored  me  by  their  respectful  words  ;  and  while  they 
have  afflicted  me,  as  supposing  me  a  rernora  to  their  designs,  they 
have  not  destroyed  but  protected  me.  To  my  inferiors,  God  hath 
made  me,  in  my  low  capacity,  somewhat  helpful.  I  have  been 
protected  in  ordinary  health  and  safety,  when  the  raging  pestilence 
came  near  my  habitation,  and  consumed  a  hundred  thousand  citi- 
zens: rny  dwelling  hath  been  safe  when  I  have  seen  the  glory  of 
the  land  in  flames,  and  after  beheld  the  dismal  ruins.  When  vio- 
lence separated  me  from  my  too  much  beloved  library,  and  drove 
me  into  a  poor  and  smoky  house,  I  never  had  more  help  of  God,  nor 
did  more  difficult  work  than  there.  What  pleasant  retirements  and 
quietness  in  the  country  have  been  the  fruits  of  persecuting  wrath  ! 
And  I  must  not  forget,  when  I  had  more  public  liberty,  how  he  sav- 
ed rne  and  all  my  hearers,  even  by  a  wonder,  from  being  buried  in 
the  ruins  of  the  fabric  where  we  were ;  and  others,  from  the  calam- 
ities, scandal,  and  lamentations,  which  would  else  have  followed  ; 
and  it  is  not  a  mercy  to  be  extenuated,  that  when  the  tongues  and 
pens  of  all  sects  among  us,  and  of  proud  self-exalters,  and  of  some 
worthy,  pious,  differing  brethren,  have  been  long  and  vehemently 
bent  against  me ;  when  my  infamy  hath  been  endeavored,  by 
abundance  of  volumes,  by  the  backbiting  of  angry  dividers  of  all 
sorts,  and  by  the  calumniating  accusations  of  some  that  were  too 
high  to  be  gainsayed,  and  would  not  endure  me  to  answer  them, 
and  vindicate  my  innocency ;  yet  all  these  together  were  never 
able  to  fasten  their  accusations,  and  procure  any  common  belief, 
nor  to  bring  me  under  the  designed  contempt,  much  less  to  break 
my  comforts,  encouragements,  or  labors. 


BAXTER'S  DYIN<;  THOLGHTS.  161 

These,  all  these,  and  very  many  more  than  these,  are  my  ex- 
periences of  that  wondrous  mercy  which  hath  measured  my  pilgrim- 
age, and  filled  up  my  days.  Never  did  God  break  his  promise 
with  me ;  never  did  he  fail  me,  nor  forsake  me.  Had  1  not  pro- 
voked him  by  rash  and  willful  sinning,  how  little  interruption  of 
my  peace  and  comforts  had  I  ever  been  likely  to  have  had !  And 
shall  I  now  distrust  him  at  the  last  ?  Shall  I  not  trust,  and  quietly 
trust,  that  infinite  wisdom,  love,  and  power,  whom  I  have  so  long 
trusted,  and  found  so  good  ? 

Nature  teacheth  man  to  love  best  those  animals  that  are  tame  and 
tractable ;  that  trust  us  and  love  us ;  that  will  come  to  our  hands, 
and  love  our  company  ;  that  will  be  familiar  with  us,  and  follow  us, 
be  it  horse  or  dog,  beasts  or  birds ;  but  those  that  are  wild,  and 
live  in  woods,  and  fly  from  the  face  of  man,  are  taken  to  be  the 
game  and  prey  of  any  one  that  can  catch  and  kill  them.  And 
shall  my  foolish  soul  thus  wildly  fly  from  the  face  of  God  ?  Shall 
his  children  be  like  the  fearful  hare,  or  like  a  guilty  Cain,  or  like 
an  unbelieving  Sadducee,  that  either  believeth  not,  or  hopeth  not 
for  the  forgiveness  of  sin,  and  the  life  everlasting?  Doth  not 
the  spirit  of  adoption  incline  us  to  love  our  Father's  presence,  and 
to  be  loath  to  be  long  from  home  ?  To  distrust  all  creatures,  even 
thyself,  is  not  unreasonable  ;  but  to  distrust  God  hath  no  just  ex- 
cuse. Fly  from  sin,  from  Satan,  from  temptations,  from  the  world, 
from  sinful  flesh  and  idol  self;  but  fly  not  from  him  that  is  good- 
ness, love  and  joy  itself.  Fear  thine  enemy,  but  trust  thy  Father. 
If  thy  heart  be  reconciled  to  him  and  his  service,  by  the  Spirit, 
he  is  certainly  reconciled  to  thee  through  Christ ;  and  if  he  be  for 
thee,  and  justify  and  love  thee,  who  shall  be  against  thee,  or  con- 
demn thee,  or  separate  thee  from  his  love  ?  If  thy  unreconciled 
will  do  make  thee  doubt  of  his  reconciliation,  it  is  time  to  abhor 
and  lay  by  thy  enmity.  Consent,  and  be  sure  that  he  consenteth. 
Be  willing  to  be  his,  and  in  holiness  to  serve  him,  and  to  be  united 
in  joyful  glory  to  him ;  and  then  be  sure  that  he  is  willing  to  ac- 
cept thee,  and  receive  thee  to  that  glory.  O  dark  and  sinful  soul ! 
how  little  dost  thou  know  thy  friend,  thyself,  or  God,  if  thou  canst 
more  easily  and  quietly  trust  thy  life,  thy  soul,  and  hopes,  to  the 
will  of  thy  friend,  or  of  thyself,  if  thou  hadst  power,  than  to  the 
will  of  God !  Every  dog  would  be  at  home  and  with  his  master ; 
much  more  every  ingenuous  child  with  his  father  ;  and  though  en- 
emies distrust  us,  wife  and  children  will  not  do  so,  while  they  be- 
lieve us  just.  And  hath  God  ever  showed  himself  either  unfaith- 
ful or  unmerciful  to  me  ? 

To  thee,  O  Lord,  as  to  a  faithful  Creator,  I  commit  my  soul ; 
1  Pet.  iv.  19.  I  know  that  thou  art  the  faithful  God,  who  keepest 
covenant  and  mercy  with  them  that  love  thee  and  keep  thy  com- 

VOL.    II.  21 


BAXTERS  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

mandrnents ;  Detit.  vii.  9.  Thou  art  faithful  who  hast  called  me 
to  the  communion  of  thy  Son  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord ;  1  Cor.  i.  9. 
Thy  faithfulness  hath  saved  me  in  and  from  temptation ;  (1  Cor. 
x.  13.)  it  hath  stablished  me,  and  kept  me  from  prevailing  evil; 
(2  Thess.  iii.  3.)  and  it  will  kyep  my  spirit,  soul  and  body  to  the 
coming  of  Christ;  1  Thess.  v.  23,  24.  It  is  in  faithfulness  that 
thou  hast  afflicted  me ;  (Psalm  cxix.  75.)  and  shall  I  not  trust 
thee,  then,  to  save  me?  It  is  thy  faithful  word,  that  all  thine  elect 
shall  obtain  the  salvation  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  with  eternal  glory ; 
and  if  we  be  dead  with  him,  shall  live  with  him ;  and  if  we  suf- 
fer, we  shall  also  reign  with  him ;  2  Tim.  ii.  11,  12. 

To  thee,  O  my  Savior,  I  commit  my  soul :  it  is  thine  own  by 
redemption  :  it  is  thine  own  by  covenant :  it  is  marked  and  sealed 
by  thy  Spirit  as  thine  own,  and  thou  hast  promised  not  to  lose  it ; 
John  vi.  39.  Thou  wast  made  like  us  thy  brethren,  that  thou 
mightest  be  a  merciful  and  faithful  High  Priest  in  things  pertaining 
to  God,  to  make  reconciliation  for  our  sins.  By  thy  blood  we  have 
boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest,  even  by  the  new  and  living  conse- 
crated way.  Cause  me  to  draw  near  with  a  sincere  heart,  in  full  as- 
surance of  faith,  by  thee  that  art  the  High  Priest  over  the  house  of 
God ;  for  he  is  faithful  that  has  promised  life  through  thee ;  Heb.  x. 
20 — 23.  Thy  name  is  faithful  and  true  ;  (Rev.  xix.  11.)  and  faith- 
ful and  true  are  all  thy  promises ;  Rev.  xxii.  6.  and  xxi.  5.  Thou 
hast  promised  rest  to  weary  souls  that  come  to  thee;  Matt.  xi.  28. 
2  Thess.  i.  7.  I  am  weary  of  suffering,  and  weary  of  sin  ;  weary  of 
my  flesh,  and  weary  of  my  darkness,  and  dullness,  and  distance, 
and  of  this  wicked,  blind,  unrighteous,  and  confounded  world  :  and 
whither  should  I  look  for  rest  but  home  to  my  heavenly  Father, 
and  to  thee?  I  am  but  a  bruised  reed,  but  thou  wilt  not  break 
me.  I  am  but  a  smoking  flax,  but  thou  wilt  not  quench  what  thy 
grace  hath  kindled ;  but  thou,  in  whose  name  the  nations  trust, 
wilt  bring  forth  judgment  unto  victory;  Matt.  xii.  20,  21.  The 
Lord  redeemeth  the  souls  of  his  servants,  and  none  of  them  that 
trust  in  thee  shall  be  desolate  ;  Psalm  xxxiv.  22.  Therefore  will 
I  wait  on  thy  name,  for  it  is  good,  and  will  trust  in  the  mercy  of 
God  forever ;  Psalm  Iii.  8,  9.  The  Lord  is  good,  a  strong  hold  in 
the  day  of  trouble,  and  he  knoweth  them  that  trust  in  him  ;  Na- 
hum  i.  7.  Sinful  fear  is  a  snare  ;  but  he  that  putteth  his  trust  in 
the  Lord  shall  be  set  on  high ;  Prov.  xxix.  25.  Blessed  is  the 
man  that  maketh  the  Lord  his  trust,  and  respecteth  not  the  proud, 
and  such  as  turn  aside  to  lies ;  Psalm  xl.  4.  Thou  art  my  hope, 

0  Lord  God,  thou  art  my  trust  from  my  youth.     By  thee  have 

1  been  holden  up  from  the  womb,  and  my  praise  shall  be  continu- 
ally of  thee.     Cast  me  not  off  now  in  the  time  of  age.     Forsake 
rae  not  when  my  strength  faileth,     O  God,  thou  hast  taught  me 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  lt"3 

from  my  youth,  and  hitherto  have  I  declared  thy  woudrous  works. 
Now,  also,  when  I  am  old  and  gray,  O  God,  forsake  me  not ; 
Psalm  xvii.  5,  6.  9.  17,  IS.  Leave  not  my  soul  destitute;  for 
mine  eyes  are  toward  thee,  and  my  trust  is  in  thee :  Psalm  xiv. 
8.  I  had  fainted,  unless  I  had  believed  to  see  the  goodness  of  the 
Lord  in  the  land  of  the  living ;  even  where  they  that  live  shall  die 
no  more.  The  sun  may  cease  to  shine  on  man,  and  the  earth  to 
bear  us ;  but  God  will  never  cease  to  be  love,  nor  to  be  faithful  in 
his  promises.  Blessed  be  the  Lord,  who  hath  commanded  me  so 
safe  and  quieting  a  duty  as  to  trust  him,  and  cast  all  my  cares  on 
him,  as  on  one  that  has  promised  to  care  for  me  ! 

II.  And  blessed  be  God,  who  hath  made  it  my  duty  to  hope 
for  his  salvation.  Hope  is  the  ease,  yea,  the  life  of  our  hearts,  that 
else  would  break,  yea,  die  within  us  :  despair  is  no  small  part  of 
hell :  God  cherisheth  hope,  as  he  is  the  lover  of  souls.  Satan,  our 
enemy,  cherisheth  despair,  when  his  way  of  blind  presumption 
faileth.  As  fear  is  a  foretaste  of  evil,  before  it  is  felt,  so  hope 
doth  anticipate  and  foretaste  salvation,  before  it  is  possessed.  It  is 
then  worldly  hypocrites'  hope  that  perisheth ;  for  all  that  hope  for 
true  or  durable  happiness  on  the  earth,  in  the  pleasures  of  this  per- 
ishing flesh,  must  needs  be  deceived.  But  happy  is  he  who  hath 
the  God  of  Jacob  for  his  help,  whose  hope  is  in  the  Lord  his  God, 
which  made  heaven  and  earth,  which  keepeth  truth  forever ;  Psalm 
cxlvi.  5,  6.  Woe  to  me,  were  my  hope  only  in  the  time  and  mat- 
ters of  this  fleshly  life ;  (1  Cor.  xv.  19.)  but  the  righteous  hath 
hope  in  his  death ;  (Prov.  xiv.  32.)  and  hope  maketh  not  asham- 
ed ;  Rom.  v.  5.  Blessed  is  the  man  that  trusteth  in  the  Lord, 
whose  hope  the  Lord  is ;  Jer.  xvii.  7.  Lay  hold,  then,  O  my  soul, 
upon  the  hope  which  is  set  before  thee ;  (Heb.  vi.  18.)  it  is  thy 
firm  and  steadfast  anchor;  (ver.  19.)  without  it  thou  wilt  be  as  a 
shipwrecked  vessel.  Thy  foundation  is  sure  ;  it  is  God  himself: 
our  faith  and  hope  are  both  in  God ;  1  Pet.  i.  21.  It  is  Jesus  our 
Lord,  who  is  risen  from  the  dead,  and  reigneth  in  glory,  Lord  of 
all ;  1  Tim.  i.  1.  Yea,  it  is  the  Christ,  who,  by  faith,  doth  dwell 
within  us,  who  is  our  hope  of  glory  ;  Eph.  iii.  17.  Col.  i.  27.  In 
this  hope,  which  is  better  than  the  law  that  Moses  gave,  it  is  that 
we  draw  nigh  to  God ;  (Heb.  vii.  19.)  it  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  that 
is  both  our  evidence,  and  the  efficient  of  our  hope ;  Gal.  v.  5. 
Rom.  viii.  16.  23.  By  him  we  hope  for  that  which  we  see  not, 
and  therefore  wait  in  patience  for  it ;  (ver.  24,  25.)  by  hope  are 
we  saved.  It  is  an  encouraging  grace  which  will  make  us  stir, 
when  as  despair  doth  kill  endeavors ;  it  cureth  sloth,  and  makes  us 
diligent  and  constant  to  the  end,  and  by  this  doth  help  us  to  full 
assurance  ;  Heb.  vi.  11,  12.  It  is  a  desiring  grace,  and  would  fain 
obtain  the  glory  hoped  for.  It  is  a  quieting  and  comforting  grace  ; 


101  BAXTER'S  nyixr;  THOUOIITS. 

Rom.  xv.  4.  The  God  of  hope  doth  fill  us  with  joy  and  peace 
in  believing,  that  we  may  abound  in  hope,  through  the  power 
of  the  Holy  Ghost;  ver.  13.  Shake  off  despondency,  O  my  soul, 
and  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God ;  Rom.  v.  2.  Believe 
in  hope,  though  dying  flesh  would  tell  thee  that  it  is  against  hope ; 
Rom.  iv.  18.  God,  that  cannot  lie,  hath  confirmed  his  covenant 
by  his  immutable  oath,  that  we  might  have  strong  consolation  who 
are  fled  for  refuge  to  the  hope  which  is  set  before  us  ;  Heb.  vi.  18. 
What  blessed  preparations  are  made  for  our  hope ;  and  shall  we 
now  let  the  tempter  shake  it,  or  discourage  it  ?  The  abundant 
mercy  of  God  the  Father  hath  begotten  us  again  to  a  lively  hope, 
by  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  to  an  inheritance  incorruptible,  and 
undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away,  reserved  in  heaven  for  us ; 
1  Pet.  i.  3.  Grace  teacheth  us  to  deny  ungodliness,  and  worldly 
lusts,  and  to  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly  in  this  world,  as 
looking"  for  that  blessed  hope,  and  the  glorious  appearing  of  the 
great  God,  and  our  Savior;  Tit.  ii.  12,  13.  We  are  renewed  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  justified  by  grace,  that  we  should  be  made 
heirs  according  to  the  hope  of  eternal  life;  Tit.  iii.  6,  7.  We  are 
illuminated,  that  we  may  know  the  hope  of  Christ's  calling,  and 
what  is  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  his  inheritance  in  the  saints ; 
Eph.  i.  18,  19.  The  hope  that  is  laid  up  for  us  in  heaven,  is  the 
chief  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  which  bringeth  light  and  immortality 
into  clearer  light ;  Col.  i.  5.  2  Tim.  i.  10.  It  is  for  this  hope  that 
we  keep  a  conscience  void  of  offense,  and  that  God  is  served  in 
the  world ;  (Acts  xxiv.  15,  16.  and  xxvi.  7.)  wherefore,  gird  up 
the  loins  of  thy  mind  ;  put  on  this  helmet,  the  hope  of  salvation  ; 
(1  Thess.  v.  8.)  and  let  not  death  seem  to  thee  as  it  doth  to  them 
that  have  no  hope;  1  Thess.  iv.  13.  The  love  of  our  Father, 
and  our  Savior,  have  given  us  everlasting  consolation,  and  good 
hope  through  grace,  to  comfort  our  hearts,  and  establish  them  in 
every  good  word  and  work  ;  2  Thess.  ii.  16,  17.  Keep,  therefore, 
the  rejoicing  of  hope  firm  to  the  end  ;  Heb.  iii.  6.  Continue 
grounded  and  settled  in  the  faith,  and  be  not  moved  away  from  the 
hope  of  the  gospel ;  Col.  i.  23.  1  Pet.  i.  13.  And  now,  Lord, 
what  wait  I  for  ?  my  hope  is  in  thee ;  Psalm  xxxix.  7.  Uphold 
me  according  to  thy  word,  that  I  may  live ;  and  let  me  not  be 
ashamed  of  my  hope;  Psalm  cxix.  116.  Though  mine  iniquities 
testify  against  me,  yet,  O  thou  that  art  the  hope  of  Israel,  the  Sav- 
ior thereof  in  the  time  of  trouble,  be  not  as  a  stranger  to  my  soul ; 
Jer.  xiv.  7,  8.  Thy  name  is  called  upon  by  me  ;  O  forsake  me 
not ;  ver.  9.  Why  have  our  eyes  beheld  thy  wonders,  and  why 
have  we  had  thy  covenant,  and  thy  mercies,  but  that  we  might  set 
our  hope  in  God  ?  Psalm  Ixxviii.  5,  7.  Remember  the  word  to 
thy  son  ant,  upon  which  thou  hast  caused  me  to  hope  ;  Psalm  cxix. 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHT-.  165 

49.  If  thou,  Lord,  shouldest  mark  iniquity.  O  Lord,  who  should 
stand  ?  But  there  is  forgiveness  with  thee,  that  thou  mayest  be 
feared.  1  wait  for  the  Lord ;  my  soul  doth  wait,  and  in  his  word 
do  1  hope :  J  will  hope  in  the  Lord,  for  with  him  there  is  mercy 
and  plenteous  redemption ;  Psalm  cxxx.  3 — 5.  7.  For  he  taketh 
pleasure  in  them  that  fear  him,  in  those  that  hope  in  his  mercy  ; 
Psalm  cxlvii.  11.  Though  flesh  and  heart  fail,  the  Lord  is  the 
rock  of  my  heart :  he  is  my  portion,  saith  my  soul,  therefore  will 
I  hope  in  him.  The  Lord  is  good  to  them  that  wait  for  him ;  to 
the  soul  that  seeketh  him.  It  is  good  that  I  should  both  hope,  and 
quietly  wait  for  the  salvation  of  the  Lord.  It  is  good  for  me  that 
1  have  borne  the  yoke  in  my  youth,  and  that  I  keep  silence,  and 
put  my  mouth  in  the  dust,  as  if  so  be  there  may  be  hope  ;  Psalm 
Ixxiii.  26.  Lam.  iii.  24—27.  29. 

God  need  not  flatter  such  worms  as  we,  nor  promise  us  that  which 
he  never  meaneth  to  perform.  He  hath  laid  the  rudiments  olour 
hope,  in  a  nature  capable  of  desiring,  seeking,  and  thinking  of  an- 
other life  :  he  hath  called  me  by  grace  to  actual  desires  and  en- 
deavors ;  and  some  foretaste  he  hath  vouchsafed.  I  look  for  no 
heaven,  but  the  perfection  of  divine  life,  light,  and  love,  in  endless 
glory  with  Christ  and  his  holy  ones.  And  this  he  hath  begun  in 
me  already ;  and  shall  I  not  boldly  hope,  when  I  have  the  capacity, 
the  promise,  and  the  earnest  and  foretaste  ?  Is  it  not  God  himself 
that  has  caused  me  to  hope  ?  Was  not  nature,  promise,  and  grace 
from  him  ?  And  can  a  soul  miscarry,  and  be  deceived,  that  de- 
parteth  hence  in  a  hope  of  God's  own  causing,  and  encouraging  ? 
Lord,  I  have  lived  in  hope,  I  have  prayed  in  hope,  I  have  labored, 
suffered,  and  waited  in  hope;  and,  by  thy  grace,  I  will  die  in  hope. 
And  is  not  this  according. to  thy  word  and  will?  And  wilt  thou 
cast  away  a  soul  that  hopeth  in  thee,  by  thine  own  command  and 
operation  ?  Had  wealth  and  honor,  or  continuance  on  earth,  or  the 
favor  of  man,  been  my  reward  and  hope,  my  hope  and  I  had  died 
together.  Were  this  our  best,  how  vain  were  man !  But  the 
Lord  liveth,  and  my  Redeemer  is  glorified,  and  intercedeth  for 
me ;  and  the  same  Spirit  is  in  heaven,  who  is  in  my  heart,  (as  the 
same  sun  is  in  the  firmament  which  is  in  my  house,)  and  the  prom- 
ise is  sure  to  all  Christ's  seed.  And  millions  are  now  in  heaven, 
that  once  did  live  and  die  in  hope  ;  they  were  sinners  once,  as  now 
I  am ;  they  had  no  other  Savior,  no  other  Sanotifier,  no  other 
promise  than  I  now  have;  confessing  that  thev  were  strangers  here, 
they  looked  for  a  better  country,  and  for  a  city  that  had  founda- 
tions, even  a  heavenly,  where  now  they  are :  and  shall  I  not  fol- 
low them  in  hope  that  have  sped  so  well?  Hope,  then,  O  my 
soul,  unto  the  end;  1  Pet.  i.  13.  From  henceforth,  and  forever, 
hope  in  the  IxMtl ;  Psalm  cxxxi.  13.  I  will  hope  continually,  and 

"*: 


166  BAXTER'S   DYING  THOUGHTS. 

will  yet  praise  thee  more  and  more  ;  my  mouth  sliall  show  forth 
thy  righteousness  and  salvation  ;  Psalm  Ixxi.  14,  15.  The  Lord  is 
at  my  right  hand;  I  shall  not  be  moved.  My  heart,  therefore,  is 
glad,  and  my  glory  rejoiceth  ;  my  flesh  also  shall  dwell  confident- 
ly, and  rest  in  hope ;  for  God  hath  showed  me  the  path  of  life : 
in  his  presence  is  fullness  of  joy,  and  at  his  right  hand  are  pleasures 
for  evermore  ;  Psalm  xvi.  8—1 1 . 

III.  What  then  remaineth,  O  my  soul,  but  that,  in  trust  and 
hope,  thou  love  thy  God,  thy  Savior,  thy  Comforter,  the  glorious 
society,  thy  own  perfection  in  glorious,  endless,  heavenly  life,  and 
light,  and  love,  and  the  joyful  praises  of  Jehovah,  better  than  this 
burden  of  painful  and  corruptible  flesh,  and  this  howling  wilder- 
ness, the  habitation  of  serpents  and  untamed  brutes,  where  unbe- 
lief and  murmuring,  lust  and  folly,  injustice  and  uncharitableness, 
tyranny  and  divisions,  pride  and  contention,  have  long  provoked 
God?  and  wearied  thee !  Where  the  vintage  and  harvest  is  thorns 
and  thistles,  sin  and  sorrows,  cares  and  crosses,  manured  by  mani- 
fold temptation.  How  odious  is  that  darkness  and  unbelief,  that 
unholiness  and  disaffection,  that  deadness  and  stupidity,  which 
nuaketh  such  a  work  as  this,  so  reasonable,  necessary,  and  pleasant 
a  work,  to  seem  unsuitable  or  hard  ?  It  is  unsuitable  or  hard  to 
the  eye  to  see  the  sun  and  light ;  or  by  it  to  see  the  beautiful 
world?  or  for  a  man  to  love  his  life  or  health,  his  father,  or  his 
friend  ?  What  should  be  easier  to  a  nature  that  hath  rational  love, 
than  to  love  him  that  is  essential  love  itself?  He  that  loveth  all, 
and  giveth  to  all  the  loving  faculty,  should  be  loved  by  all ;  and  he 
that  hath  specially  loved  me,  should  be  specially  loved  by  me. 

Love  is  the  perfection  of  all  thy  preparations.  It  desireth  to 
please  God,  and  therefore  to  be  in  the  most  pleasing  state,  and 
freed  from  all  that  is  displeasing  to  him,  which  is  not  to  be  hoped 
for  on  earth.  It  desireth  all  suitable  nearness,  acquaintance,  union, 
and  communion.  It  is  weary  of  distance,  estrangedness,  and  alien 
society  and  affairs.  It  taketh  advantage  of  every  notice,  intima- 
tion, or  mention  of  God,  to  renew  and  exercise  these  desires.  Ev- 
ery message  and  mercy  from  him  is  fuel  for  love,  and,  while  we 
are  short  of  perfection,  stir  up  our  desires  after  more.  When  love 
tasteth  of  the  grapes,  it  would  have  the  vine.  When  it  tasteth  of 
the  fruits,  it  would  dwell  where  they  grow,  and  possess  the  land. 
Its  thoughts  of  proximity  and  fruition  are  sweet ;  no  other  person 
or  thing  can  satisfy  it.  The  soul  is  where  it  loveth.  If  our 
friend  dwell  in  our  hearts  by  love,  and  if  fleshly  pleasure,  riches, 
and  honor,  do  dwell  in  the  heart  of  the  voluptuous,  the  covetous, 
and  the  proud,  surely  God  and  our  Redeemer,  the  heavenly  socie- 
ty, holiness,  and  glory,  do  dwell  in  the  heart  which  loveth  them 
with  a  fervent  love.  And  if  heaven  dwell  in  my  heart,  shall  I  not 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  167 

desire  to  dwell  in  heaven  ?  Light  and  light,  fire  and  fire,  are  not 
more  inclined  to  union  than  love  and  love ;  gracious  love  and  glo- 
rious love.  Would  divine,  original,  universal  love  communicate 
and  pour  out  itself  more  plentifully  upon  my  heart,  how  easy  would 
it  be  to  leave  this  flesh  and  world,  and  to  hear  the  sentence  of  my 
departure  to  my  God  !  Death  and  the  grave  would  be  but  a  tri- 
umph for  victorious  love.  It  would  be  easier  to  die  in  peace  and 
joy,  than  to  rest  at  night,  or  to  come  home  from  my  travel  to  my 
beloved  friends,  or  to  go,  when  I  am  hungry,  to  a  feast.  A  little 
love  hath  made  me  study  willingly,  and  preach  willingly,  and 
write  willingly,  yea,  and  suffer  somewhat  willingly ;  and  would  not 
more  make  me  go  more  willingly  to  God  ?  Shall  the  imagination 
of  house,  gardens,  walks,  libraries,  prospects,  meadows,  orchards, 
hills,  and  rivers,  allure  the  desires  of  deceived  minds?  And  shall 
not  the  thoughts  of  the  heavenly  mansions,  society,  and  delights, 
much  more  allure  and  draw  up  my  desires  ?  The  reading  of  a 
known  fiction  of  a  Civitas  SoHs,  an  Utopia,  an  Atalantis,  &.C., 
hath  pleased  many  ;  but  if  I  did  believingly  hear  of  such  a  country 
in  the  world,  where  men  did  never  die,  nor  were  sick,  or  weak,  or 
sad ;  where  the  prince  was  perfectly  just  and  pious,  wise  and 
peaceable,  devoted  to  God  and  the  public  good ;  and  the  teachers 
were  all  wise,  judicious  men,  of  universal  certain  knowledge,  per- 
fectly acquainted  with  the  matter  and  method  of  natural  and  theo- 
logical truths,  and  all  their  duty,  and  all  of  one  mind,  and  of  one 
heart,  and  tongue  and  practice,  loving  each  other,  and  the  people 
as  themselves,  and  leading  the  flocks  heavenward,  through  all 
temptations,  with  triumphant  hopes  and  joy  ;  where  all  the  people 
perfectly  obeyed  God,  their  commanders,  and  their  teachers,  and 
lived  in  perfect  love,  unity,  and  peace,  and  were  daily  employed 
in  the  joyful  praises  of  God,  and  hopes  of  glory,  and  in  doing  all 
possible  good  to  one  another,  contending  with  none  through  igno- 
rance, uncharitableness,  or  pride,  nor  ever  reproaching,  injuring,  or 
hurting  one  another,  &tc.  I  say,  if  I  knew  or  heard  of  such  a  coun- 
try, should  I  not  love  it  before  I  ever  see  it,  and  earnestly  desire  to 
be  there  ?  Nay,  do  I  over-love  this  distracted  world,  where  tyran- 
ny sheddeth  streams  of  blood,  and  layeth  desolate  cities  and  coun- 
tries, and  exposeth  the  miserable  inhabitants  to  lamentable  dis- 
tress and  famine  ;  where  the  same  tyranny  sets  up  the  wicked,  re- 
proacheth  and  oppresseth  the  just  and  innocent,  keepeth  out  the 
gospel,  and  keepeth  up  idolatry,  infidelity,  and  wickedness,  in  the 
far  greatest  part  of  all  the  earth ;  where  Satan  chooseth  pastors  too 
often  for  the  churches  of  Christ,  even  such  as  by  ignorance,  pride, 
sensuality,  worldliness,  and  malignity,  become  thorns  and  thistles, 
yea,  devouring  wolves,  to  those  whom  they  should  feed  and  com- 
fort ;  where  no  two  persons  are  in  all  things  of  a  mind ;  where  evil 


168  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

is  commended,  and  truth  and  goodness  accused  and  oppressed,  be- 
cause men's  minds  are  unacquainted  with  them,  or  unsuitable  to 
them.  And  those  that  are  the  greatest  pretenders  to  truth  do  most 
eagerly  contend  against  it,  and  oppose  it ;  and  almost  all  the 
world  are  scolding  or  scuffling  in  the  dark ;  and  where  there  ap- 
peareth  but  little  hopes  of  a  remedy, — I  say,  can  I  love  such  a  world 
as  this?  And  shall  I  not  think  more  delightfully  of  the  inheritance 
of  the  saints  in  light,  and  the  uniting  love  and  joyful  praises  of  the 
church  triumphant,  and  the  heavenly  choir? 

Should  I  not  Ipve  a  lovely 'and  a  loving  world  much  better  than 
a  world  where  there  is,  comparatively,  so  little  loveliness  or  love  ? 
All  that  is  of  God  is  good  and  lovely  ;  but  it  is  not  here  that  his 
glory  shineth  in  felicitating  splendor.  I  am  taught  to  look  upward 
when  I  pray,  and  to  say,  "  Our  Father,  which  art  in  heavem" 
God's  works  are  amiable,  even  in  hell ;  and  yet,  though  I  would 
know  them,  I  would  not  be  there.  And,  alas  !  how  much  of  the 
works  of  man  are  mixed  here  with  the  works  of  God  !  Here  is 
God's  wisdom  manifest ;  but  here  is  man's  obstinate  folly.  Here 
is  God's  government ;  but  here  is  man's  tyranny  and  unruliness. 
Here  is  God's  love  and  mercies ;  but  here  are  men's  malice,  wrath 
and  cruelty  ;  by  which  they  are  worse  to  one  another  than  wolves 
and  tigers,  depopulating  countries,  and  filling  the  world  with  blood- 
shed, famine,  misery,  and  lamentations ;  proud  tyrants  being  worse 
than  raging  plagues,  which  made  David  choose  the  pestilence  be- 
fore his  enemies'  pursuit.  Here  is  much  of  God's  beauteous  order 
and  harmony  ;  but  here  is  also  much  of  man's  madness,  deformity, 
and  confusion.  Here  is  much  historical  truth,  and  some  eccle- 
siastical justice ;  but,  alas !  with  how  much  odious  falsehood  and 
injustice  is  it  mixed  ?  Here  is  much  precious  theological  verity ; 
but  how  dark  is  much  of  it  to  such  blind,  and  negligent,  and  cor- 
rupted minds  as  every  where  abound !  Here  are  wise,  judicious 
teachers  and  companions  to  be  found  ;  but,  alas  !  how  few,  in  com- 
parison of  the  most ;  and  how  hardly  known  by  those  that  need 
them  !  Here  are  sound  and  orthodox  ministers  of  Christ ;  but  how 
few  that  most  need  them  know  which  are  they,  and  how  to  value 
them  or  use  them  !  And  how  many  thousands  of  seduced  or  sen- 
sual sinners  are  made  to  believe  that  they  are  but  deceivers,  or, 
as  they  called  Paul,  pestilent  fellows,  and  movers  of  sedition 
among  the  people  !  And  in  how  many  parts  of  the  world  are  they 
as  the  prophets  that  Obadiah  hid  in  caves,  or  as  Micaiah,  or  Elias 
among  the  lying  prophets,  or  the  Baalites !  though  such  as  of 
whom  the  world  is  not  worthy.  And  is  that  world,  then,  more 
worthy  of  our  love  than  heaven?  There  are  worthy  and  religious 
families  which  honor  God,  and  are  honored  by  him ;  but,  alas  ! 
how  few !  and  usually  by  the  temptations  of  wealth,  and  worldly 


BAXTER'S  DYING   THOUGHTS.        ,  J69 

interest,  how  full  even  of  the  sins  of  Sodom,  pride,  fullness  of 
bread,  and  abundance  of  idleness,  if  not  also  unmercifulness  to  the 
poor!  And  how  are  they  tempted  to  plead  for  their  sins  and 
snares,  and  account  it  rustic  ignorance  which  contradicted i  them  ! 
And  how  few  pious  families  are  there  of  the  greater  sort,  that  do 
not  quickly  degenerate  ;  and  posterity,  by  false  religion,  error  or 
sensuality,  grow  most  contrary  to  the  minds  of  their  pious  progeni- 
tors. There  are  many  that  educate  their  children  wisely  in  the 
fear  of  God,  and  have,  accordingly,  comfort  in  them ;  but  how 
many  are  there,  that,  having  devoted  them  in  baptism  to  God,  do 
train  them  up  in  the  service  of  the  flesh,  the  world  and  the  devil, 
which  they  renounced,  and  never  understood,  or  at  least  intended, 
for  themselves  or  children,  what  they  did  profess !  How  many 
parents  think  that  when  they  offer  their  children  to  God  in  bap- 
tism, without  a  sober  and  due  consideration  of  the  nature  and 
meaning  of  that  great  covenant  with  God,  that  God  must  accept 
and  certainly  regenerate  and  save  them  !  Yea,  too  many  religious 
parents  forget  that  they  themselves  are  sponsors  in  that  covenant, 
and  undertake  to  use  the  means,  on  their  part,  to  make  their  chil- 
dren fit  for  the  grace  of  the  Son,  and  the  communion  of  the  Spirit, 
as  they  grow  up,  and  think  that  God  should  absolutely  sanctify, 
keep,  and  save  them  at  age,  because  they  are  theirs,  and  were 
baptized,  though  they  keep  them  not  from  great  and  unnecessary 
temptations,  nor  teach  them  plainly  and  seriously  the  meaning  of 
the  covenant  which  was  made  for  them  with  God,  as  to  the  nature, 
benefits  or  conditions  of  it.  How  many  send  them  to  others  to  be 
taught  in  grammar,  logic,  philosophy,  or  arts,  yea,  and  divinity, 
before  their  own  parents  ever  taught  them  what  they  did  with  God 
in  baptism,  what  they  received,  and  what  they  promised  and 
vowed  to  do !  They  send  them  to  trades,  or  secular  callings,  or 
to  travel  in  foreign  lands,  among  a  multitude  of  snares,  among 
tempting  company,  and  tempting  baits,  before  ever  at  home  they 
were  instructed,  armed,  and  settled  against  those  temptations  which 
they  must  needs  encounter,  and  which,  if  they  overcome  them, 
they  are  undone.  How  ordinarily,  when  they  have  first  neglected 
this  great  duty  of  their  own,  for  their  fortification,  do  they  plead  a 
necessity  of  thrusting  them  out  on  these  temptations,  though  utterly 
unarmed,  from  some  punctilio  of  honor,  or  conformity  to  the  world, 
to  avoid  the  contempt  of  worldly  men,  or  to  adorn  their  (yet 
naked)  souls  with  some  of  the  plumes  or  painted  trifles,  ceremo- 
nies, or  compliments,  which  will  never  serve  instead  of  heavenly 
wisdom,  mortification,  and  the  love  of  God  and  man  !  As  if  they 
were  like  to  learn  that  fear  of  God  in  a  crowd  of  diverting  and 
tempting  company,  baits,  and  business,  which  they  never  learned 
(  nder  the  tea  'hinjj;.  nurture,  and  daily  oversight,  of  their  religious 
vor,,  ii.  22 


J70  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

parents,  in  a  safer  station  ;  or  as  if,  for  some  little  reason,  they 
might  send  them  as  to  sea  without  pilot  or  anchor,  and  think  that 
God  must  save  them  from  the  waves  ;  or  as  if  it  were  better  to  enter 
them  into  Satan's  school,  or  army,  and  venture  them  upon  the  no- 
torious clanger  of  damnation,  than  to  miss  of  preferment  and 
wealth,  or  of  the  fashions  and  favor  of  the  times;  and  then  when 
they  hear  that  they  have  forsaken  God,  and  true  religion,  and 
given  up  themselves  to  lust  and  sensuality,  and,  perhaps,  as  ene- 
mies to  God  and  good  men,  destroy,  what  their  parents  labored  to 
build  up,  these  parents  wonder  at  God's  judgments,  and  with  broken 
hearts  lament  their  infelicity,  when  it  were  better  to  lament  their 
own  misdoing,  and  it  had  been  best  of  all  to  have  lamented  it. 

Thus  families,  churches,  and  kingdoms,  run  on  to  blindness,  un- 
godliness, and  confusion  :  self-undoing,  and  serving  the  malice  of 
Satan  for  fleshly  lust,  is  the  too  common  employment  of  mankind  : 
all  is  wise,  and  good,  and  sweet,  which  is  prescribed  us  by  God, 
in  true  nature,  or  supernatural  revelation  ;  but  folly,  sin,  and  mis- 
ery, mistaking  themselves  to  be  wit,  and  honesty,  and  prosperity, 
and  raging  against  that  which  nominally  they  pretend  to  and  pro- 
fess, are  the  ordinary  case  and  course  of  the  most  of  men;  and 
when  we  would  plead  them  out  of  their  deceit  and  misery,  it  is 
well  if  we  are  not  tempted  to  imitate  them,  or  be  not  partly  in- 
fected with  their  disease,  or  at  least  reproached  and  oppressed  as 
their  enemies  :  such  a  Bedlam  is  most  of  the  world  become,  where 
madness  goeth  for  the  only  wisdom,  and  he  is  the  bravest  man  that 
can  sin  and  be  damned  with  reputation  and  renown,  and  success- 
fully drive  or  draw  the  greatest  number  with  him  unto  hell ;  to 
which  the  world  hath  no  small  likeness,  forsaking  God,  and  being 
very  much  forsaken  by  him. 

This  is  the  world  which  standeth  in  competition  for  my  love, 
with  the  spiritual,  blessed  world  :  much  of  God's  mercies  and  com- 
forts I  have  here  had  ;  but  their  sweetness  was  their  taste  of  divine 
love,  and  their  tendency  to  heavenly  perfection.  What  was  the 
end  and  use  of  all  the  good  that  ever  I  saw.  or  that  ever  God  did 
for  my  soul  or  body,  but  to  teach  me  to  love  him,  and  long  for 
more  ?  How  many  weaning  experiences ;  how  many  thousand 
bitter  or  contemning  thoughts  have  I  had  of  all  the  glory  and 
pleasures  of  this  world!  How  many  thousand  love  tokens  from 
God  have  called  me  to  believe  and  taste  his  goodness  !  Wherever 
1  go,  and  which  w;ay  soever  I  look,  I  see  vanity  and  vexation 
written  upon  all  things  in  this  world,  so  far  as  they  stand  in  com- 
petition with  God,  and  would  be  the  end  and  portion  of  a  fleshly 
mind  ;  and  I  see  holiness  to  the  Lord  written  upon  every  thing  in 
this  world,  so  far  as  it  cleclareth  God  and  leadeth  me  to  him,  as 
my  ultimate  end.  God  hath  not  for  nothing  engaged  me  in  war 


IHX.TKKS     UV1NL.     TH.MUHTi. 


against  lliis  \vorltl,  and  commanded  me  to  take  and  use  it  as  mine 
enemy :  the  emptiness,  dangerousness.  and  bitterness  of  the  world, 
and  the  all-sufficiency,  trustiness,  and  goodness  of  God,  have  been 
the  sum  of  all  the  experiences  of  my  life.  And  shall  a  worldly, 
backward  heart  overcome  the  teaching  of  nature,  Scripture,  the 
Spirit  of  grace,  and  all  experience?  Far  be  it  from  me ! 

But,  O  my  God !  love  is  thy  great  and  special  gift :  all  good  is 
from  thee :  but  love  is  the  godlike  nature,  life,  and  image :  it  is 
given  us  from  the  love  of  the  Father,  the  grace  of  the  Son,  and 
the  quickening,  illuminating,  and  sanctifying  operation  of  the  Holy 
Spirit :  what  can  the  earth  return  unto  the  sun,  but  its  own  reflect- 
ed beams, — if  those  ?  As,  how  far  soever  man  is  a  medium  in 
generation,  nature,  and  that  appetite  which  is  the  moving  pondus 
in  the  child,  is  thy  work ;  so  whatever  is  man's  part  in  the  mediate 
work  of  believing  and  repenting,  (which  yet  is  not  done  without 
thy  Spirit  and  grace,)  certainly  it  is  the  blessed  Regenerator, 
which  must  make  us  new  creatures,  by  giving  us  thy  divine  nature, 
holy  love,  which  is  the  holy  appetite  and  pondus  of  the  soul. 
Come  down,  Lord,  into  this  heart,  for  it  cannot  come  up  to  thee. 
Can  the  plants  for  life,  or  the  eye  for  light,  go  up  unto  the  sun  ? 
Dwell  in  me  by  the  Spirit  of  love,  and  I  shall  dwell  by  love  in 
thee.  Reason  is  weak,  and  thoughts  are  various,  and  man  will  be 
a  slippery,  uncertain  wight,  if  love  be  not  his  fixing  principle,  and 
do  not  incline  his  soul  to  thee :  surely  through  thy  grace  I  easily 
feel  that  I  love  thy  word,  I  love  thy  image,  I  love  thy  work,  and, 
O,  how  heartily  do  I  love  to  love  thee,  and  long  to  know  and  love 
thee  more  !  And  if  all  things  be  of  thee,  and  through  thee,  and 
to  thee,  surely  this  love  to  the  beams  of  thy  glory  here  on  earth  is 
eminently  so !  It  is  thee,  Lord,  that  it  meaneth :  to  thee  it  look- 
eth  :  it  is  thee  it  serveth  :  for  thee  it  mourns,  and  seeks,  and  groans  : 
in  thee  it  trusts  ;  and  the  hope,  and  peace,  and  comfort  which  sap- 
port  me,  are  in  thee.  When  I  was  a  returning  prodigal  in  rags, 
thou  sawest  me  afar  off,  and  didst  meet  me  with  thy  embracing, 
feasting  love ;  and  shall  I  doubt  whether  he  that  hath  better 
clothed  me,  and  dwelt  within  me,  will  entertain  me  with  a  feast  of 
greater  love  in  the  heavenly  mansions,  the  world  of  love  ? 

The  suitableness  of  things  below  to  my  fleshly  nature,  hath 
detained  my  affections  too  much  on  earth  ;  and  shall  not  the  suit- 
ableness of  things  above  to  my  spiritual  nature  much  more  draw 
up  my  love  to  heaven  ?  There  is  the  God  whom  I  have  sought 
and  served  :  he  is  also  here  ;  but  veiled,  and  but  little  known  :  but 
there  he  shineth  to  heavenly  spirits  in  heavenly  glory.  There  is 
the  Savior  in  whom  I  have  believed :  he  hath  also  dwelt  in  flesh 
on  earth  ;  but  clothed  in  such  meanness,  and  humbled  to  such  a 
life  and  death,  as  was  to  the  Jews  a  stumbling-block,  and  to  the 


BAXTKKS  DYING  THOUGHTS. 


Gentiles  matter  of  reproach  :  but  he  shineth  and  reigneth  now  in 
glory,  above  the  malice  and  contempt  of  sinners.  And  I  shall 
there  live  because  he  liveth  ;  and  in  his  light  I  shall  have  light. 
He  loved  me  here  with  a  redeeming,  regenerating,  and  preserving 
love  :  but  there  he  will  love  me  with  a  perfecting,  glorifying,  joy- 
ful love.  I  had  here  some  rays  of  heavenly  light:  but  inter- 
positions caused  eclipses  and  nights,  yea,  some  long  and  winter 
nights:  but  there  I  shall  dwell  in  the  city  of  the  sun,  the  city  of 
God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  where  there  is  no  night,  eclipse,  or 
darkness  :  there  are  the  heavenly  hosts,  whose  holy  love,  and 
joyful  praises,  I  would  fain  be  a  partaker  of!  I  have  here  had 
some  of  their  loving  assistance,  but  to  me  unseen,  being  above  our 
fleshly  way  of  converse  ;  but  there  I  shall  be  with  them,  of  the 
like  nature,  in  the  same  orb,  and  of  the  same  triumphant  church 
and  choir  !  There  are  perfected  souls  gathered  home  to  Christ  : 
not,  as  here,  striving,  like  Esau  and  Jacob  in  the  womb  ;  nor  yet 
as  John  when  he  leaped  in  the  womb,  because  of  his  mother's  joy  ; 
nor  as  wrangling  children,  that  are  hardly  kept  in  the  same  house 
in  peace  :  not  like  the  servants  of  Abraham  and  Lot,  like  Paul 
and  Barnabas,  like  Epiphanius  and  Chrysostom,  like  Luther  and 
Carolostadius,  like  Ridley  and  Hooper,  or  the  many  striving  par- 
ties now  among  us  ;  nor  like  the  disciples  striving  who  should  be 
the  greatest  :  not  like  Noah's  family  in  a  wicked  world,  or  Lot  in 
a  wicked  city,  or  Abraham  in  an  idolatrous  land  ;  nor  like  Elijah 
left  alone  ;  nor  like  those  that  wandered  in  sheep-skins  and  goat- 
skins, destitute,  afflicted,  and  tormented,  hid  in  dens  and  caves  of 
the  earth  :  not  like  Job  on  the  dunghill  ;  nor  like  Lazarus  at  the 
rich  man's  door  :  not  like  the  African  bishops,  whose  tongues  were 
cut  out  ;  nor  like  the  preachers  silenced  by  Popish  imposers  ;  (in 
Germany  by  the  interim,  or  elsewhere  ;)  nor  like  such  as  Tze- 
gedine,  Peucer,  and  many  other  worthy  men,  whose  maturest  age 
was  spent  in  prisons  :  not  as  we  poor  bewildered  sinners,  feeling 
evil,  and  fearing  more,  confounded  in  folly  and  mad  contention, 
some  hating  the  only  way  of  peace,  and  others  groping  for  it  in 
the  dark,  wandering  and  lost  in  the  clearest  light,  where  the  illu- 
minated can  but  pity  the  blind,  but  cannot  make  them  willing  to 
be  delivered.  What  is  heaven  to  me,  but  God  ?  God,  who  is 
life,  and  light,  and  love,  communicating  himself  to  blessed  spirits, 
perfecting  them  in  the  reception,  possession,  and  exercise  of  life, 
and  light,  and  love,  forever.  These  are  not  the  accidents,  but 
the  essence  of  that  God  who  is  heaven  and  all  to  me.  Should  I 
fear  that  death  which  passeth  me  to  infinite,  essential  life  ?  Should 
I  fear  a  darksome  passage  into  a  world  of  perfect  light  ?  Should  I 
fear  to  go  to  love  itself?  Think,  O  my  soul,  what  the  sun's 
quickening  light  and  heat  is  to  this  lower,  corporeal  world  ?  Much 


i»vix<,  tHWfinTs.  17'i 

more  is  God,  even  infinite  life,  and  light,  and  love,  to  the  blessed 
world  above.  Doth  it  not  draw  out  thy  desires  to  think  of  going 
into  a  world  of  love  ?  When  love  will  be  our  region,  our  company, 
our  life ;  more  to  us  than  the  air  is  for  our  breath,  than  the  light 
is  for  our  sight,  than  our  food  is  for  our  life,  than  our  friends  are 
for  our  solace  ;  and  more  to  us  than  we  are  to  ourselves.  O  ex- 
cellent grace  of  faith  which  doth  foresee,  and  blessed  word  of  faith 
that  doth  foreshow,  this  world  of  love  !  Shall  I  fear  to  enter  where 
there  is  no  wrath,  no  fear,  no  strangeness,  nor  suspicion,  nor  selfish 
separation,  but  love  will  make  every  holy  spirit  as  dear  and  lovely 
to  rne  as  myself,  and  me  to  them  as  lovely  as  themselves,  and 
God  to  us  all  more  amiable  than  ourselves  and  all ;  where  love 
will  have  no  defects  or  distances,  no  damps  or  discouragements, 
no  discontinuance  or  mixed  disaffection ;  but  as  life  will  be  without 
death,  and  light  without  darkness,  (a  perfect,  everlasting  day  of 
glory,)  so  will  love  be  without  any  hatred,  unkindness,  or  allay. 
As  many  coals  make  one  fire,  and  many  candles  conjoined  make 
one  light,  so  will  many  living  spirits  make  one  life,  and  many 
illuminated,  glorious  spirits,  one  light  and  glory,  and  many  spirits, 
naturalized  into  love,  will  make  one  perfect  love  of  God,  and  be 
loved  as  one  by  God  forever ;  for  all  the  body  of  Christ  is  one : 
even  here  it  is  one  in  initial  union  of  the  Spirit,  and  relation  to 
one  God,  and  Head,  and  Life,  (1  Cor.  xii.  throughout ;  Eph.  iv. 
1 — 17.)  and  shall  be  presented  as  beloved  and  spotless  to  God, 
when  the  great  marriage  day  of  the  Lamb  shall  come ;  Eph.  v. 
24,  25,  &c.  Rev.  Ixxi.  and  xxii. 

Hadst  thou  not  given  me,  O  Lord,  the  life  of  nature,  I  should 
have  had  no  conceptions  of  a  glorious,  everlasting  life  :  but  if  thou 
give  me  not  the  life  of  grace,  I  shall  have  no  sufficient  delightful 
inclination  and  desire  after  it.  Hadst  thou  not  given  none  sight  and 
reason,  the  light  of  nature,  I  should  not  have  thought  how  desi- 
rable it  is  to  live  in  the  glorious  light  and  vision ;  but  if  thou  give 
me  not  the  spiritual  illumination  of  a  seeing  faith,  I  shall  not  yet 
long  for  the  glorious  light,  and  beatific  vision.  Hadst  thou  not 
given  me  a  will  and  love,  which  is  part  of  my  very  nature  itself, 
I  could  not  have  tasted  how  desirable  it  is  to  live  in  a  world  of 
universal,  perfect,  endless  love:  but  unless  thou  also  shed  abroad 
thy  love  upon  my  heart,  by  the  Spirit  of  Jesus,  the  great  medium 
of  love,  and  turn  my  very  nature  or  inclination  into  divine  and 
holy  love,  I  shall  not  long  for  the  world  of  love.  Appetite  follow- 
eth  nature :  O !  give  me  not  only  the  image  and  the  art  of  god- 
liness ;  the  approaches  towards  it,  nor  only  some  forced  or  un- 
constant  acts;  but  give  me  the  divine  nature,  which  is  holy  love, 
and  then  my  soul  will  hasten  towards  thee,  and  cry,  '  How  long, 
O  Lord,  how  long!  O  come,  come  quickly,  make  no  delay.' 


174          BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

Surely  the  fear  of  dying  intimateth  some  contrary  love  that  inclin- 
eth  the  soul  another  way ;  and  some  shameful  unbelief,  and  great 
unapprehensiveness  of  the  attractive  glory  of  the  world  of  love  ; 
otherwise  no  frozen  person  so  lougeth  for  the  fire,  none  in  a  dun- 
geon so  desireth  ligm,  as  we  should  long  for  the  heavenly  light 
and  love. 

God's  infinite,  essential  self-love,  in  which  he  is  eternally  de- 
lighted in  himself,  is  the  most  amiable  object,  and  heaven  itself  to 
saints  and  angels ;  and  next  to  that  his  love  to  all  his  works,  to 
the  world,  and  to  the  church  in  heaven,  speaketh  much  more  of 
his  loveliness  than  his  love  to  me.  But  yet  due  self-love  in  me 
is  his  work,  and  part  of  his  natural  image ;  and  when  this  by  sin  is 
grown  up  to  excess,  (through-  the  withdrawing  of  a  contracted, 
narrow  soul,  from  the  union  and  due  love  to  my  fellow-creatures, 
and  to  God,)  I  must  also,  -I  cannot  but,  inquire  after  God's  love 
to  me ;  and  by  this  my  desires  must  be  moved ;  for  I  am  not  so 
capable  of  ascending  above  self-interest,  and  self-love,  as  in  the 
state  of  glorious  union  I  shall  be.  I  am  glad  to  perceive  that 
others  do  love  God ;  and  I  love  those  most  that  I  find  most  love 
him ;  but  it  is  not  other  men's  love  to  God  that  will  be  accepted 
by  him  instead  of  mine ;  nor  is  it  God's  love  to  others  (which  yet 
rejoiceth  me)  that  will  satisfy  me,  without  his  love  to  me.  But 
when  all  these  are  still  before  me,  God's  essential  self-love  and 
delight,  his  love  to  his  creatures,  especially  the  glorified,  and  his 
love  to  me  also,  even  to  me,  a  vile,  unworthy  sinner ;  what,  then, 
should  stay  my  ascending  love,  or  discourage  my  desires  to  be 
with  God  ? 

And  dost  thou  doubt,  canst  thou  doubt,  O  my  soul,  whether 
thou  art  going  to  a  God  that  loveth  thee  ?  If  the  Jews  discerned 
the  great  love  of  Christ  to  Lazarus  by  his  tears,  canst  thou  not 
discern  his  love  to  thee  in  his  blood  ?  It  is,  nevertheless,  but  the 
more  obliging  and  amiable  that  it  was  not  shed  for  thee  alone, 
but  for  many.  May  I  not  say  as  Paul,  (Gal.  ii.  20.)  "  I  live  by 
the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  that  hath  loved  me,  and  given  himself 
for  me."  Yea,  it  is  not  so  much  I  that  live,  as  Christ  liveth  in 
me ;  and  will  he  forsake  the  habitation  which  his  love  hath  chosen, 
and  which  he  hath  so  dearly  bought  ?  O,  read  often  that  tri- 
umphing chapter,  Rom.  viii.,  and  conclude,  "  What  shall  separate 
us  from  the  love  of  God  ?  "  If  life  have  not  done  it,  death  shall 
not  do  it.  If  leaning  on  his  breast  at  meat  was  a  token  of  Christ's 
special  love  to  John,  is  not  his  dwelling  in  me  by  my  faith,  and 
his  living  in  me  by  his  Spirit,  a  sure  token  of  his  love  to  me  ?  And 
if  a  dark  saying,  "  If  he  tarry  till  I  come,  what  is  that  to  thee  ?  " 
raised  a  report  that  the  beloved  disciple  should  not  die,  why  should 
not  plain  promises  assure  me  that  I  shall  live  with  him  that  loveth 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.  175 

me  forever?  Be  not  so  unthankful,  O  my  soul,  as  to  question, 
doubtingly,  whether  thy  heavenly  Father,  and  thy  Lord,  doth 
love  thee.  Canst  thou  forget  the  sealed  testimonies  of  it  ?  Did 
I  not  even  now  repeat  so  many  as  should  shame  my  doubts  ?  A 
multitude  of  thy  friends  have  loved  thee  so  entirely,  that  thou 
canst  not  doubt  of  it ;  and  did  any  of  them  signify  their  love  with 
the  convincing  evidence  that  God  hath  done  ?  Have  they  done 
for  thee  what  he  hath  done  ?  Are  they  love  itself?  Is  their  love 
so  full,  so  firm,  and  so  unchangeable,  as  his?  My  thoughts  of 
heaven  are  the  sweeter,  because  abundance  of  my  ancient,  lovely, 
and  loving  holy  friends  are  there ;  and  I  am  the  willinger,  by 
death,  to  follow  them.  And  should  I  not  think  of  it  more  pleas- 
edly  because  my  God  and  Father,  my  Savior,  and  my  Comforter, 
is  there?  And  not  alone,  but  with  all  the  society  of  love.  Was 
not  Lazarus  in  the  bosom  of  God  himself?  Yet  it  is  said  that  he 
was  in  Abraham's  bosom ;  as  the  promise  runs,  that  we  shall  sit 
down  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 
And  what  maketh  the  society  of  the  saints  so  sweet  as  holy  love  ? 
It  is  comfortable  to  read,  that  "  to  love  the  Lord  our  God  with 
all  our  heart,  and  soul,  and  might,"  is  the  first  and  great  command- 
ment ;  and  the  second  is  like  to  it,  "  to  love  our  neighbor  as  our- 
selves." For  God's  commands  proceed  from  that  will  which  is 
his  nature,  or  essence,  and  they  tend  to  the  same  as  their  objective 
end.  Therefore,  he  that  hath  made  love  the  great  command, 
doth  tell  us  that  love  is  the  great  conception  of  his  own  essence, 
the  spring  of  that  command  ;  and  that  this  commanded,  imperfect 
love  doth  tend  to  perfect,  heavenly  love,  even  to  our  communion 
with  essential,  infinite  love.  It  were  strange,  that  the  love  and 
goodness  which  is  equal  to  the  power  that  made  the  world,  and 
the  wisdom  that  ordereth  it,  should  be  scant  and  backward  to  do 
good,  and  to  be  suspected  more  than  the  love  of  friends  !  The  re- 
membrance of  the  holiness,  humility,  love,  and  faithfulness,  of  my 
dearest  friends  of  every  rank,  with  whom  I  have  conversed  on 
earth,  in  every  place  where  I  have  lived,  is  so  sweet  to  me,  that  I 
am  oft  ready  to  recreate  myself  with  the  naming  of  such  as  are 
now  with  Christ.  But  in  heaven  they  will  love  me  better  than 
they  did  on  earth ;  and  my  love  to  them  will  be  more  pleasant. 
But  all  these  sparks  are  little  to  the  sun. 

Every  place  that  I  have  lived  in  was  a  place  of  divine  love, 
which  there  set  up  its  obliging  monuments.  Every  year  and  hour 
of  my  life  hath  been  a  time  of  love  ;  every  friend,  and  every  neigh- 
bor, yea,  every  enemy,  have  been  the  messengers  and  instruments 
of  love  ;  every  state  and  change  of  my  life,  notwithstanding  my 
sin,  hath  opened  to  me  treasures  and  mysteries  of  love.  And  af- 
ter such  a  life  of  love,  shall  I  doubt  whether  the  same  God  do  love 


176          BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

me  ?  Is  he  the  God  of  the  mountains,  and  not  of  the  valleys  ? 
Did  he  love  me  in  my  youth  and  health,  and  doth  he  not  love  me 
in  my  age,  and  pain,  and  sickness?  Did  he  love  all  the  faithful 
hetter  in  their  life  than  at  their  death  ?  If  our  hope  be  not  chiefly 
in  this  life,  neither  is  our  state  of  love,  which  is  principally  the 
heavenly,  endless  grace.  My  groans  grieve  my  friends,  but  abate 
not  their  love.  Did  he  love  me  for  my  strength,  my  weakness 
might  be  my  fear;  as  they  that  love  for  beauty  loathe  them  that 
are  deformed,  and  they  that  love  for  riches  despise  the  poor.  But 
God  loved  me  when  I  was  his  enemy,  to  make  me  a  friend,  and 
when  I  was  bad,  to  make  me  better.  Whatever  he  taketh  pleas- 
ure is  in  his  own  gift.  Who  made  me  to  differ  ?  And  what  have 
I  that  I  have  not  received  ?  And  God  will  finish  the  work,  the 
building,  the  warfare,  that  is  his  own.  O,  the  multitude  of  mer- 
cies to  my  soul  and  body,  in  peace  and  war,  in  youth  and  age,  to 
myself  and  friends,  the  many  great  and  gracious  deliverances  which 
have  testified  to  me  the  love  of  God  !  Have  I  lived  in  the  expe- 
rience of  it,  and  shall  I  die  in  the  doubts  of  it  ?  Had  it  been  love 
only  to-my  body,  it  would  have  died  with  me,  and  not  have  ac- 
companied my  departing  soul.  I  am  not  much  in  doubt  of  the 
truth  of  my  love  to  him ;  though  I  have  not  seen  him,  save  as  in 
a  glass,  as  in  a  glass  seen  I  love  him.  I  love  my  brethren  whom 
I  have  seen,  and  those  most  that  are  most  in  love  with  him.  I 
love  his  word,  and  works,  and  ways,  and  fain  I  would  be  nearer 
to  him,  and  love  him  more ;  and  I  loath  myself  for  loving  him  no 
better.  And  shall  Peter  say  more  confidently,  "  Thou  knowest 
that  I  love  thee,"  than  "  I  know  that  thou  lovest  me  ?  "  Yes,  he 
may ;  because,  though  God's  love  is  greater  and  steadfaster  than 
ours,  yet  our  knowledge  of  his  great  love  is  less  than  his  knowledge 
of  our  little  love ;  and  as  we  are  defective  in  our  own  love,  so  are 
we  in  our  certainty  of  its  sincerity.  And  without  the  knowledge 
of  our  love  to  God,  we  can  never  be  sure  of  his  special  love  to  us. 
But  yet  I  am  not  utterly  a  stranger  to  myself;  I  know  for  what  1 
have  lived  and  labored  in  the  world,  and  who  it  is  that  I  have  desir- 
ed to  please.  The  God  whose  I  am,  and  whom  I  serve,  hath  loved 
me  in  my  youth,  and  he  will  love  me  in  my  aged  weakness.  My 
flesh  and  my  heart  fail ;  my  pains  seem  grievous  to  the  flesh  ;  but 
it  is  love  that  chooseth  them,  that  useth  them  for  my  good,  that 
moderateth  them,  and  will  shortly  end  them.  Why,  then,  should 
I  doubt  of  my  Father's  love?  Shall  pain  or  dying  make  me  doubt? 
Did  God  love  none  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  but  Enoch 
and  Elias  ?  And  what  am  I  better  than  my  forefathers  ?  What 
is  in  me  that  1  should  expect  exemption  from  the  common  lot  of 
mankind  ?  Is  not  a  competent  time  of  great  mercy  on  earth,  in 
order  to  the  unseen  felicity,  all  that  the  best  of  men  can  hope  for ? 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS.          177 

O  for  a  clearer,  stronger  faith,  to  show  me  the  world  that  more  ex- 
celleth  this,  than  this  excelleth  the  womb  where  I  was  conceived ! 
Then  should  I  not  fear  my  third  birth-day,  what  pangs  soever  go 
before  it ;  nor  be  unwilling  of  my  change.  The  grave,  indeed,  is 
a  bed  that  nature  doth  abhor,  yet  there  the  weary  be  at  rest.  But 
.'ouls  new  born  have  a  double  nature  that  is  immortal,  and  go  to 
the  place  that  is  agreeable  to  their  nature,  even  to  the  region  of 
spirits,  and  the  region  of  holy  love.  Even  passive  matter,  that 
hath  no  other  natural  motion,  hath  a  natural  inclination  to  uniting, 
aggregative  motion.  And  God  maketh  all  natures  suitable  to  their 
proper  ends  and  use.  How  can  it  be  that  a  spirit  should  not  in- 
cline to  be  with  spirits  ?  and  souls  that  have  the  divine  nature  in 
holy  love,  desire  to  be  with  the  God  of  love  ?  Arts,  and  sciences, 
and  tongues,  become  not  a  nature  to  us ;  else  they  would  not  cease 
at  death.  But  holy  love  is  our  new  nature,  and,  therefore,  ceas- 
eth  not  with  this  bodily  life.  And  shall  accidental  love  make  mo 
desire  the  company  of  a  frail  and  mutable  friend  ?  And  shall  not 
this  engrafted,  inseparable  love  make  me  long  to  be  with  Christ? 
Though  the  love  of  God  to  all  his  creatures  will  not  prove  that 
they  are  all  immortal,  nor  oblige  them  to  expect  another  life,  that 
never  had  capacity  or  faculties  to  expect  it ;  yet  his  love  to  such 
as  in  nature  and  grace  are  made  capable  of  it,  doth  warrant  and 
oblige  them  to  believe  and  hope  for  the  full  perfection  of  the  work 
of  love.  Some  comfort  themselves  in  the  love  of  St.  Peter,  as 
having  the  keys  of  heaven.  And  how  many  could  I  name  that 
are  now  with  Christ,  who  loved  me  so  faithfully  on  earth,  that, 
were  I  sure  they  had  the  keys  and  power  of  heaven,  and  were  not 
changed  in  their  love,  I  could  put  my  departing  soul  into  their 
hands,  and  die  with  joy  !  And  is  it  not  better  in  the  hand  of  my 
Redeemer,  and  the  God  of  love,  and  Father  of  spirits  ?  Is  any 
love  comparable  to  his  ;  or  any  friend  so  boldly  to  be  trusted  ?  I 
should  take  it  for  ungrateful  unkindness  in  my  friend  to  doubt  of 
my  love  and  trustiness,  if  I  had  given  him  all  that  he  hath,  and 
maintained  him  constantly  by  my  kindness :  but,  O,  how  odious  a 
thing  is  sin !  which,  by  destroying  our  love  to  God,  doth  make  us 
unmeet  to  believe  and  sweetly  perceive  his  love ;  and  by  making 
us  doubt  of  the  love  of  God,  and  lose  the  pleasant  relish  of  it,  doth 
more  increase  our  difficulty  of  loving  him  !  The  title  that  the  an- 
gel gave  to  Daniel,  "A  man  greatly  beloved  of  God,"  methinks 
should  be  enough  to  make  one  joyfully  love  and  trust  God,  both  in 
life  and  death.  Will  almighty  love  ever  hurt  me,  or  forsake  me  ? 
And  have  not  all  saints  that  title  in  their  degrees  ?  What  else  sig- 
nifieth  their  mark  and  name,  Holiness  to  the  Lord  ?  What  is  it 
but  our  separation  to  God,  as  his  peculiar,  beloved  people  ?  And 
how  are  they  separated  but  by  mutual  love,  and  our  forsaking  all 
VOL.  IT.  23 


178  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

that  alienateth,  or  is  contrary  ?  Let  scorners  deride  us  as  self- 
flatterer?,  that  believe  they  are  God's  darlings ;  and  woe  to  the 
hypocrites  that  believe  it  on  their  false  presumption  !  Without 
such  belief  or  grounded  hopes,  I  see  not  how  any  man  can  die  in 
true  peace.  He  that  is  no  otherwise  beloved  than  hypocrites  and 
unbelievers,  must  have  his  portion  with  them.  And  he  that  is  no 
otherwise  beloved  than  as  the  ungodly,  unholy,  and  unregenerate, 
shall  not  stand  in  judgment,  nor  see  God,  nor  enter  into  his  king- 
dom. Most  upright  souls  are  to  blame  for  groundless  doubting  of 
God's  love ;  but  not  for  acknowledging  it,  rejoicing  in  it,  and,  in 
their  doubts,  being  most  solicitous  to  make  it  sure.  Love  brought 
me  into  the  world,  and  furnished  me  with  a  thousand  mercies. 
Love  hath  provided  for  me,  delivered  me,  and  preserved  me,  till 
now ;  and  will  it  not  entertain  my  separated  soul  ?  Is  God  like 
false  or  insufficient  friends,  that  forsake  us  in  adversity  ? 

I  confess  that  I  have  wronged  love  by  sin  ;  by  many  and  great 
'.inexcusable  sins.  But  all,  save  Christ  himself,  were  sinners,  which 
love  did  purify,  and  receive  to  glory.  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy, 
for  the  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead 
in  sins,  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ :  by  grace  we  are 
saved  ;  and  hath  raised  us  up  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ 
Jesus  ;  Eph.  ii.  4 — 6.  O  that  I  could  love  much,  that  have  so 
much  forgiven  !  The  glorified  praise  him  who  loved  us,  and  wash- 
ed us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood,  and  made  us  kings  and  priests 
to  God  ;  Rev.  i.  5,  6.  Our  Father,  that  hath  loved  us,  giveth  us 
consolation  and  good  hope,  through  grace  ;  2  Thess  ii.  16.  I 
know  no  sin  which  I  repent  not  of  with  self-loathing;  and  I  ear- 
nestly beg  and  labor  that  none  of  my  sins  may  be  to  me  unknown. 
I  dare  not  justify  even  what  is  any  way  uncertain  ;  though  I  dare 
not  call  all  that  my  sin  which  siding  men,  of  different  judgments, 
on  each  side,  passionately  call  so.  While  both  sides  do  it  on  con- 
trary accounts,  and  not  to  go  contrary  ways,  is  a  crime.  O  that 
God  would  bless  my  accusations  to  my  illumination,  that  I  may 
not  be  unknown  to  myself!  Though  some  think  me  much  better 
than  I  am,  and  others  much  worse,  it  most  concerneth  me  to  know 
the  truth  myself;  flattery  would  be  more  dangerous  to  me  than 
false  accusations.  I  may  safelier  be  ignorant  of  other  men's  sins 
than  of  my  own.  Who  can  understand  his  errors?  Cleanse  me, 
Ijord,  from  secret  sins,  and  let  not  ignorance  or  error  keep  me  in 
impenitence  ;  and  keep  thou  me  back  from  presumptuous  sins ; 
Psalm  xix.  12,  13.  I  have  an  advocate  with  the  Father,  and  thy 
promise,  that  he  that  confessed!  and  forsaketh  his  sins  shall  have 
mercy.  Those  are,  by  some  men,  taken  for  my  greatest  sins, 
which  my  most  serious  thoughts  did  judge  to  be  the  greatest  of 
my  outward  duties,  and  which  I  performed  through  the  greatest 


difficulties,  ami  which  cost  me  dearest  to  the  fle.sli,  an- 1  ill.- 
est  self-denial  and  patience  in  my  reluctant  mind.     Wherever  I 
have  erred,  Lord,  make  it  known  to  me,  that  rny  confession  may 
prevent  the  sin  of  others  ;  and  where  I   have  not  erred,  confirm 
and  accept  me  in  the  right. 

And,  seeing  an  unworthy  worm  hath  had  so  many  testimonies  of 
thy  tender  love,  let  me  not  be  like  to  them,  that,  when  thou  saidst, 
'  I  loved  you,'  unthankfully  asked,  '  Wherein  hast  thou  loved  us  ? ' 
Mai.  i.  2.  Heaven  is  not  more  spangled  with  stars  than  thy  word 
and  works  with  the  refulgent  signatures  of  love.  Thy  well-belov- 
ed Son,  the  Son  of  thy  love,  undertaking  the  office,  message,  and 
work  of  the  greatest  love,  was  full  of  that  Spirit  which  is  love, 
which  he  sheds  abroad  in  the  hearts  of  thine  elect,  that  the  love 
of  the  Father,  the  grace  of  the  Son,  and  the  communion  of  the 
Spirit,  may  be  their  hope  and  life.  His  works,  his  sufferings,  his 
gifts,  as  well  as  his  comfortable  word,  did  say  to  his  disciples,  "  As 
the  Father  loved  me,  so  have  I  loved  you ;  continue  ye  in  my 
love  ; "  John  xv.  9.  And  how,  Lord,  shall  we  continue  in  it,  but 
by  the  thankful  belief  of  thy  love  and  loveliness,  desiring  still  to 
love  thee  more,  and  in  all  things  to  know  and  please  thy  will ; 
which  thou  knowest  is  my  soul's  desire. 

Behold,  then,  O  my  soul,  with  what  love  the  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Spirit  have  loved  thee,  that  thou  shouldest  be  made  and  called 
a  son  of  God,  redeemed,  regenerate,  adopted  into  that  covenant 
state  of  grace  in  which  thou  standest.  "  Rejoice,  therefore,  in 
hope  of  the  glory  of  God,  being  justified  by  faith,  having  peace 
with  God,  and  access,  by  faith  and  hope,  that  maketh  not  ashamed  ; 
that,  being  reconciled,  when  an  enemy,  by  the  death  of  Christ,  I 
shall  be  saved  by  his  life  ;  "  Rom.  v.  1,  2.  Having  loved  his  own, 
to  the  end  he  loveth  them,  and  without  end.  His  gifts  and  calling 
are  without  repentance.  When  Satan,  and  thy  flesh,  would  hide 
God's  love,  look  to  Christ,  and  read  the  golden  words  of  love  in 
the  sacred  gospel ;  and  peruse  thy  many  recorded  experiences, 
and  remember  the  convictions  which  secret  and  open  mercies  have 
many  a  time  afforded  thee.  But  especially  draw  nearer  to  the 
Lord  of  love,  and  be  not  seldom  and  slight  in  thy  contemplations 
of  his  love  and  loveliness ;  dwell  in  the  sunshine,  and  thou  wilt 
know  that  it  is  light,  and  warm,  and  comfortable.  Distance  and 
strangeness  cherish  thy  doubts  ;  acquaint  thyself  with  him,  and  be 
at  peace. 

Yet  look  up,  and  oft  and  earnestly  look  up,  after  thy  ascended, 
glorified  Head,  who  said,  "  Tell  my  brethren  I  ascend  to  my  Fa- 
ther and  your  Father,  to  my  God  and  your  God."  Think  where 
and  what  he  is,  and  what  he  is  now  doing  for  all  his  own ;  and 
how  humbled,  abased,  suffering  love  is  now  triumphant,  regnant, 


180  BAXTER'S  I>YING  THOUGHTS. 

glorified  love ;  and  therefore  no  less  than  in  all  its  tender  expres- 
sions upon  earth.  As  love  is  no  where  perfectly  believed  but  in 
heaven,  so  I  can  no  where  so  fully  discern  it,  as  by  looking  up  by 
faith  to  my  Father  and  Savior,  which  is  in  heaven,  and  conversing 
more  believingly  with  the  heavenly  society.  Had  I  done  this 
more  and  better,  and  as  I  have  persuaded  others  to  do  it,  I  had 
lived  in  more  convincing  delights  of  God's  love,  which  would  have 
turned  the  fears  of  death  into  more  joyful  hopes,  and  more  earnest 
desires  to  be  with  Christ,  in  the  arms,  in  the  world,  in  the  life 
of  love,  as  far  better  than  to  be  here,  in  a  dark,  a  doubting,  fear- 
ing world. 

But.  O  Father  of  infinite  love  !  though  my  arguments  be  many 
and  strong,  my  heart  is  bad,  and  my  strength  is  weakness,  and  I 
am  insufficient  to  plead  the  cause  of  thy  love  and  loveliness  to 
myself  or  others.  O,  plead  thy  own  cause,  and  what  heart  can 
resist  ?  Let  it  not  be  my  word,  only,  but  thine,  that  thou  lovest 
me,  even  me,  a  sinner :  speak  it  as  Christ  said  to  Lazarus,  "  Arise." 
If  not,  as  thou  tellest  me  that  the  sun  is  warm,  yet  as  thou  hast 
told  me  that  my  parents  and  my  dearest  friends  did  love  me,  and 
much  more  powerfully  than  so.  Tell  it  me,  as  thou  tellest  me 
that  thou  hast  given  me  life,,  by  the  consciousness  and  works  of 
life  ;  that  while  I  can  say,  "  Thou  that  knowest  all  things,  know- 
est  that  I  love  thee ; "  it  may  include,  '  Therefore  I  know  that  I 
am  beloved  of  thee  ; '  and  therefore  come  to  thee  in  the  confidence 
of  thy  love,  and  long  to  be  nearer  in  the  clearer  sight,  the  fuller 
sense,  and  joyfuller  exercise  of  love  forever.  Father,  into  thy 
hand  I  commend  my  spirit.  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit ! 
Amen. 


AN 


APPENDIX. 

A  BREVIATE  OF  THE  HELPS  OF  FAITH,  HOPE  AND  LOVE. 

A  BREVIATE  OF  THE  PROOF  OF  SUPERNATURAL  REVE- 
LATION, AND  THE  TRUTH  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


1  TIMOTHY  iii.  16. 

WITHOUT  CONTROVERSY,  GREAT  13  THE  MYSTERY  OF  GODLINESS : 
GOD  WAS  MANIFESTED  IN  THE  FLESH,  JUSTIFIED  IN  THE  SPIRIT, 
SEEN  OF  ANGELS,  PREACHED  TO  THE  GENTILES,  BELIEVED  ON 
IN  THE  WORLD,  RECEIVED  UP  INTO  GLORY. 

THESE  are  the  creed,  or  six  articles  of  the  gospel,  which  the 
apostles  preached. 

7.  God,  manifested  in  the  flesh  of  Jesus,  is  the  first  and  great 
article.  Believe  this,  and  believe  all.  No  wonder  that  believing 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God  is  so  often  made  in  Scripture  the 
description  of  saving  faith,  the  title  to  baptism,  and  pardon,  and  sal- 
vation, the  evidence  of  the  Spirit,  &tc.  He  that  truly  and  practi- 
cally belie veth  that  God  came  in  flesh  to  man,  and  that  Christ  is 
the  Father's  messenger  from  heaven,  must  needs  believe  that  God 
hath  a  great  value  for  the  souls  of  men,  and  for  his  church,  that  he 
despiseth  not  even  our  flesh ;  that  his  word  is  true,  and  fully  to  be 
trusted ;  that  he  who  so  wonderfully  came  to  man,  will  certainly 
take  up  man  to  him.  Who  can  doubt  of  the  immortality  of  souls, 
or  that  Christ  will  receive  the  departing  souls  of  the  faithful  to 
himself,  who  believeth  that  he  took  man's  nature,  and  hath  glori- 
fied it  now  in  heaven,  in  union  with  the  divine  ?  Who  can  ever 
have  low  thoughts  of  God's  love  and  mercy  who  believeth  this  ? 
and  who  can  prostitute  his  soul  and  flesh  to  wickedness,  who  firmly 
believeth  that  he  took  the  soul  and  flesh  of  man  to  sanctify  and 
glorify  it  ? 

//.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  the  justification  of  the  truth  of  Jesus 
Christ.  He  is  Christ's  advocate  and  witness  to  the  world.  He 


182  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

proveth  the  gospel  by  these  five  ways  of  evidence:  1.  By  all  ti.u 
prophecies,  types,  and  promises  of  Christ  in  the  Old  Testament,  be- 
fore Christ's  coming.  2.  By  the  inherent  impress  of  God's  image 
on  the  person  and  doctrine  of  Christ;  which  ,propria  luce,  showeth 
itself  to  be  divine.  3.  By  the  concomitant  miracles  of  Christ : 
read  the  history  of  the  gospel  for  this  use,  and  observe  each  histo- 
ry. 4.  By  the  subsequent  gift  of  the  Spirit  to  the  apostles  and 
other  Christians,  by  languages,  wonders,  and  multitudes  of  miracles, 
to  convince  the  world.  5.  By  the  undeniable  and  excellent  work  of 
sanctification  on  all  true  believers  through  all  the  world,  in  all  gene- 
rations, to  this  day.  These  five  are  the  Spirit's  witness,  which 
fully  testifieth  the  certain  truth  that  Jesus  Christ  is  tbe  Son  of 
God. 

Quest.  But  how  are  we  sure,  who,  ourselves,  never  saw  the  per- 
son, miracles,  resurrection,  ascension  of  Christ,  that  the  history  of 
them  is  true  ? 

Ans.  I.  We  may  be  sure  that  the  spectators  were  not  deceived. 

II.  And  that  they  did  not  deceive  them  to  whom  they  reported  it. 

III.  And  that  we   are   not  deceived  by   any  miscarriage  in  the 
historical  tradition  to  us. 

1.  It  was  not  possible  that  men  that  were  not  mad,  that  had  eyes 
and  ears,  could,  for  three  years  and  a  half,  believe  that  they  saw 
the  lame,  the  blind,  the  deaf,  and  all  diseases,  healed,  the  dead  rais- 
ed, thousands  miraculously  fed,  &c.,  and  this  among  crowds  of 
people  that  still  followed  Christ,  if  the  things  had  not  been  true. 
One  man's  senses  may  be  deceived  at  some  one  instance,  by  some 
deceitful  accident ;  but  that  the  eyes  and  ears  of  multitudes  should 
be  so  oft  deceived,  many  years,  in  the  open  light,  is  as  much  as  to 
say,  no  man  knoweth  any  thing  that  he  seeth  and  heareth. 

II.  That  the  disciples. who  received  the  apostles'  and  evange- 
lists' report  of  Christ,  were  not  deceived  by  the  reporters,  is  most 
evident. 

For,  1.  They  received  it  not  by  hearsay,  at  the  second  hand, 
but  from  the  eye  and  ear  witnesses  themselves,  who  must  needs 
know  what  they  said. 

2.  They  heard  this  report  from  men  of  the  same  time,  and  age, 
and  country,  where  it  was  easy  to  examine  the  case,  and  confute 
it,  had  it  been  false. 

3.  The  apostles  appealed  to  crowds  and  thousands  of  witnesses 
as  to  many  of  Christ's  miracles,  who  would  have  made  it  odious, 
had  it  not  been  true. 

4.  They  sharply  reproved  the   rulers    for  persecuting  Christ, 
which  would  provoke  them  to  do  their  best  to  confute  the  apostles 
for  their  own  justification. 

5.  Christ  chose  men  of  no  great  human  learning  and  subtlety ; 


APPENDIX.  183 

but  common,  plain,  unlearned  men.  that  it  might  not  be  thought  a 
deceit  of  art. 

6.  Yea,  he  did  not  make  much  more  known  to  them  before  his 
death,  than   the  bare  matters  of  fact  which  they  daily  saw,  and 
that  he   was  the  Christ,  and  moral  doctrine  :    his  death,  resur- 
rection, ascension,  and  kingdom  of  heaven,  they  knew  little  of  be- 
fore ;  but  experience,  and  the  sudden  coming  down  of  the  Spirit, 
suddenly  taught  them  all  the  rest. 

7.  They  taught  not  one  another,  but  were  every  one  personally 
taught  of  God. 

8.  And  yet  they  all  agreed  in  the  same  doctrine   when  they 
were  dispersed  over  the  world,  and  never  differed  in  any  one 
article  of  faith. 

9.  They  were  men  that  had  no  worldly  interest,  wealth,  or  do- 
minion to  seek. 

10.  Yea,  they  renounced  and  denied  all  worldly  interest,  and 
sealed  their  testimony  by  their  sufferings  and  blood  ;  and  all  in  hope 
of  a  heavenly  reward,  which  they  knew  that  lying  was  no  means 
to  obtain. 

1 1 .  Had  they  plotted  to  cheat  the  world  for  nothing,  the  sin  is 
so  heinous  that  some  one  of  them  would  have  repented  and  confess- 
ed it,  at  least  at  death;  which  none  of  them  did,  but  died  joyfuj- 
ly,  as  for  the  truth. 

1  2.  Paul  was  converted  by  a  voice  and  light  from  heaven,  in 
the  presence  of  those  that  traveled  with  him,  in  his  persecuting 
design. 

13.  But  yet  it  is  a  fuller  evidence,  that  the  doctrine  which  they 
delivered,  as  from  God,  beareth  a  divine  impress  ;  that,  as  the  light, 
it  is  its  own  evidence. 

14.  And  for  the  more  infallible  conviction,  they  that  testified  of 
Christ's  miracles,  did  the  like  themselves  to  confirm  their  testimony. 
They  spake  with  tongues  which  they  never  learned  ;  they  healed 
all  diseases ;  even  the  shadow  of  Peter,  and  the  clothes  that  came 
from  Paul,  did  heal  men  ;  they  raised  the  dead  ;  and  they  that  in 
all  countries  converted  the  nations  by  their  own  miracles,  attesting 
the  miracles  and  resurrection  of  Christ,  must  needs  compel  the 
spectators  to  believe  them. 

15.  Yet,  more  than  all  this,  those  that  believed  them  were  pres- 
ently enabled  to  do  the  like,  in  one  kind  and  degree  or  other.    The 
same  extraordinary  gift  of  the  Spirit  fell  upon  the  common  multi- 
tude of  believers,  by  the  laying  on  of  the  apostles'  hands  ;  so  that 
Simon  Magus  would  fain  have  bought  that  power  with  money. 
And  when  men  witnessed  Christ's  miracles,  and  wrought  the  like 
themselves,  and  those  that  believed  them  had  and  did  the  like, 


184  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

either  healing,  tongues,  prophecy,  or  some  wonder,  it  was,  sure,  an 
infallible  way  of  testifying. 

16.  When  wrangling  heretics  quarreled  with  the  apostles,  and 
would  draw  away   disciples  to  themselves,  by  disparaging  them, 
they  still  appealed  to  the  miracles  wrought  by  these  disciples  them- 
selves, or  in  their  sight ;  as  Gal.  iii.  1,  2,  3.  5.     And  as  Christ, 
when  the  Jews  said  he  did  all  by  Beelzebub,  when  he  cast  out 
devils,  asked  them,  "By  whom  do  your  children  cast  them  out?" 
which,  had  it  been  false,  would  have  turned  all  the  people  from 
them. 

17.  Their  adversaries  were  so  far  from  writing  any  confutation 
of  their  testimony,  that  they  confessed  the  miracles,  and  had  no 
shift,  but  either  to  blaspheme  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  say  that  they 
were   done  by  the  devil,  or  else,  by  persecution  and  violence,  to 
oppress  them.     As  if  the  devil   were  master  of  the  world,  and 
could  remedilessly  deceive  it  against  God's  will ;  or  God  himself 
would  send  or  suffer  a  full  course  of  miracles  remedilessly  to  deceive 
the  world,  which  is  to  make  God  like  the  devil ;  or  as  if  the  devil 
were   so  good  as,  by  miracles,  to  promote  so  holy,  and  amiable, 
and  just  a  doctrine,  as  that  of  Christianity,  to  make  men  wise,  and 
good,  and  just,  and  kill  their  sin ;  so  that  this  blasphemy  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  makes  Satan  to  be  God,  or  God. to  be  Satan. 

18.  All  the  cruelty,  powers,  learning,  and  policy  of  their  ad- 
versaries was  not  able  to  stop  the  progress  of  this  testimony,  much 
less  to  prevail  against  it. 

III.  It  is  then  most  certain,  that  the  first  witnesses  were  not  de- 
ceived by  Christ,  nor  believers  after  deceived  by  them.  The 
next  question  is,  whether  we  be  not  deceived  by  a  false  historical 
tradition  of  these  things.  Had  we  seen  them  all  ourselves,  we 
must  needs  have  believed  ;  but  at  this  distance  we  know  not  what 
misreports  may  intervene.  What  eyesight  and  hearing  was  to 
them,  that  tradition  is  to  us.  Now  the  question  is,  Is  it  certainly 
the  very  same  fact  and  doctrine  which  they  received,  and  which 
we  receive  ? 

And  here  let  it  be  premised,  that  there  is  no  other  way  of  assur- 
ance, than  that  which  God  hath  afforded  us,  that  the  reason  of  man 
could  have  desired. 

1.  If  we  would  see  God,  and  heaven,  and  hell,  this  is  not  away 
suitable  to  the  state  of  probationers  that  live  in  flesh  on  earth. 
Angels  live  by  vision,  and  fruition  of  glory ;  and  brutes,  by  sense, 
on  sensible  beings  ;  but  reasonable  travelers  must  live  by  reason, 
and  by  believing  certain  revelation. 

2.  If  God  will  send  his  Son  from  heaven  to  ascertain  us,  and 
we  will  believe  no  more  than  we  see  ourselves,  then  Christ   must 


APPENDIX.  185 

dwell  on  earth,  to  the  end  of  the  world,  and  he  must  be  in  all 
places  of  the  earth  at  once,  that  all  may  see  ;  and  he  must  die  and 
rise  again  before  all  men  in  all  ages ;  and  how  mad  an  expectation 
is  this ! 

3.  Or  if  all  that  deliver  us  the  history  must  work  miracles  before 
our  eyes,  or  else  we  will  not  believe  them,  it  is  still  most  absurd. 
Will  you  not  believe  that  the  laws  of  the  land  are  genuine,  or  that 
ever  there  were  such  kings  as  made  them,  unless  he  that  tells  it  you 
work  miracles  ?     Shall  not  children  believe  their  parents,  or  schol- 
ars their  tutors,  unless  they  work  miracles  ? 

4.  I  must  premise  that  there  are  three  sorts  of  tradition,  i.  Such 
as  depends  on  the  common  wit  and  honesty  of  mankind.     And 
this  is  very  much  to  be  suspected,  wickedness,  folly,  and  lying  be- 
ing grown  so  common  in  the  world. 

ii.  Such  as  depends  on  the  extraordinary  skill  and  honesty  of 
some  proved  men.  And  this  deserveth  much  belief;  but  it  is  an 
uncertain  human  faith. 

iii.  Such  as  depends  on  natural  necessity,  and  cannot  possibly 
be  false.  We  have  both  these  last  to  ascertain  us  of  the  gospel 
history. 

This  resteth  on  a  distinction  of  the  acts  of  man's  will :  some  of 
them  are  mutably  free ;  and  these  give  no  certainty  :  some  of 
them  are  naturally  and  immutably  necessary,  and  man  can  do  no 
otherwise  ;  and  these  give  even  natural,  infallible  certainty.  Such 
are  to  love  one's  self,  to  love  felicity,  to  hate  torment  and  misery, 
&.C.,  and  to  know  that  which  is  fully  manifest  to  our  sound 
senses,  &;c. 

When  men  of  contrary  interests  and  temper  all  confess  the  truth 
of  known  things  about  which  their  interests  stand  cross,  it  is  a 
physical  evidence  of  truth. 

On  this  account  men's  agreement  about  natural  notices  is  infal- 
lible. 

It  seems  strange  that  all  the  world,  from  Adam's  time,  are  agreed 
which  is  the  first,  second,  and  third,  &;c.  day  of  the  week,  and  not 
a  day  lost  till  now.  It  could  be  no  otherwise,  because,  being  a 
tnmg  of  natural  interest  and  notice,  if  any  kingdom  had  lost  a  day 
by  oversleeping,  or  had  agreed  to  falsify  it,  all  the  rest  of  the  world 
would  have  shamed  them. 

Thus  all  Grecians,  Latins,  Englishmen,  &c.,  agree  about  the 
sense  of  words ;  for  if  some  would  pervert  them,  the  rest  would 
detect  it. 

Thus  we  are  certain  that  the  statutes  of  the  land  are  not  coun- 
terfeit. For  men  of  cross  interest  hold  their  lands  and  lives  by 
them  ;  and  if  some  did  counterfeit  them,  the  rest  would,  by  interest, 
be  bound  to  protect  it. 

VOL.  ii.  24 


196  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

Arg.  I .  There  can  be  no  effect  without  an  adequate  cause  ; 
but  in  nature  there  is  no  cause  that  can  make  all  men  agree  to  as- 
sert a  known  falsehood,  or  deny  a  known  truth,  against  all  their 
known  interest ;  therefore  there  can  be  no  such  effect. 

Arg.  2.  A  necessary  cause  will  necessarily  effect ;  but  where 
men's  known  interest  obligetb  them  to  agree  of  a  known  truth,  this 
is  a  necessary  cause  of  certain  credibility  ;  therefore  it  hath  a  ne- 
cessary effect. 

You  know  who  were  your  parents,  and  when  and  where  you 
were  born,  &ic.,  by  such  tradition  in  a  lower  degree.  This  de- 
pendeth  not  on  pretended  authority,  nor  on  mere  honesty ;  but  on 
natural  necessity. 

Having  premised  this,  I  come  to  prove,  that  we  have  such  tra- 
dition of  physical,  infallible  evidence,  that  the  faith  of  the  present 
church,  in  the  essentials,  is  the  same  which  the  first  churches  re- 
ceived infallibly  from  the  apostles. 

1.  The  world  knoweth  that  ever  since  Christ's  ascension,  all 
that  believed   in  him   were  baptized,   as  all  Abraham's  covenant 
seed  were  circumcised.     And  what  is  baptism,  but  a  profession  of 
belief  in  Jesus  Christ,  as  dead,  risen,  and  glorified  ;  and  a  devot- 
ing ourselves  in  covenant  to  God  the   Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost  ?     All  that  ever  were  Christians  by  solemn  vow  professed 
this  same  faith  ;  and  this  is  such  a  tradition  of  Christianity  as  hu- 
man generation,  down  from  Adarn,  is  of  the  same  humanity  in  the 
world. 

2.  They  that  were  baptized  were  catechised  first ;  in  which  the 
three  articles  of  baptism  were  open  to  them  ;  of  which  Christ's 
death,  resurrection,  and  ascension  were  part ;  and  this  hath  been 
an  undeniable  tradition  of  the  same  faith. 

3.  The  sum  of  the  Christian  faith  was,  from  the  beginning, 
drawn  up  in  certain  articles  called  the  creed,  which  expounded  the 
three  baptismal  articles  ;  and  all  churches  on  earth  had  the  same 
in  sense,  and  jnost  in  words ;  and  all  at  age  that  were  baptized, 
professed  this  creed  ;  which  is  as  full  a  tradition  of  the  same  belief 
in  Christ's  birth,  death, 'and  resurrection,  ascension,  and  glory,  as 
speaking  is  a  tradition  of  the  same  human  nature. 

4.  Before  Christ's  ascension,  he  instituted  the  office  of  the  sa- 
cred ministry,  which,  friends  and  foes  confess,  hath  continued  ever 
since.     And  what  is  this  ministry,  but  an  office  of  publishing  the 
gospel  of  Christ,  his  life,  death,  miracles,  resurrection,  grace,  &c.  ? 
What  else  have  they  done  in  all  ages  in  the  world  ?  so  that  the  of- 
fice is  an  undeniable  tradition. 

5.  Christ  and  his  apostles  instituted  the  weekly  celebration  of 
the  remembrance  of  his  resurrection  on  the  Lord's  days  :  friends 
and  foes   confess   the   history,   that  the   first   day   of  the   week 


lft'7 

hath  been  kept  for  such  memorial  ever  siuce,  torough  all  tlia 
Christian  part  of  the  world,  which  proveth  the  uninterrupted  belief 
of  Christ's  resurrection,  as  a  notorious,  practical  tradition. 

6.  Christ  and  his  apostles,  ever  since  his  resurrection,  instituted 
solemn  assemblies  of  Cnristians  to  be  held  on  those  days,  and  at 
other  times  ;  once   a  week  was  the  least  through  the  Christian 
world ;  and  what  did  they  meet  for.  but  to  preach,  hear,  and  pro- 
fess the  same  Christian  faith  ? 

7.  It  was  the  constant  custom  of  Christians  in  their  assemblies, 
and  their  houses,  to  sing  hymns  of  praise  to  Jesus  Christ,  in  re- 
membrance of  his  resurrection,  &,c.     Pliny  tells  Trajan  that  this 
was  the  practice  by  which  Christians  were  known  by  their  perse- 
cutors ;  which  is  a  practical  tradition. 

8.  Jesus  Christ  instituted,  and  all  Christians  to  this  day  have 
constantly  used,  the  sacrament  of  Christ's  sacrifice,  called  the  eu- 
charist ;  to  keep  in  remembrance  his  death  till  he  come,  and  pro- 
fess their  belief  that  he  is  our  life.     And  as  the  constant  celebra- 
tion of  the  passover,  with  all  its  ceremonies,  was  a  most  certain 
tradition  of  the  Egyptians'  plagues  and  Israelites'  deliverance,  more 
than  a  bare  written  history  would  be,  so  hath  the  JLiord's  supper 
been,  of  the  uninterrupted  belief  of  the  history  of  our  redemption 
by  Christ. 

9.  The  church  hath,  from  the  beginning,  had  a  constant  disci- 
pline, by  which  it  hath  kept  itself  separate  from  heretics,  who  have 
denied  any  essential  article  of  this  faith ;  which  is  a  sure   tradition 
of  the  same  belief. 

10.  None  question  but    Christians  have,  from  the  beginning, 
been  persecuted  for  this  same  faith,  and  in  persecution  made  con- 
fession of  it :  persecutors  and  confessors,  then,  are  both  the  wit- 
nesses of  the  continuance. 

11.  Whenever  heretics  or  enemies  have  written  against  Chris- 
tians, their  apologies  and  defenses  show  that  it  was  this  same  faith 
which  they  owned. 

12.  Most   of  the   adverse    heretics  owned    the   same    matters 
of  fact. 

13.  The  Jews  were  long  before  in  possession  of  the  books  of 
the  Old  Testament,  which  bear  their  testimony  to  Christ. 

14.  The  books  of  the  New  Testament  have,  by  certain  tradition, 
been  delivered  down  to  this  present  day,  which  contain  the  matters 
of  fact  and  doctrine,  the  essentials,  integrals,  and   accidents  of 
the  faith. 

15.  No  enemies  have  written  any  thing  against  the  matter  of  fact, 
of  any  moment. 

16.  Yea,  the  Jews,  and  other  bitterest  enemies,  confess  much  of 
the  miracles  of  Christ. 


^rSjjr     *• 

188  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOL'GHTS. 

17.  Martyrs  have  cheerfully  forsaken  life  and  all  in  confess- 
ing it. 

18.  God,  by  his  wonderful  providence,  hath  maintained  it. 

19.  The  devil,  and  all  the  wicked  of  the  world,  are  the  greatest 
enemies  to  it. 

20.  The  Holy  Ghost  hath  still  blessed  it,  to  work  the  same 
holy  and  heavenly  nature  and  life,  in  all   sincere  and  serious  be- 
lievers. 

Quest.  This  proveth  infallibly  the  tradition  of  the  same  faith  in 
the  essentials ;  but  how  prove  you  that  the  same  Holy  Scripture  is 
delivered  as  uncorrupted  ? 

Ans.  All  the  Bible  is  not  brought  down  so  unchanged  as  are 
the  essentials  of  our  religion  :  when  there  were  no  Bibles  but  what 
scriveners  wrote,  no  wonder  if  oversight  left  few  copies  without 
some  of  their  slips.  There  are  hundreds  of  various  readings  in 
the  New  Testament,  and  of  many  no  man  can  be  certain  which  is 
true ;  but  none  of  them  are  such  as  make  any  difference  in  the  ar- 
ticles of  our  faith  or  practice,  nor  on  which  any  point  of  doctrine 
or  fact  dependeth. 

And  the  words  are  necessary  but  for  the  matter  which  they  do 
record. 

And  1 .  All  ministers,  and  all  churches,  constantly  used  this  same 
Scripture,  publicly  and  privately,  as  the  word  of  God,  so  that  it 
could  not  he  easily  altered. 

2.  They  all  knew  that  a  curse  is  pronounced  against  every  one 
that  addeth  or  diminisheth ;  which  must  needs  possess  them  with 
fear  of  corrupting  it. 

3.  They  took  it  to  be  the  charter  of  their  own  salvation. 

4.  The  work  of  the  ministers  was  to  expound  it,  and  preserve 
it  against  corrupters. 

5.  These  ministers  and  churches  were  overmuch  of  the  world, 
and  could  not  agree  together  to  corrupt  it ;  and  if  some  did  it,  all 
the  rest  would  soon  detect  it. 

6.  Heresies  and  quarrels  were  quickly  to  rise  among  them;  so 
that  cross  interests  and  animosities  would  soon  have  fallen  upon  the 
corrupters.    • 

7.  Some  heretics  made  some  adding  and  corrupting  attempts, 
which  the   church  presently  condemned  and  turned    it   to  their 
shame. 

8.  In  all   the  disputations  then  managed,  the  same  Scriptures 
were  appealed  to. 

9.  The  translations  into  various  languages  show  that  the  books 
were  the  same,  without  any  momentous  difference. 

10.  To  this  day,  when  sin  and  tyranny  have  torn  the  church  into 
many  factions,  they  all  receive  the  same  canonical  Scriptures,  ex- 


APPU.MUX.  189 

cept  that  some  receive  more  apocryphal  writings,  \\hich  yet  make 
no  alteration  at  all  of  our  gospel  faith. 

Quest.  But  doth  not  this  laying  so  much  on  tradition  favor 
Popery  ? 

A.nsw.  No.  The  difference  is  here.  1.  Papists  are  for  tradition 
as  a  supplement  to  the  Scripture,  as  if  this  were  but  part  of  the 
word  of  God  ;  and,  2.  They  plead  for  a  peculiar  power  of  being 
the  keepers  and  judges  of  that  supplemental  tradition  which  other 
churches  know  nothing  of. 

But  we,  1.  Plead  for  the  infallible,  practical  tradition  of  the  es- 
sentials of  Christianity  by  itself,  and  in  the  creed,  &,c.,  which  is 
less  than  the  Scripture ;  2.  And  next,  for  the  certain  tradition  of 
the  Scripture  itself,  uncorrupted  in  all  that  faith  depends  on  ;  which 
Scripture  is  the  complete  record  of  God's  will  and  law,  containing 
more  than  essentials  and  integrals. 

So  much  of  God,  I.  Manifested  in  the  flesh  ;  II.  Justified  in  the 
Spirit. 

III.  He  was  seen  of  angels  ;  that'is,  angels  were  the  beholding, 
witnessing,  and  admiring  servants  of  this  great  mystery,  God  mani- 
fested in  the  flesh. 

1.  Angels  preached  Christ  at  his  incarnation. 

2.  Angels  ministered  to  Christ  in  his  temptations,  agonies,  &c. 

3.  Angels  were  preachers  and  witnesses  of  his  resurrection. 

4.  Angels  rolled  away  the  stone,  and  terrified  the  soldiers. 

5.  Angels  preached  his  return  to  them  that  gazed  up  at  his  as- 
cension. 

6.  Angels  opened  the  prison  doors,  and  set  the  imprisoned  apos- 
tles free  once,  and  Peter  alone,  afterwards. 

7.  Angels  rejoice  in  heaven  at  the  conversion  of  all  that  Christ 
brings  home. 

8.  Angels  disdain  not  to  be  the  guardians  of  the  least  of  Christ's 
disciples. 

9.  Angels  are  protecting  officers  over  churches  and   kingdoms. 

10.  Angels  have  preached  to  apostles,  and  been  the  messengers 
of  their  revelations. 

11.  Angels  have  been  the  instruments  of  miracles,  and  of  de- 
stroying the  church's  enemies. 

12.  Angels  will  ministerially  convoy  departed  souls  to  Christ. 

13.  Angels  will  gloriously  attend  Christ  at  his  return,  and  sever 
the  wicked  from  the  just. 

14.  Angels  will  be  our  companions  in  the  heavenly  choir  for- 
ever. 

Therefore,  1.  We  should  love  angels.  2.  And  be  thankful  to 
God  for  them.  3.  And  think  the  more  comfortably  of  heaven  for 


190 


BAXTERS  DYING  THOUGHTS. 


their  society.  4.  And  pray  for  the  benefit  of  their  ministry  on 
earth,  especially  in  all  our  dangers. 

IV.  The  fourth  article  is,  "  Preached  to  the  Gentiles."  The 
Jews,  having  the  covenant  of  peculiarity,  were  proud  of  their  priv- 
ilege, even  while  they  unworthily  abused  it ;  and  despised  the 
rest  of  the  world,  and  would  not  so  much  as  eat  with  them,  as  if 
they  had  been  God's  only  people.  And,  indeed,  the  rest  of  the 
world  was  so  corrupted,  that  we  find  no  one  nation,  that,  as  such, 
renounced  idolatry,  and  was  devoted  in  covenant  to  the  true  God 
alone,  as  the  Jews  were.  Now  that  God  should  be  manifested 
in  flesh,  to  reconcile  the  heathen  world  to  himself,  and  extend 
greater  privileges,  indefinitely,  to  all  nations,  than  ever  the  Jews 
had  in  their  state  of  peculiarity,  this  was  a  mystery  of  godliness, 
which  the  Jews  did  hardly  yield  belief  to. 

And  that  which  aggravateth  this  wonder  is,  1.  That  the  Gentile 
world  was  drowned  in  all  idolatry  and  unnatural  wickedness,  such 
as  Paul  describeth.  And  that  God  should  suddenly  and  freely  send 
them  the  message  of  reconciliation,  and  be  found  of  them  that  sought 
him  not,  is  tbat  wonder  which  obligeth  us  Gentiles,  who  once  lived 
as  without  God  in  the  world,  to  be  thankful  to  him ;  Rom.  i.  2. 
Eph.  ii.  and  iii.  18,  &c. 

F.  The  fifth  article  is,  "  Believed  on  in  the  world."  The  effect 
of  the  gospel  on  the  souls  of  men,  in  their  effectual  faith,  is  one  of 
the  evidences  of  the  Christian  truth. 

I  told  you  before,  that  the  fifth  witness  of  the  Spirit  on  the  souls 
of  all  believers,  I  reserved  to  be  here  mentioned.  Here,  I.  It  is 
a  part  of  the  wonder,  that  Christ  should  be  believed  on  in  the 
world,  even  with  a  common  faith.  For,  1.  To  believe  a  mean 
man  to  be  the  Mediator  between  God  and  man,  and  the  Savior  of 
the  world  ;  yea,  one  that  was  crucified  as  a  malefactor :  this  must 
needs  be  a  difficult  thing. 

2.  The  very  Jewish  nation  was  as  contemptible  to  the  Romans, 
being  one  of  their  poorest  subdued  provinces,  as  the  Gentiles  were 
to  the  Jews ;  and  Christ  was  by  birth  a  Jew. 

3.  The  greatness  of  the  Roman  empire,  then,  ruling  over  much 
of  the  world,  was  such  that  by  preaching,  and  not  by  war,  to  bring 
them  to  be  subjects  to  a  crucified  Jew,  was  a  marvelous  work  ;  and 
so  to  bring  the  conquered  nations  to  become  Christ's  voluntary 
subjects. 

4.  The   Roman  and  Greek  learning  was  then  at  the  height  of 
its  perfection ;  and  the  Christians  were  despised  by  them  as  un- 
learned barbarians ;  and  that  learning,  arts,  and  empire  should  all 
submit  to  such  a  King  and  Savior,  was  certainly  a  work  of  super- 
natural  power.     Christ  did  not  levy  armies  to  overcome  the  na- 


APPENDIX.  191 

tions,  nor  did  victory  move  them ;  but  the  victors  and  lords  of  the 
world,  and  these  no  fools,  but  the  masters  of  the  greatest  human 
wisdom,  were  conquered  by  the  gospel,  preached  by  a  sort  of  in- 
ferior men. 

5.  And  this  gospel  which  conquered  them  was  still  opposed  by 
them,  and  the  Christians  persecuted  as  a  sort  of  hated  men,  till  it 
overcame  the  persecutors. 

It  is  true,  that  heathenism  hath  the  greatest  part  of  the  world, 
and  Mahometans  have  as  much  as  Christians ;  but  one  sort  got  it 
by  the  sword,  and  the  other  by  the  doctrine  and  holy  lives  of  a 
few  unarmed,  inferior  men. 

II.  But  I  use  this  of  the  extent  of  faith,  but  as  a  probable,  and 
not  a  cogent  argument ;  but  the  main  argument  is  from  the  sanc- 
tifying effect  of  faith. 

I  know  it  will  be  said  that  many,  or  most,  Christians  are  as  bad 
as  other  men. 

But  it  is  one  thing  to  be  of  a  professed  religion,  because  it  is  the 
religion  of  the  king  and  country,  and  therefore  maketh  for  men's 
worldly  advantage,  and  they  hear  little  said  against  it:  this  is  the 
case  of  most  in  the  world,  Christians,  Mahometans,  and  heathens  ; 
and  it  is  another  to  be  a  serious  believer,  who,  upon  trial  and  con- 
sideration, chooseth  Christianity. 

And  it  is  notorious  that  such  serious  Christians  are  all  holy,  so- 
ber, and  just,  and  so  greatly  differing  from  the  corrupted  world,  as 
fully  proverb  that  God  owneth  that  gospel  which  he  maketh  so 
effectual  to  so  great  a  change. 

Here,  consider,  1.  What  that  change  is.  2.  How  hard  and 
great  a  work  it  is.  3.  That  it  is  certainly  a  work  of  God.  4. 
That  the  gospel  is  the  means  by  which  God  doth  it. 

1 .  The  nature  of  his  holy  work  on  all  serious,  sincere  Christians, 
is,  it  sets  all  their  hopes  and  hearts  on  the  promised  glory  of  the 
life  to  come,  and  turns  the  very  nature  of  their  wills  into  the  pre 
dominant  love  of  God  and  man,  and  of  heaven  and  holiness.  It 
mortifieth  all  fleshly  lusts,  and  subjects  sense  to  reason  and  faith, 
the  body  to  the  soul,  and  all  to  God.  It  sets  a  man's  heart  on  the 
sincere  study  of  doing  all  the  good  he  can  in  the  world,  to  friends, 
neighbors,  and  enemies,  especially  the  most  public  good.  To  live 
soberly,  righteously,  and  godly,  is  his  delight.  Sin  is  his  chief 
hatred,  and  nothing  more  grievous  to  him  than  he  that  cannot 
reach  to  greater  perfection  in  faith,  hope,  obedience,  patience,  and 
in  heavenly  love  and  joy.  It  causeth  a  man  to  contemn  wealth, 
honor,  and  fleshly  pleasure,  and  life,  in  comparison  of  God's  love 
and  life  everlasting.  This  change  of  God's  Spirit  worketh  on  all 
true  believers. 

Those  that  are  ungodly  have  but  the  name  of  Christians ;  they 


192  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

never  well  understood  what  Christianity  is,  nor  ever  received  it  by 
a  true  belief.  But  all  that  understandingly  and  seriously  believe 
in  Jesus  Christ  are  sanctified  by  his  Spirit. 

2.  And  this  is  a  greater  work  than  miracles,  in  excellency  and 
difficulty. 

(1.)  It  is  the  very  health  of  the  souls.  It  is  salvation  itself:  it 
niaketh  man,  in  his  measure,  like  to  God,  and  is  his  image.  It  is 
a  heavenly  nature,  and  is  the  earnest  and  preparation  for  heaven. 
It  delivereth  man  from  the  greatest  evil  on  earth,  and  giveth  him 
the  firmest  peace  and  joy,  in  his  peace  with  God,  the  pardon  of 
his  sins,  and  the  hope  of  everlasting  glory. 

(2.)  It  is  easy  to  discern  how  great  a  work  this  is,  by  the  deep 
roots  of  all  the  contrary  vices  in  the  corrupted  nature  of  man. 
Experience  assureth  us  that  man,  by  vitiated  nature,  is  proud  and 
ignorant,  and  savoreth  little  but  the  things  of  the  flesh,  and  worldly 
interest,  and  is  a  slave  to  appetite  and  lust :  his  bodily  prosperity 
is  all  that  really  hath  his  heart.  Yea,  if  God  restrain  them  not, 
all  wicked  men  are  bitter  enemies  to  all  that  are  truly  wise  and 
holy,  even  among  heathens  and  infidels :  if  any  be  but  better  than 
the  rest,  the  wicked  are  their  deadly  enemies.  There  is  so  visible 
an  enmity  between  godliness  and  wickedness,  the  seed  of  Christ, 
and  of  the  serpent  in  the  world,  as  is  a  great  confirmation  of  the 
Scripture  which  describeth  it.  And  it  is  not  the  name  of  Chris- 
tians that  altereth  men's  nature.  We,  here,  that  have  peace  from 
all  the  world,  are  under  such  implacable  hatred  of  wicked  men, 
that  call  themselves  Christians,  that  so  many  bears  or  wolves  would 
be  less  hurtful  to  us. 

(3.)  And  the  universal  spreading  of  this  wickedness  overall  the 
earth,  in  all  ages  and  nations,  doth  tell  us  how  great  a  work  it  is 
to  cure  it. 

(4,)  And  so  doth  the  frustration  of  all  other  means,  till  the 
Spirit  of  God  do  it  by  setting  home  the  gospel  upon  the  heart. 
Children  will  grow  up  in  wickedness,  against  all  the  counsel,  love, 
and  correction  of  their  parents.  No  words,  no  reason,  will  pre- 
vail with  them,  more  than  with  drunken  men  or  beasts. 

(5.)  We  find  it  a  very  hard  thing  to  cure  a  man  of  some  one 
rooted  sin,  much  more  of  all. 

(6.)  The  common  misery  of  the  world  proclaimed  man's  vice, 
and  the  difficulty  of  the  cure.  How  else  comes  the  world  to  live 
in  self-seeking  falsehood,  fraud,  malice,  and  in  bloody  wars,  worse 
than  wolves  and  serpents  against  each  other  ? 

(7.)  Lastly,  where  God  cureth  this  by  true  believing,  it  is  done 
with  the  pangs  of  sharp  repentance,  and  a  great  conflict,  before 
God's  Spirit  overcometh. 

3.  It  is  evident,  then,  that  this  sanctification  of  souls  is  an  emi- 


APPENDIX.  193 

nent  work  of  God  himself.     (1.)  In  that  it  is  yet  done  on  so  many 
of  his  chosen  ones,  in  all  ages  and  places. 

(2.)  In  that,  as  hard  as  it  is,  he  usually  tumeth  the  hearts  of 
sinners  to  himself  in  a  very  little  time.  Sometimes  by  one  sermon. 

(3.)  It  is  a  work  that  none  can  do  but  God,  who  hath  the 
power  of  souls. 

(4.)  It  is  a  work  so  good,  that  it  beareth  God's  own  image.  It 
is  but  the  writing  of  his  law  and  gospel  on  men's  hearts.  None 
is  so  much  for  it  as  God.  Satan  apparently  fighteth  against  it  with 
all  the  power  he  can  raise  in  the  world.  Mark  it,  and  you  will 
find  that  most  of  the  stir  that  there  is  in  the  world,  by  false  teach- 
ers, and  tyrants,  and  private  malice,  is  but  Satan's  wars  against 
faith,  and  holiness,  and  love.  Certainly  it  is  not  he  that  promot- 
eth  them. 

4.  And  it  is  evident  in  experience,  that  it  is  the  gospel  of  Christ 
which  God  useth  and  blesseth,  to  do  this  great  sanctifying  work  on 
souls.  Among  Christians,  none  are  converted  by  any  other  means. 
And  God  would  not  bless  a  word  of  falsehood  and  deceit  to  such 
great  and  excellent  effects.  All  that  are  made  holy  and  heavenly, 
and  truly  conscionable,  among  us,  are  made  so  by  Christ's  gospel. 
And  all  the  wicked  are  enemies  to  the  serious  practice  of  it,  or 
rebels  that  despise  it.  The  effects  daily  prove  that  God  himself 
owneth  it  as  his  word. 

If  you  say,  there  are  as  good  men  among  the  heathens  and  Ma- 
hometans, as  holy,  heavenly,  and  just ;  I  answer,  it  is  none  of  my 
business  to  depreciate  other  men,  but  I  can  say,  (1.)  That  I  have 
lived  above  seventy-seven  years,  and  I  never  knew  one  serious, 
holy  person  in  England,  that  was  made  such  by  the  writings  of 
heathens  or  Mahometans.  (2.)  Many  excellent  things  are  in  the 
writings  of  some  heathens — Plato,  Cicero,  Hierocles,  Plutarch, 
Antonine,  Epictetus,  and  many  others ;  but  I  miss  in  them  the  ex- 
pressions of  that  holy  and  heavenly  flame  of  mind  and  life,  and 
that  victory  over  the  flesh  and  world,  which  Christianity  containeth. 

(3.)  Christ  is  like  the  sun,  whose  beams  give  some  light  before 
it  is  seen  itself  at  its  rising,  and  after  it  is  set.  The  light  of  Jews 
and  heathens  was  as  the  dawning  of  the  day  before  sun-rising. 
And  the  light  among  the  Mahometans  is  like  the  light  of  the  sun, 
which  leaveth  it  when  it  is  set. 

Doubtless,  the  same  God  who  hath  used  Mahometans  to  be  his 
dreadful  scourge  to  wicked  Christians,  who  abused  the  gospel  by 
a  false  profession,  hath  also  used  them  to  do  abundance  of  good 
against  idolatry  in  the  heathen  world.  Wherever  they  come,  idol- 
atry is  destroyed.  Yea,  the  corrupt  Christians,  Greeks,  and  es- 
pecially Papists,  that  worship  images,  angels,  and  bread,  are  re- 
buked and  condemned,  justly,  by  Mahometans.  But  O,  that  they 
VOL.  n.  25 


194  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS 

who  have  conquered  so  far  by  the  sword,  were  conquered  by  the 
sacred  word  of  truth,  and  truly  understood  the  mystery  of  redemp- 
tion, and  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ! 

Obj.  But  they  think  us  idolaters,  for  saying  that  Christ  is  God, 
and  believing  the  Trinity. 

(1 .)  As  to  the  Trinity — it  is  no  contradiction  that  one  fire  or  sun 
should  have,  essentially,  a  virtue  or  power  to  move,  light,  and 
heat ;  nor  that  one  soul  should  have  a  power  of  vegetation,  sense, 
and  reason ;  nor,  as  rational,  to  have  a  peculiar  power  or  vitality, 
intellection,  and  free-will.  Why,  then,  should  the  Trinity  seem 
incredible  ? 

(2.)  We  do  not  believe  that  the  Godhead  hath  any  change,  or 
is  made  flesh,  or  the  manhood  made  God,  but  that  the  Godhead  is 
incomprehensibly  united  to  the  human  nature  by  assumption,  so  as 
he  is  united  to  no  other  creature,  by  and  for  those  peculiar  opera- 
tions on  the  humanity  of  Christ,  which  make  him  our  Redeemer. 

They  that  well  think  that  God  is  all  in  all  things,  more  than  a 
soul  to  all  the  world,  and  as  near  to  us  as  our  souls  to  our  bodies, 
in  whom  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being,  will  find  that  it 
is  more  difficult  to  apprehend  how  God  is  further  from  any  soul, 
than  that  he  is  so  much  one  with  Christ ;  save  that  different  op- 
erations of  God  on  his  creatures  are  apparent  to  us. 

By  all  this,  we  see  that  every  sanctified  Christian  hath  the  cer- 
tain witness  in  himself  that  Christ  is  true.  He  is  truly  a  Physi- 
cian that  healeth,  and  a  Savior  that  saveth  all  that  seriously  believe 
and  obey  him.  The  Spirit  of  God  in  a  new,  and  holy,  and  heaven- 
ly nature  of  spiritual  life,  and  light,  and  love,  is  the  witness. 

VI.  The  sixth  article  in  my  text  is,  "  Received  up  into  glory." 

That  Christ,  after  forty  days'  continuance  on  earth,  was  taken 
up  into  heaven,  in  the  sight  of  his  disciples,  is  a  matter  of  fact,  of 
which  we  have  all  the  forementioned  infallible  proof,  which  I  must 
not  here  again  repeat. 

And,  1 .  If  Christ  were  not  glorified  now  in  heaven,  he  could 
not  send  down  his  Spirit  with  his  word  on  earth,  nor  have  enabled 
the  first  witnesses  to  speak  with  all  tongues,  and  heal  the  sick,  and 
raise  the  dead,  and  do  all  the  miracles  which  they  did.  A  dead 
man  cannot  send  down  the  Holy  Spirit  in  likeness  of  fiery  cloven 
tongues,  nor  enable  thousands  to  do  such  works ;  nor  could  he  do 
what  is  done  on  the  souls  of  serious  believers  in  all  ages  and  na- 
tions to  this  day.  He  is  sure  alive  that  makes  men  live ;  and  in 
heaven,  that  draws  up  hearts  to  heaven. 

2.  And  this  is  our  hope  and  joy :  heaven  and  earth  are  in  his 
power.  The  suffering  and  work  which  he  performed  for  us  on 
earth  was  short,  but  his  heavenly  intercession  and  reign  is  everlast- 
ing. Guilty  souls  can  have  no  immediate  access  to  God.  All  is 


Ai'PKNl/IX.  li*U 

by  a  Mediator :  all  our  receivings  from  God  are  by  him.  and  all 
our  services  are  returned  by  him,  and  accepted  for  his  sake.  And 
as  he  is  the  Mediator  between  his  Father  and  us,  his  Spirit  inter- 
cedeth  between  him  and  us.  By  his  Spirit  he  giveth  us  holy  de- 
sires, and  every  grace.  And  by  his  Spirit  we  exercise  them  in 
returns  to  him. 

And  our  glorified  Savior  hath  Satan,  and  all  our  enemies,  in  his 
power  ;  life  and  death  are  at  his  command  ;  all  judgment  is  com- 
mitted to  him.  He  that  hath  redeemed  us  is  preparing  us  for 
heaven,  and  it  for  us,  and  receiveth  our  departing  souls  to  his 
6wn  joy  and  glory.  He  hath  promised  us  that  we  shall  be  with 
him  where  he  is,  and  shall  see  his  glory.  He  that  is  our  Savior 
will  be  our  Judge.  He  will  come  with  thousands  of  his  angels,  to 
the  confusion  of  wicked  unbelievers,  and  to  be  glorified  in  his  saints. 
He  will  make  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth,  in  which  righteous- 
ness shall  dwell.  Angels  and  glorified  saints  shall,  with  Christ 
our  Head,  make  one  city  of  God,  or  holy  society  and  choir,  in  per- 
fect love  and  joy,  to  praise  the  blessed  God  forever. 

The  Differences    between    this    World   and    that    which  1   am 

going  to. 

I.  This  world  is  God's  footstool.     That  is  his  throne. 

II.  Here  are  his  works  of  inferior  nature  and  of  grace.     There 
he  shineth  forth  in  perfect  glory. 

III.  Here  is  gross,  receptive  matter,  moved  by  invisible  powers. 
There  are  the  noblest  efficient  communicative  powers,  moving  all. 

IV.  This  is  the  inferior,  subject,  governed  world.     That  is  the 
superior,  regent  world. 

V.  This  is  a  world  of  trial,  where  the  soul  is  his  that  can  win 
its  consent.     That  is  a  world  where  the  will  is  perfectly  deter- 
mined and  fixed. 

VI.  Satan,  winning  men's  consent,  hath  here  a  large  dominion  of 
fools.     There  he  is  cast  out,  and  hath  no  possession. 

VII.  Here  he  is  a  tempter  and  troubler  of  the  best.     There  he 
hath  neither  power  to  tempt  nor  trouble. 

VIII.  This  world  is  as  the  dark  womb,  where  we  are  regenerat- 
ed.    That  is  the  world  of  glorious  light,  into  which  we  are  born. 

IX.  Here  we  dwell  on  a  world  of  sordid  earth.     There  we 
shall  dwell  in  a  world  of  celestial  light  and  glory. 

X.  Here  we  dwell  in  a  troublesome,  tempting,  perishing  body. 
There  we  are  delivered  from  this  burden  and  prison  into  glorious 
liberty. 

XI.  Here  we  are  under  a  troublesome  cure  of  our  maladies. 
There  we  are  perfectly  healed,  rejoicing  in  our  Physician's  praise. 


196  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

XII.  Here  we  are  using  the  means  in  weariness  and  hope. 
There  we  obtain  the  end  in  full  fruition. 

XIII.  Here  sin  maketh  us  loathsome  to  ourselves,  and  our  own 
annoyance.     There  we   shall  love  God  in  ourselves,  and  our  per- 
fect selves  in  God. 

XIV.  Here  all  our  duties  are  defiled  with  sinful  imperfection. 
There  perfect  souls  will  perfectly  love  and  praise  their  God. 

XV.  Here  Satan's  temptations  are  a  continual  danger  and  mol- 
estation.    There  perfect  victory  hath  ended  our  temptations. 

XVI.  Here  still  there  is  a  remnant  of  the  curse  and  punishment 
of  sin.     Pardon  and  deliverance  are  perfected  there. 

XVII.  Repenting,  shame,  sorrow,  and  fear,  are  here  part  of 
my  necessary  work.     There  all  the  troublesome  part  is  past,  and 
utterly  excluded. 

XVIII.  Here  we  see  darkly,  as  in  a  glass,  the  invisible  world 
of  spirits.     There  we  shall  see  them  as  face  to  face. 

XIX.  Here  faith,  alas  !  too  weak,  must  serve  instead  of  sight. 
There  presence  and  sight  suspend  the  use  of  such  believing. 

XX.  Desire  and  hope  are  here  our  very  life  and  work.     But 
there  it  will  be  full  felicity  in  fruition. 

XXI.  Our  hopes  are  here  oft  mixed  with  grievous  doubts  and 
fears.     But  there  full  possession  ends  them  all. 

XXII.  Our  holy  affections  are  here  corrupted  with  carnal  mix- 
tures.    But  there  all  are  purely  holy  and  divine. 

XXIII.  The  coldness  of  our  divine  love  is  here  our  sin  and 
misery.     The  perfection  of  it  will  be  there  our  perfect  holiness 
and  joy. 

XXIV.  Here,  though  the  will  itself  be  imperfect,  we  cannot  be 
and  do  what  we  would.     There  will,  and  deed,  and  attainment, 
will  all  be  fully  perfect. 

XXV.  Here,  by  ignorance  and  self-love,  I  have  desires  which 
God  denieth.     There  perfect  desires  shall  be  perfectly  fulfilled. 

XXVI.  Here  pinching  wants  of  something  or  other,  and  trou- 
blesome cares,  are  daily  burdens.     Nothing  is  there  wanting,  and 
God  hath  ended  all  their  cares. 

XXVII.  Sense  here  rebelleth  against  faith   and  reason,  and  oft 
overcometh.      Sense  there  shall  be  only  holy,  and  no  discord  be 
in  our  faculties  or  acts. 

XXVIII.  Pleasures  and  contents  here  are  short,  narrow,  and 
twisted  with  their  contraries.     There  they  are  objectively  pure 
and  boundless,  and  subjectively  total  and  absolute. 

XXIX.  Vanity  and  vexation  are  here  the  titles  of  transitory 
things.     Reality,  perfection,  and  glory,  are  the  titles  of  the  things 
above. 

XXX.  This  world  is  a  point  of  God's  creation,  a  narrow  place 


APPENDIX".  197 

for  a  few  passengers.     Above    are  the  vast,  capacious  regions, 
sufficient  for  all  saints  and  angels. 

XXXI.  This  world  is  as  Newgate,  and  hell  as  Tyburn ;  some 
are  hence  saved,  and  some  condemned.     The  other  world  is  the 
glorious  kingdom  of  Jehovah  with  the  blessed. 

XXXII.  It  was  here  that  Christ  was  tempted,  scorned,  and 
crucified.     It  is  there  where  he  reigneth  in  glory  over  all. 

XXXIII.  The  spiritual  life  is  here  as  a  spark  or  seed.     It  is 
there  a  glorious  flame  of  love,  and  joy,  and  the  perfect  fruit  and 
flower. 

XXXIV.  We  have  here  but  the  first-fruits,  earnest,  and  pledge. 
There  is  the  full  and  glorious  harvest  and  perfection. 

XXXV.  We  are  here  children  in  minority,  little  differing  from 
servants.     There  we  shall  have  full  possession  of  the  inheritance. 

XXXVI.  The  prospect  of  pain,  death,  grave,  and  rottenness, 
blasteth  all  the  pleasures  here.     There  is  no  death,  or  any  fear  of 
the  ending  of  felicity. 

XXXVII.  Here  even  God's  word  is  imperfectly  understood, 
and  errors  swarm,  even  in  the  best.     All  mysteries  of  nature  and 
grace  are  there  unveiled  in  the  world  of  light. 

XXXVIII.  Many  of  God's  promises  are  here  unfulfilled,  and 
our  prayers  unanswered.     There  truth  shineth  in  the  full  perform- 
ance of  them  all. 

XXXIX.  Our  grace  is  here  so  weak,  and  hearts  so  dark,  that 
our  sincerity  is  oft  doubted  of.     There  the  flames  of  love  and  joy 
leave  no  place  for  such  atioubt. 

XL.  By  our  inconstancy,  here  one  day  is  joyful  and  another 
sad.  But  there  our  joys  have  no  interruption. 

XLI.  We  dwell  here  with  sinful  companions,  like  ourselves,  in 
flesh.  There  holy  angels  and  souls,  with  Christ,  are  all  our  company. 

XLII.  Our  best  friends  and  helpers  are  here,  in  part,  our 
hinderers  by  sin.  There  all  concur  in  the  harmony  of  active 
Jove. 

XLIII.  Our  errors  and  corruptions  make  us  also  hurtful  and 
troublesome  to  our  friends.  But  there  both  Christ  and  they  for- 
give us,  and  we  shall  trouble  them  no  more. 

XL1V.  Selfishness  and  cross  interests  here  jar,  and  mar  our 
conversation.  There  perfect  love  will  make  the  joy  of  every  saint 
and  angel  mine.  • 

XLV.  A  militant  church  imperfectly  sanctified  here  liveth  in 
scandal  and  sad  divisions.  The  glorious  church  united  in  God  in 
perfect  love  hath  no  contention. 

XL VI.  Sin  and  error  here  turn  our  very  public  worship  into 
jars.  The  celestial  harmony  of  joyful  love  and  praise  is,  to  mor- 
tals, inconceivable. 


198  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

XL VII.  Weak,  blind,  and  wicked  teachers  here  do  keep  the 
most  in  delusion  and  division.  There  glorious  light  hath  banished 
all  lies,  deceit  and  darkness. 

XL VIII.  The  wills  of  blind  tyrants  is  the  law  of  most  on  earth. 
The  wisdom  and  will  of  the  most  holy  God  is  the  law  of  the 
heavenly  society. 

XLIX.  Lies  here  cloud  the  innocency  of  the  just,  and  render 
truth  and  goodness  odious.  All  false  judgments  are  there  revers- 
ed, and  slander  is  silenced,  and  the  righteous  justified. 

L.  Government  is  here  exercised  by  terror  and  violence.  But 
there  God  ruleth  by  light,  love,  and  absolute  delight. 

LI.  Enemies,  reproach,  and  persecution  here  annoy  and  tempt 
us.  All  storms  are  there  past,  and  the  conquerors  crowned  in 
joyful  rest. 

LII.  The  glory  of  divine  love  and  holiness  is  clouded  here  by 
the  abounding  of  sin,  and  the  greatness  of  Satan's  kingdom  upon 
earth.  But  the  vast,  glorious,  heavenly  kingdom,  to  which  this 
earth  is  but  a  point  and  prison,  will  banish  all  such  erring  thoughts, 
and  glorify  God's  love  and  goodness  forever. 

LIU.  This  is  the  world  which,  as  corrupted,  is  called  an  enemy 
to  God  and  us,  and  which,  as  such,  we  renounce  in  baptism,  and 
must  be  saved  from.  That  is  the  world  which  we  seek,  pray,  and 
wait  for  all  our  lives,  and  for  which  all  the  tempting  vanities  of 
this  must  be  forsaken. 

LIV.  This  body  and  world  is  like  our  riding  clothes,  our  horse, 
our  way,  and  ian,  and  traveling  compart? ;  all  but  for  our  journey 
homeward.  The  other  is  our  city  of  ••messedness,  and  everlasting 
rest,  to  which  all  grace  inclineth  souls,  and  all  present  means  and 
mercies  tend. 

LV.  The  very  ignorance  of  nature  and  sensible  things  makes 
this  life  a  very  labyrinth,  and  our  studies,  sciences,  and  learned 
conversation,  to  be  much  like  a  dream,  or  puppet  play,  and  a  child- 
ish stir  about  mere  words.  But  in  heaven,  an  universal  knowl- 
edge of  God's  wonderful  works  will  not  be  the  least  of  the  glory 
in  which  he  will  shine  to  saints. 

LVI.  Distance  and  darkness  of  souls  here  in  flesh,  who  would 
fain  know  more  of  God  and  the  heavenly  world,  and  cannot,  doth 
make  our  lives  a  burden  by  these  unsatisfied  desires.  There  glo- 
rious presence  and  intuition  givetjj  full  satisfaction. 

LVII.  Our  sin  and  imperfection  here  render  us  uncapable  of 
being  the  objects  of  God's  full,  complacential  love,  though  we 
have  his  benevolence,  which  will  bring  us  to  it.  But  there  we 
shall,  in  our  several  measures,  perfectly  please  God,  and  be  per- 
fectly pleased  in  God  forever. 

LVIII.  All  things  here  are   short   and   transitory  from   their 


APPENDIX.  199 

beginning,  posting  towards  their  end,  which  is  near  and  sure,  and 
still  in  our  eye.  So  short  is  time,  that  beings  here  are  next 
to  nothing ;  the  bubble  of  worldly  prosperity,  pomp,  and  fleshly 
pleasure,  doth  swell  up,  and  break  in  so  short  a  moment,  as  that 
it  is,  and  is  not,  almost  at  once.  But  the  heavenly  substances, 
and  their  work,  and  joys,  are  crowned  by  duration,  being  assuredly 
everlasting. 

Such,  O  my  soul,  is  the  blessed  change  which  God  will  make. 

The  Reasons  and  Helps  of  my  Belief  and  Hope  of  this  Perfection. 

I.  Natural    reason   assureth  me,  that  God  made  all  creatures 
fitted  to  their  intended  use ;    even  brutes    are  more  fit  to  their 
several  offices  than  man  is.     He  giveth  no  creature  its  faculties 
in  vain  :  whatever  a  wise  man  maketh,  he  fits  it  to  the  use  which 
he  made  it  for ;  but  man's  faculties  are  enabled  to  think  of  a  God, 
of  our  relation,  and  our  duty  to  him,  of  our  hopes  from  him,  and 
our  fears  of  him  ;  of  the  state  of  our  souls  related  to  his  judgment ; 
of  what  will  befall  us  after  death,  reward,  or  punishment,  and  how 
to  prepare  for  it.     This  nature  and  its  faculties  and  powers  are  not 
made  in  vain. 

II.  Reason  assureth  me,  that  all  men  are  bound  by  nature  to 
prefer  the  least  probability  of  a  life  of  everlasting  joy  before  all  the 
prosperity  of  this  world  ;  and  to  suffer  the  loss  of  all  this  short 
vallKp,  to  escape  the  least  possibility  of  endless  misery  ;  and  nature 
hath  such  notices  of  rewaB£.aud  punishments  after  death,  that  no 
man  can  say  that  he  is  surP^%re  is  no  such  thing.     From  whence 
it  followed),  that  all  men  are  bound  by  the  very  law  of  nature  to 
be  religious,  and  to  seek  first  and  most  the  salvation  in  the  life  to 
come.     And  if  so,  it  is  certain  that  there  is  such  a  thing  to  be  ob- 
tained ;  else  God  had  made  the  very  nature  of  man  to  be-  deceived 
by  itself,  and  to  spend  the  chief  part,  yea,  all  his  life, 'through  labor 
and  suffering,  for  that  which  is  not ;  and  so  made  his  greatest  duty 
to  be  his  greatest  deceit  and  misery ;  and  the  worst  men  should 
be  least  deceived.     But  all  this  is  not  to  be  imputed  to  our  wise 
and  good  Creator. 

III.  The  universal  sense  of  moral  good  and  evil,  in  all  mankind, 
is  a  great  evidence  of  another  life.     The  vilest  atheist  cannot  abide 
to  be  accounted  a  knave,  a  liar,  and  a  bad  man  ;  nor  will  equal  a 
vicious  servant  with  another.     All  would  be  thought  good,  who 
will  not  be  good.     And  doth  not  God  make  a  greater  difference 
than  man  ?  and  will  he  not  show  it ': 

IV.  The  world   is  actually  ruled  much  by  the  hopes  and  fears 
of  anothr-r  lifK  and  cannot   well   be   ruled  without   it.  according  to 


200  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

the  nature  of  man ;  but  the  almighty,  most  wise,  and  most  holy 
God  needs  not,  and  will  not  rule  the  world  by  mere  deceit. 

V.  The  gospel  of  Christ  hath  brought  life  and  immortality  into 
a  clearer  light  than  that  of  nature  ;  and  it  must  be  by  believing  in 
Christ  that  we  must  have  our  full  satisfaction.     O,  what  hath  God 
done  in  the  wonders  of  redemption  to  make  us  sure  !     And  against 
the  doubts  that  are  apt  to  rise  from  some  hard  particular  text  of 
Scripture,  it  must  be  considered,  1.  That  Christ  and  his  apostles 
did  put  the  ascertaining  seal  of  the  many  uncontrolled  miracles  to 
the  gospel  doctrine,  primarily  ;  which  doctrine,   (1.)  Was  deliver- 
ed and  sealed  eight  years  before  any  of  the  New  Testament  was 
written,  and  almost  seventy   before  the  last.      (2.)  And   Christ 
did  not  speak  in  the  language  in  which  the  gospel  is  written  to  us; 
so  that,  being  but  a  translation  as  to  his  own  words,  the  matter  is 
the  thing  first  sealed. 

2.  And  that  it  was  the  two  legislative  mediators,  Moses  and 
Christ,  who  came  with  the  great  stream  of  uncontrolled  miracles; 
it  being  necessary   that  men  should  have  full  proof  that  a  law  or 
doctrine  is  of  God,  before  they  believe  it ;    but  the  priests  and 
prophets  after  Moses,  and  the  preachers  and  pastors  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  who  were  not  commissioned  to  bring  men  any  new 
laws   or  gospel,  but  to  proclaim  and  teach   that  which  they  re- 
ceived, needed  no  such  testimony  of  miracles. 

3.  The  belief  of  every  particular  priest  or  prophet  after  Moses, 
or  every  pastor  after  Christ  and  his  apostles,  was  not  of  th^^Jne 
degree  of  necessity  to  salvation  as  th^ttief  of  the  law  and  gospel 
itself.     Therefore,  though  all  the  Hiplecripture  be  true,  the  law 
and  the  gospel  must  be  much  differenced  from  the  rest. 

4.  The  history  of  the  law  and  gospel  have  full,  ascertaining,  his- 
torical evidence ;  or  else  there  is  none  such  in  the  world.     There- 
fore the  doctrine  must  be  true. 

5.  The  prophecies  fulfilled  prove  the  gospel  true. 

6.  And  the  divine  impress  on  the  whole. 

7.  And  the  sanctifying  work  of  the  Spirit  wrought  by  it,  in  all 
nations  and  ages,  on  serious  believers,  is  a  constant,  divine  at- 
testation. 

VI.  And  as  my  faith  hath  so  sure  a  foundation,  it  confirmeth  my 
faith  and  hope,  that  it  hath  been  so  long  and  great  a  work  of  God, 
by  his  Word  and  Spirit  on  my  soul,  to  raise  it  to  believe,  and  love, 
and  desire,  that  holy  state  of  perfection  and  fruition  which  I  hope 
for.     That  which  hath  made  me  so  much  better  than  I  else  had 
been,  and  turned  my  heart  and  life  (though  imperfectly)  to  things 
above  the  pleasures  of  the  flesh,  must  needs  be  of  God  ;  and  God 
would  never  send  his  grace  to  work  my  heart  to  deceit  and  lies, 


and  give  me  such  graces  as  all  shall  be  frustrate  :  his  Spirit  is  the 
earnest  and  first-fruits  of  glory. 

VII.  And  all  the  course  of  religious  and  moral  duty  which  he 
hath  commanded  me,  and  in  which  he  hath  employed  my  life, 
were  never  imposed  to  deceive  me.      I  am  sure  by  nature  and 
Scripture,  that  it  is  my  duty  to  love  God  and  my  neighbor,  to  de- 
sire protection,  and  to  serve  God.  and  do  good  with  all  my  time 
and  power,  and  to  trust  God  for  my  reward,  believing  that  all  this 
shall  not  be  in  vain ;  nor  that  which  is  best  be  made  my  loss.     O, 
blessed  be  God  for  commands  and  holy  duty  ;  for  they  are  equal 
to  promises.     Who  can  fear  that  he  shall  lose  by  seeking  God  ? 

VIII.  As  God  hath  sealed  the  truth  of  his  word  as  aforesaid,  so 
he  hath,  by  an  instituted  office  and  ordinance,  sealed  and  delivered 
to  myself  his  covenant,  with  the  gift  of  Christ  and  life,  in  baptism, 
and  the  Lord's  supper. 

IX.  He  hath  given  me  such  a  love  to  holy  things  and  persons, 
that  I  greatly  long  to  see  his  church  in  perfect  light,  and  love,  and 
concord.    O,  how  sweet  would  it  be  to  see  all  men  wise,  and  holy, 
and  joyfully  praising  God  !     Every  Christian  longs  for  this  ;  and, 
therefore,  such  a  state  will  be. 

X.  I  have  found  here  the  great  benefit  of  the  love  and  ministry 
of  angels,  such  as  is  described  in  Psalm  xci.     They  have  kept  me, 
night  and  day,  which  confirmeth  my  hope  that  I  shall  dwell  with 
them  ;  for  I  love  them  better  than  men,  because  they  love  and 
serve  God  better. 

XI.  That   low  commujjljfcwhich   I  have   here  with  God  by 
Christ  and  the  Spirit,  in  hiaBswer  to  my  prayers,  supports,  com- 
forts, experience,  tends  to  more. 

XII.  The  pleasure  which  I  have  by  love,  in  thinking  of  the  hap- 
piness of  my  many,  many,  many  holy  departed  friends,  and  of  the 
glory  of  Christ,  and  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  is,  sure,  some  hopeful 
approach  towards  their  state. 

XIII.  When  I  see  the  fire  mount  upward,  and  think  that  spirits 
are  of  a  more  sublime  and  excellent  nature  than  fire  ;  and  when  I 
see  that  all  that  is  done  in  this  world  is  done  by  spiritual,  unseen 
powers,  which  move  this  gross  and  drossy  matte?,  it  puts  me  past 
doubt,  that  my  soul,  being  a  spirit,  hath  a  vast  (and  glorious  world 
of    spirits    to    ascend  to.      God    hath,  by    nature,  put    into  all 
things  an   aggregative,  uniting  inclination:    earth  hath   no  other 
natural  motion.     The  ascent  of  fire  tells  us  its  element  is  above ; 
and  spirits  naturally  incline  to  spirits,  and  holy  spirits  peculiarly 
are  inclined  to  the  holy. 

XIV.  lam  sure,  1.  By  understanding  that  I  understand,  and 
by  willing  that  I  will,  &c.    2.  I  am  sure,  by  these  acts,  that  1  have 
the  power  or  faculties    to  do  them ;  for  none  doth  that  which  it 

VOL.  n.  26 


_^^ 

202  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

cannot  do.     3.  And  I  know  that  it  is  a  substance  that  hath  these 
powers  ;  for  nothing  can  do  nothing. 

My  soul,  then,  being  certainly  an  intellective,  volitive,  vital  sub- 
stance, 1.  I  have  no  reason  to  fliink,  that  God,  who  annihilateth 
not  the  least  sand,  will  annihilate  so  noble  a  substance. 

2.  Nor  that  he  will  destroy  those  powers  which  are  its  essential 
form,  and  turn  it  into  some  other  thing. 

3.  Nor  that  such  essential  powers  shall  lie  as  dead  and  unactive, 
and  so  be  continued  in  vain. 

4.  There  remaining,  therefore,  nothing  uncertain  to  natural  rea- 
son, but  the  continuance  of  individuation  to  separate  souls,   (1.) 
Apparitions  and  witches  have  put  that  out  of  doubt,  notwithstand- 
ing many  fables  and  delusions.     (2.)  Christ  hath  put  it  more  out 
of  doubt.      (3.)   While  substance,  faculties,  and  acts  continue,  it 
is  the  error  of  our  selfish  state  in  flesh,  which  maketh  any  fear  too 
near  an   union,  which  shall  end  our  individuation.     The  greatest 
union  will  be  the  greatest  perfection,  and  no  loss  to  souls. 

XV.  God's  wonderful  providences  for   the  church  and  single 
saints  on  earth  are  such  as  tell  us  of  that  love  and  care,  which  will 
bring  them  afterwards  to  him. 

XVI.  The  nature  of  God  taketh  off  the  terror  of  my  departure 
much  :  I  am  sure  I  shall  die  at  the  will,  and  into  the  hand,  of  infi- 
nite essential  love  and  goodness, — whose  love  should  draw  up  my 
longing  soul. 

XVII.  I  am  going  to  a  God  whoj^nercies  have  long  told  me, 
that  he  loveth  me  better  than  my  ^flrest  friend  doth,  and  better 
than  I  love  myself,  and  is  a  far  betterThooser  of  my  lot. 

XVIII.  As  he  hath  absolute  right  to  dispose  of  his  own,  so  in- 
deed the  fulfilling  of  his  will  is  the  ultimate  end  of  all  things,  and 
therefore  most  desirable  in  itself;  and  his  will  shall  be  fulfilled 
on  me. 

XIX.  I  go  to  a  glorified  Savior,  who  came  down  to  fetch  me  up, 
and  hath  conquered  and  sanctified  death,  and  made  it  my  birth-day 
for  glory,  and  taketh  me  for  his  dear-bought  own  and  interest,  and 
is  in  glory  ready  to  receive  his  own. 

XX.  I  go  to  that   Savior  who,  on  the  cross,  commendeth  his 
spirit  into  his  Father's  hand,  and  taught  me,  with  dying  Stephen, 
to  say,  "  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit." 

XXI.  I  go  no  solitary,  untrodden  way,  but  follow  all  the  faith- 
ful since  the  death  of  Abel,  to  this  day,  (save  Enoch  and  Elias,) 
who  all  went  by  death  into  that  glorious  world,  where  I  shall  find 
them. 

XXII.  I  have  so  long  groaned  under  a  languid  body,  and  in  a 
blind,  distracted,  and  (by  man)  uncurable  world,  where  Satan,  by 
lies,  malice,  and  murder,  reigneth  in — alas !  how  many  ;  and  espe- 


AVPEND1.V. 

cially  am  so  weary  of  my  own  darkness,  and  sinful  imperfection, 
that  I  have  great  reason  to  be  willing  of  deliverance. 

XXIII.  I  have  had  so  large  a  share  of  mercies  in  this  world  al- 
ready, in  time,  and  manifold  comforts  from  God,  that  reason  com- 
mandeth  me  to  rest  in  God's  time  for  my  removal. 

XXIV.  I  shall  leave  some  fruits,  not  useless,  to  serve  the  church 
when  I  am  gone  ;  and  if  good  be  done,  I  have  rny  end. 

XXV.  When  I  am  gone,  God  will  raise  up  and  use  others  to  do 
his  appointed  work  on  earth ;  and  a  church  shall  be  continued  to 
his  praise ;  and  the  spirits  in  heaven  will  rejoice  therein. 

XXVI.  When  I  am  gone,  I  shall  not  wish  to  be  again  on  earth. 

XXVII.  Satan,   by  his   temptations,   and  all  his  instruments, 
would  never  have  done  so  much  as  he  doth  in  the  world  to  keep  us 
from  heaven,  if  there  were  not  a  heaven  which  conquerors  obtain. 

XXVIII.  When  darkness  and  uncertainty  of  the  manner  of  the 
action  and  fruition  of  separated  souls  would  daunt  me,  it  is  enough 
to  know  explicitly  so  much  as  is  explicitly  revealed,  and  implicitly 
to  trust  Christ  with  all  the  rest:  our  eyes  are  in  our  Head,  who 
knoweth   for  us.     Knowledge  of  glory  is  part   of  fruition  ;  and 
therefore  we  must  expect  here  no  more  than  is  suited  to  a  life  of 
faith. 

XXIX.  All  my  part  is  to  do  my  own  duty,  and  then  trust  God  ; 
obeying  his  commanding  will,  and  fully  and  joyfully  resting  in  his 
disposing  and  rewarding  will.     There  is  no  rest  for  souls  but  in 
the  will  of  God ;  and  there  with  full  trust  to  repose  our  souls,  in 
life,  and  at  death,  is  the  oafo  way  of  a  safe  and  comfortable  de- 
parture. 

XXX.  The  glorious  marriage-day  of  the  Lamb  cannot  now  be 
far  off,  when    the   number  of  the   elect  shall  be  complete,  and 
Christ  will  come  with  his  glorious  angels,  and  will  be  glorified  in 
his  saints,  and  admired  in  all  believers,  and  there  shall  be  a  new 
heaven  and  a  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness  ;  and  that 
kingdom  shall  come,  where  that  which  God  hath  prepared  for 
them  that  love  him,  eye  hath  not  seen,  ear  hath  not  heard,  nor 
hath  it  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  to  have  a  formal,  full  con- 
ception of  it. 

Come,  Lord  Jesus;  come  quickly.     Amen. 

Fear  not,  then,  O  my  soul,  to  lay  down  this  flesh  :  mercy  hath 
kept  it  up  for  my  preparing  work ;  but,  O,  what  a  burdensome 
and  chargeable  companion  hath  it  been !  Is  it  better  than  the 
dwelling-place  of  perfect  spirits  ?  O,  what  are  my  groans,  and  all 
my  cold  and  faint  petitions,  and  my  dull  thanksgiving,  to  their  har- 
monious, joyful  praise !  If  a  day  in  God's  courts  be  better  than 
a  thousand,  what  is  a  day,*  yea,  what  is  everlastingness,  in  the 
heavenly  society  and  work  !  O,  how  hateful  a  thing  is  darkness 


^^^jf 


•i(.)\  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

and  unbelief,  when  the  remnants  of  them  thus  stop  poor  souls  in 
their  ascent,  and  make  us  half  unwilling  to  go  home !  What !  un- 
willing to  be  with  my  glorified  Lord !  Unwilling  to  be  with  saints 
and  angels,  who  are  all  life,  and  light,  and  love!  Unwilling  to 
see  the  glory  of  Jehovah !  O  foolish,  sinful  soul !  hath  Christ 
done  so  much  to  purchase  the  heavenly  glory  for  thee,  and  now 
art  thou  unwilling  to  go  into  the  possession  of  it  ?  Hast  thou  been 
seeking,  and  praying,  and  laboring,  and  suffering  so  many  years, 
for  that  which  now  thou  seemest  scarce  willing  to  obtain?  Dost 
thou  not  judge  thyself  unworthy  of  eternal  life,  when  thou  no  more 
desirest  to  enjoy  it  ?  All  this  is  along  of  thy  too  much  adherence 
unto  self  and  sense :  thou  art  still  desiring  sensitive  satisfaction, 
and,  not  content  to  know  thy  part,  wouldest  know  that  for  thyself 
which  Christ  knoweth  for  thee ;  as  if  thou  couldest  better  trust 
thyself  than  him.  Fear  not,  weak  soul ;  it  is  our  Father's  good 
pleasure  to  give  thee  the  kingdom.  Trust  infinite  power,  wisdom 
and  love  :  trust  that  faithful,  gracious  Savior  who  hath  so  wonder- 
fully merited  to  be  trusted :  trust  that  promise  which  never  de- 
ceived any  one,  and  which  is  confirmed  by  so  many  miracles,  and 
by  the  oath,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  Whenever  thou  departest 
from  this  house  of  flesh,  the  arms  of  mercy  are  open  to  embrace 
thee;  yea,  essential,  transcendent  love  is  ready  to  receive  thee: 
the  Spirit  of  love  hath  sealed  thee  to  that  blessed  state :  Christ 
will  present  thee  justified  and  accepted.  Most  of  my  old,  holy, 
familiar  friends  are  gone  before  me,  and  all  the  rest  that  died  since 
the  world  began.  And  the  few  imperfect  ones  left  behind  are 
hasting  after  them  apace,  and  if  I  goTWbre,  will  quickly  overtake 
me :  though  they  weep  as  if  it  were  for  a  long  separation,  it  is 
their  great  mistake  :  the  gate  of  death  stands  all  day  open,  and  my 
sorrowful  friends  are  quickly  following  me,  as  I  am  now  following 
those  for  whom  I  sorrowed.  O,  pity  them  who  are  left  awhile 
under  the  temptations,  dangers,  and  fears,  which  have  so  long 
been  thine  own  affliction  !  but  be  not  afraid  of  the  day  of  thy  de- 
liverance, and  the  bosom  of  everlasting  love,  and  the  society  of 
the  wise,  and  just,  and  holy,  and  of  the  end  of  all  thy  troubles,  and 
the  entrance  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord,  and  the  place  and  state  of 
all  thy  hope.  O,  say,  not  notionally  only,  as  from  argumenta- 
tive conviction,  but  confidently,  and  with  glad  desire  and  hope, 
to  depart  and  be  with  Christ,  is  far  better  than  to  be  here. 

But,  O  my  God,  I  have  much  more  hope  in  speaking  to  thee 
than  to  myself.  Long  may  I  plead  with  this  dark  and  dull,  yet 
fearful  soul,  before  I  can  plead  it  into  joyful  hopes  and  heavenly 
desires,  unless  thou  shine  on  it  with  the  light  of  thy  countenance, 
and  thou,  whom  my  soul  must  trust  and  love,  wilt  give  me  faith 
and  love  themselves.  I  thank  thee  for  convincing  arguments ;  but 


APPENDIX. 


had  this  been  all  the  strength  of  my  faith  and  hope,  the  tempter 
might  have  proved  too  subtle  for  me  in  dispute.  I  thank  thee,  that 
some  experience  tells  me  that  a  holy  appetite  to  heavenly  work, 
and  a  love  to  the  heavenly  company  and  state,  doth  more  to  make 
me  willing"  to  die,  and  think  with  pleasure  of  my  change,  than  ever 
bare  arguments  would  have  done.  O,  send  down  the  streams  of 
thy  love  into  my  soul,  and  that  will  powerfully  draw  it  up  by  long- 
ings for  the  near  and  full  fruition  !  O,  give  me  more  of  the  divine 
and  heavenly  nature,  and  it  will  be  natural  and  easy  to  me  to  de- 
sire to  be  with  thee  :  send  more  of  the  heavenly  joys  into  this  soul, 
and  it  will  long  for  heaven,  the  place  of  joy !  I  must  not  hope  on 
earth  for  any  such  acquaintance  with  the  world  above  as  is  proper 
to  the  enjoying  state.  But  if  the  sun  can  send  its  illuminating, 
warming  rays  to  such  a  world  as  this,  according  to  the  various 
disposition  of  the  recipients,  doubtless  thou  hast  thy  effectual, 
though  unsearchable,  ways  of  illuminating,  sanctifying,  and  attrac- 
tive influence  on  souls.  And  one  such  beam  of  thy  pleased  face, 
one  taste  of  thy  complacential  love,  will  kindle  my  love,  and  draw 
up  my  desires,  and  make  my  pains  and  sickness  tolerable.  I  shah1 
then  put  oft'  this  clothing  with  the  less  reluctancy,  and  willingly 
leave  my  flesh  to  the  dust,  and  sing  my  nunc  dimiitis,  when  I  have 
thus  seen  and  tasted  thy  salvation.  O,  my  God,  let  not  thy 
strengthening,  comforting  grace  now  forsake  me,  lest  it  should 
overwhelm  me  with  the  fears  of  being  finally  forsaken.  Dwell  in 
me  as  the  God  of  love  andjoy,  that  I  may  long  to  dwell  in  love 
and  joy  with  thee  foreverjpjjl5  grace  abounded  where  sin  abound- 
ed, let  thy  strengthening  anRjomforting  mercy  abound  when  weak- 
ness increaseth,  and  my  necessities  abound.  My  flesh  and  my 
heart  faileth,  but  thou  art  the  strength  of  my  heart,  and  my  portion 
forever :  this  short  life  is  almost  at  an  end ;  but  thy  loving  kind- 
ness is  better  than  life.  I  know  not  with  what  pains  thou  wilt  fur- 
ther try  me ;  bu^  if  I  love  thee,  thou  hast  promised  that  all  things 
shall  work  together  for  my  good.  The  world  that  I  am  going  to 
by  death  is  not  apparent  to  my  sight;  but  my  life  is  hid  with  Christ 
in  God,  and  because  he  liveth  we  shall  live ;  and  we  shall  be  with 
him  where  he  is  ;  and  when  he  appeareth,  we  shall  appear  with 
him  in  glory,  and  shall  enter  into  our  Master's  joy,  and  be  forever 
with  the  Lord.  Amen. 

Wnat  sensible  Manifestation  of  his  Kingdom   Christ  gave  in  his 
Transfiguration. 

1.  Our  Lord,  who  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light,  well 
knew  the  difficulty  of  believing  so  great  things-unseen  ;  and  there- 
fore it  pleased  him  to  give  men  some  sensible  helps  by  demonstra- 


206  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

tion.  In  Matt.  xvi.  andxvii.  1,  2,  &c.  Mark  ix.  1.  Lukeix.  28. 
he  promised  some  of  the  disciples  a  sight  of  his  kingdom,  as  coming 
in  power ;  or  such  a  glimpse  as  Moses  had  of  the  back  parts  of 
God's  glory :  this  he  performed  first  in  his  transfiguration,  as  after- 
ward in  his  resurrection,  ascension,  and  sending  the  Holy  Ghost  to 
enable  them,  with  power  to  preach,  and  work  miracles,  and  convert 
the  nations. 

2.  By  the  kingdom  of  God,  is  meant  God's  government  of  his 
holy  ones,  by  a  heavenly  communication  of  life,  light  and  love,  in- 
itially on  earth  by  grace,  and  perfectly  in  heaven  by  glory — a 
special  theocracy. 

3.  For  the  understanding  of  this,  we  must  know,  that  when  God 
had  made  man  good,  in  his  image,  he  conversed  with  him  in  a  heav- 
enly manner,  either  immediately  or  by  an  angel,  speaking  to  him, 
and  telling  him  his  will.     But  man  being  made  a  free,  self-deter- 
mining agent,  he  was  left  to  choose  whom  he  would  follow;  and, 
hearkening  unto  Satan,  and  turning  from  God,  he  became  a  slave 
of  Satan,  and  gave  him  advantage  to  be  his  deceiving  ruler:  not 
that  man's  rebellion  nullified  God's  power,  or  disposing  government, 
or  took  man  from  under  obligation  to  obedience  ;  but  that,  forsak- 
ing God,  he  was  much,  though  not  wholly,  forsaken  by  his  special 
fatherly,  approving  government,  and  left  to  Satan  and  his   own 
will ;  but  the  eternal  Word  interposing  for  man's  reprival  and  re- 
demption, undertook  to  break  the  serpent's  head,  and  to  conquer 
and  cast  out  him  that  had  deceived  and  captivated  man ;    and, 
choosing  out  a  special  seed,  he  made  them  a  peculiar  people,  and 
set  up  a  heavenly,  prophetical  government  over  them,  himself,  by 
heavenly  revelation,  making  their  laws,  and  choosing  their  chief 
governors  under  him,  from  time  to  time,  and  would  not  leave  it  to 
blind  and  sinful  man  to  make  laws,  or  choose  princes,  for  them- 
selves, but  would  keep  them  in  a  special  dependence  upon  Heaven. 
But  the  carnal  Israelites,  having  provoked  God  by  odious  idolatry, 

\   to  deny  them  much  of  the  benefit  of  government,  (save  when  they 
!  repented,  and  cried  to  him  for  help,)  they  thought  to  amend  this, 
\  by  choosing  a  king  like  other  nations,  and  ending  their  depend- 
\  ence  on  heavenly  relation,  and  choice  for  government;  and  so  the- 
ocracy was  turned  into  a  more  human  regiment,  and  God  more 
cast  off;  though  yet  he  would  not  quite  forsake  them.     And  the 
rest  of  the  world  was  yet  more  left  under  the  power  of  Satan,  and 
their  own  corrupted  mind  and  will ;  so  that  Satan  hath  both  an 
internal  kingdom  in  wicked  souls,  and  a  visible  political  govern- 
ment of  the  wicked  kingdoms  of  the  world,  ruling  them  by  men 
that  are  ruled  by  him.     And  ^s  Christ  came  to  cast  him  out  of 
men's  hearts,  by  his  sanctifying,  conquering  Spirit,  so  also  to  cast 
him  out  of  the  political  government  of  the  kingdoms  of  the  world, 


. 

APPENDIX.  207 

and  to  bring  them  under  the  laws,  and  officers,  and  Spirit  of  Christ, 
and  rule  them  by  heavenly  power  and  love,  as  his  own  kingdoms, 
that  he  may  bring  them  to  perfection  in  one  celestial  kingdom  at 
last.  And  in  this  sense  we  pray,  "  Thy  kingdom  come." 

4.  To  make  men  believe  that  he  is  the  heavenly  King  sent  from 
God  to  cast  down  Satan's  kingdom,  was  the  great  business  of  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel :  this  he  would  demonstrate,  as  by  all  his 
miracles  which  showed  him  to  have  the  victory  of  devils,  and  to 
be  the  Lord  of  life,  so  also  by  visible  apparition  in  glory.     And  it 
is  said  (1  John  v.  7,  8.)  that  there  are  three  witnesses  in  heaven 
and  three  in  earth  ;  so  here  Christ  would  have  three  heavenly  and 
three  earthly  witnesses  of  his  transfiguration.     From  heaven  he 
had  the  witness,   1 .  Of  a  voice,  proclaiming,  "  This  is  my  beloved 
Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased ;  hear  him."     2.  Of  Moses,  the 
chief  lawgiver.     3.  And  of  Elias,  the  chief  prophet ;  to  tell  us  that 
the  law  and  the  prophets  are  his  prognosticating  witnesses :  but 
"  hear  him  "  notifieth  to  us,  that  Christ  and  his  gospel  are  to  be 
heard  above  the  law  and  the  prophets,  and  to  teach  us  more  than 
they  could  teach  us :  the  law  was  given  by  Moses,  (with  its  types 
and  shadows,)  but  grace  and  truth  (the  substance  so  typified)  are 
by  Jesus  Christ. 

5.  Light  and  glory  are  often  of  the  same  signification.     Christ 
was  transfigured  into  a  lucid,  glorious  appearance  of  body.     He 
tells  us  by  this,  that  he  would  have  us  have  some  sort  of  idea  of 
his  kingdom,  fetched  from  sense:  many  apparitions  of  angels  have 
been  in  lights.     Christ  appeared  to  Saul  in  a  visible  light ;  Acts 
ix.     So  did  he  to  John;' Jlfev.  i.,  &c.     God  and  the  Lamb  are 
the  light  of  the  New  Jerusalem.     It  is  an  inheritance  of  the  saints 
in  light. 

Some  seem  to  me  to  think  too  basely  of  sense,  and  too  far  to 
separate  it  from  intellectual  spirits,  both  as  to  power,  act,  and  object ; 
and  all  because  they  find  it  in  lower  creatures.  They  might  ac- 
cordingly deny  substantiality  to  spirits,  because  brutes  are  sub- 
stances: the  higher  have  all  the  perfections  of  the  lower,  either 
formally  or  eminently.  It  is  not  a  spirit's  perfection  to  be  insen- 
sible, or  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  sensible  things,  but  to  be  emi- 
nently sensible,  and  to  be  superior  agents  on  lower  sensibles. 
God  is  love ;  and  love  is  complacency  ;  and  a  high  degree  of  com- 
placency is  delight  or  joy.  So  that  God  is  essential,  infinite  joy, 
but  without  that  drossy  quality  which  is  proper  to  souls  in  flesh, 
and  all  that  imperfection  which  belongs  to  creatures.  Can  we  tell 
what  it  is  to  enter  into  our  Master's  joy,  or  joyfully  to  love  and 
praise  him,  without  any  sense  ?*'  I  rather  think,  that  as  vigorous 
youth  makes  men  capable  of  more  delight  than  decrepit,  languid, 
painful  age  and  sickness, — so  heaven  shall,  by  perfecting  our  na- 


208          BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

tures,  make  them  capable  of  inconceivably  more  joy  than  any  on 
earth  is  capable  of. 

And  as  we  shall  have  sense  in  exaltation  as  to  power  and  act,  so 
shall  we  have  sensible  objects.  God  himself  delighteth  in  all  his 
works,  and  so  shall  we.  We  must  not,  on  pretense  of  taking  the 
heavenly  Jerusalem  to  be  merely  spiritual,  deprive  ourselves  of  all 
the  sensible  ideas  of  it  which  God's  description  ofFereth  to  us. 
Light  is  sensible  ;  Christ  glorified  there  is  sensible  ;  Moses  and 
Elias  were  sensible  to  Peter,  James,  and  John.  Lazarus  and 
Abraham  were  sensible  to  the  man  in  hell ;  Luke  xvi.  Stephen 
saw  heaven  open,  and  Christ  sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 
And  all  eyes  shall  see  him  at  his  glorious  return.  Heavenly  glory 
is  not  enjoyed  only  by  mere  thinking  and  knowing,  nor  as  in  a 
dream,  but  by  the  most  eminent  intellectual  sensation,  exalted 
and  invigorated. 

6.  Say  not  then,  O  my  soul,  that  this  kingdom  of  glory  is  so  far 
above  thee,  that  thou  canst  have  no  idea  of  it.  Think  not  that  it 
is  therefore  unmeet  for  thy  desiring  and  joyful  hopes,  because  thou 
canst  not  know  what  it  is.  Hast  thou  no  conception  of  the  differ- 
ence between  light  and  darkness  ?  If  thou  hadst  been  but  one  year 
kept  in  absolute  darkness,  wouldest  thou  have  no  desiring  thought  of 
light  ?  The  blind  think  themselves  half  dead  while  they  are  alive. 
Indeed,  the  faculty  and  object  must  be  suitable :  light  may  be  too 
great  for  our  weak  eyes,  as  heat  may  be  torment  in  an  unsuitable 
degree ;  but  when  our  souls  are  perfected,  they  will  be  suitable  re- 
cipients of  a  more  glorious  light  than  we  can  here  endure.  Moses 
is  not  there  covered  in  a  cleft  of  the-.rock,  because  he  could  see 
but  as  the  back  part  of  God's  glory.  We  must  see  here  but  as  in 
a  glass,  but  there  as  face  to  face.  Though  these  organical  eyes, 
as  spectacles,  shall  be  laid  by,  we  shall  have  media  more  perfect, 
suitable  to  our  perfect  state. 

And  as  I  can  think  of  heaven  as  a  region  of  glorious  light,  so 
can  I  think  of  it  as  a  place  and  state  of  life  and  love.  I  know 
somewhat  of  the  difference  of  life  and  death,  and  that  a  living  dog 
is  better  than  a  dead  lion.  And  I  have  felt  what  it  is  to  love  my 
friends,  and  thence  to  desire  their  new  communion  as  my  delight ; 
and  can  I  then  have  no  idea  of  that  world,  where  life,  light  and 
joyful  love  are  the  very  element  of  souls,  as  water  is  to  the  fishes? 

And  as  I  can  have  some  idea  of  that  state  in  general,  so  may  1 
of  the  state  of  the  perfected  spirits  of  the  just  which  are  there. 
They  are  connatural  to  their  proper  element.  They  are  essential 
created  life,  light  and  love.  And  they  want  not  substance  to  be 
ihe  basis  of  those  formal  powers,  nor  objects  on  which  to  exercise 
them.  Think  not,  then,  that  heaven' is  so  far  inconceivable,  as  not 
by  any  idea  to  be  thought  of.  If  we  have  no  conception  of  it,  we 


•••*         5 


APPENDIX. 


can  have  no  desires  of  it,  and  no  delightful  hope.  What  can  \ve 
conceive  of  more  certainly  than  of  life,  and  light,  and  love  ;  of  a 
region,  and  of  persons  essentiated  of  these  ?  Do  we  not  know 
what  knowledge  is,  and  see  what  light  is,  and  feel  what  life  and 
love  are  ? 

But  it  is  true,  that  our  conceptions  hereof  are  lamentably  imperfect; 
and  so  they  must  be  till  possession,  fruition,  arid  exercise,  perfect 
them.  Who  knoweth  what  light  or  sight  is,  but  by  seeing;  or  what 
knowledge  is,  but  by  knowing  ;  or  what  love  and  joy  are,  but  by 
love  and  rejoicing  ?  And  who  knows  what  perfect  sight,  knowl- 
edge, love  and  joy  are,  but  by  perfect  seeing,  knowing,  loving,  and 
rejoicing  ?  No  man,  by  an  intuitive  or  immediate  perception. 
But  some  abstractive  conceptions  of  it  we  may  have  by  reasoning 
deduction  from  that  poor  degree  which  we  here,  in  the  kingdom  of 
grace,  possess. 

Can  I  perceive  substantiality  in  the  dark,  terrene  appearances, 
which  are  but  mutable,  lifeless  matter,  agitated  and  used  by  invisible 
powers;  and  shall  I  think  of  those  unseen,  powerful  substances,  as  if 
they  were  less  substantial  for  being  spiritual,  or  were  not  objects  for 
a  knowing  thought  ?  Are  the  stars,  which  I  see.  less  substantial  than 
a  carcass  in  a  darksome  grave  ?  The  Lord  that  appeared  in  shin- 
ing glory  hath  members,  in  their  measure,  like  himself;  and  hath 
promised  that  we  shall  shine  as  stars  in  the  kingdom  of  his  Father. 
If  some  degree  of  this  be  here  performed  in  them  who  are  called 
the  children  of  light,  and  the  lights  of  the  world,  how  much  more 
will  they  shine  in  the  world  of  light  !  They  that  call  light  a  qual- 
ity, or  an  act,  must  confess  it  hath  a  substance  whose  quality  or 
act  it  is.  Alas  !  what  a  deceived  thipg  is  a  sensual  unbeliever, 
who  spendeth  his  life  in  the  pursuit  of  fugitive  shadows,  and 
walketh  in  a  vain  show,  and  thinks  of  spiritual,  glorious  substances, 
as  if  they  were  the  nothings  or  delusions  of  a  dream  ! 

7.  Christ,  Moses,  and  Elias,  here  visibly  appeared  as  three  dis- 
tinct, individual  persons.  This  tells  us  that  it  is  a  false  conceit 
that  death  ceaseth  individuation,  and  turneth  all  souls  into  one, 
(of  which  before  :)  perfect,  indivisible,  infinite  unity  is  proper  to 
God  :  from  this  one  is  multiplicity.  Reason  forbids  us,  when  we 
see  the  numberless  individuals  in  this  world,  and  see,  also,  the  nu- 
merous stars  above,  to  imagine  that  all  the  worlds  above  us  have 
so  much  of  divine  perfection,  as  to  be  but  one  undivided  substance, 
and  to  have  no  multiplicity  of  inhabitants.  Yea,  some  of  those 
Sadducees  hold  that  the  stars  are  worlds  inhabited,  as  the  earth  is. 
And  why,  then,  should  they  think  whithersoever  souls  go,  that 
they  cease  their  individuation,  when  they  go  among  individuals? 
But  Christ  hath  confuted  them,  even  to  sense.  Moses  is  Moses 
still,  and  Elias  is  Elias  still  ;  and  all  our  friends  that  are  gone  to 
VOL.  ii.  27 


. 


*> 


BAXTERS  IT/ING  THOUGHTS, 

Christ  are  the  same,  still,  that  they  were,  and  may  be  called  by 
the  same  names.  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  are  the  same  in 
heaven;  and  Lazarus  was  Lazarus  in  Abraham's  bosom.  When 
we  lay  by  flesh,  and  are  unclothed,  we  put  not  off  our  personali- 
ties. Every  one  shall  receive  his  own  reward  according  to  what 
he  hath  done  in  the  body,  when  every  one  must  give  account  of 
his  own  works  and  talents. 

Why,  then,  may  not  I,  with  distinct  conceptions  and  joyful  de- 
sires, look  after  the  souls  of  my  departed  friends,  that  are  now  in 
the  celestial  kingdom  ?  Though  malignity  hath  scorned  me  for 
naming  some  few  in  my  '  Saints'  Rest,'  being  such  as  the  despis- 
ers  hated,  yet  I  forbear  not,  on  such  accounts,  to  solace  myself 
by  naming  more,  but  because  they  are  more  than  it  is  fit  to  num- 
ber. In  all  places  where  I  have  lived,  how  many  excellent  souls 
(though  here  they  were  not  perfect)  are  gone  to  Christ  !  How 
sweet  is  the  remembrance  of  the  communion  which  I  had  with 
many  of  them  in  Shrewsbury,  and  other  parts  of  Shropshire  ;  of 
many  at  Dudley,  and  the  adjoining  parts  ;  of  multitudes  at  Kid- 
derminster, Bewdley,  and  other  parts  of  Worcestershire  ;  of  abun- 
dance at  Coventry,  and  other  parts  of  Warwickshire  ;  and  of  many 
where  I  have  sojourned  in  other  parts  of  the  land  ;  and,  above  all, 
in  London,  and  the  adjoining  parts  !  As  Mr.  Howe  hath  elegantly 
expressed  it,  in  his  excellent  character  of  my  excellent  and  dear 
friend,  Mr.  Richard  Fairclough,  what  a  multitude  of  blessed  saints 
will  arise,  at  the  last  day,  out  of  London  !  And  this  earth  is,  as  it 
were,  hallowed  with  the  dust  and  relics  of  so  many  blessed  souls. 
But  it  is  heaven  that  is  spangled  with  these  spiritual  stars  ;  the 
place  honored  with  them,  apd  they  with  it,  and  all  by  Christ.  We 
are  like  infants,  or  lambs,  or  other  young  ones,  that  cry  but  for  their 
dams,  if  they  be  out  of  sight  ;  though  they  are  ever  so  near,  if  they 
see  them  not,  they  cry  as  if  they  were  not,  or  had  forsaken  them. 
As  Christ  told  his  disciples,  that  it  was  needful  for  them  that  he 
departed  from  them  ;  and  yet  their  hearts,  for  this,  were  sorrowful, 
till  the  Holy  Ghost  came  upon  them,  as  better  than  Christ's  flesh- 
ly presence,  to  prepare  them  joyfully  to  follow  him  ;  so  we  think 
of  our  friends  as  almost  lost  to  us  by  separation,  till  the  heaven- 
ly Spirit  tell  us  where  they  are,  and  prepare  us  to  desire  to  be 
with  them. 

8.  Elias  hath  a  body  now  in  heaven,  and  so  hath  Enoch  ;  but 
can  we  think  that  only  two  or  three  that  are  there  with  Christ  do 
so  much  differ  from  all  the  rest,  as  to  have  bodies  when  the  rest 
have  none?  Is  there  such  a  dissimilitude  of  saints  in  heaven? 
What  are  two  or  three  in  such  a  society  ?  Doubtless,  their  bodies 
are  not  corruptible  flesh  and  blood,  but  such  spiritual  bodies  as  all 
saint*  shall  have  at  the  resurrection.  But  are  they  in  heaven  such 


APPENDIX. 


visible  and  shaped  bodies  as  they  appeared  on  the  mount  ?  The 
same  difficulty  poseth  us  about  the  risen  body  of  Christ  :  he  would 
not  have  Mary  touch  him,  because  he  had  not  yet  ascended  to  his 
Father  :  he  could  appear,  and  vanish  from  their  sight,  at  his  pleas- 
ure ;  and  yet  Thomas  handled  him,  and  felt  that  he  had  flesh  and 
bones.  That  body  of  flesh  ascended  visibly  up  towards  heaven  ; 
and  yet  it  is  not  flesh  and  blood  in  heaven,  but  a  spiritual  body  ; 
for  it  is  not  worse  than  he  will  make  his  members.  What  shall 
we  say  to  these  things  ?  We  must  say,  that  we  are  not  capable 
of  knowing  them,  but  have  reason  to  be  thankful  that  we  may 
know  so  much,  more  necessary  for  us.  But  yet  it  seemeth  prob- 
able that  the  bodies  of  Christ,  and  Enoch,  and  Elias,  were  change- 
able, according  to  the  region  in  which  they  were  to  be.  Christ 
could  take  up  a  body  of  flesh  and  blood,  and  immediately  change 
that  state  of  it  into  a  pure  and  incorruptible,  spiritual  body,  as  it 
entered  into  the  incorruptible,  spiritual  region.  And  so  God  did 
by  Enoch  and  Elias.  As  Paul  saith,  that  we  shall  not  all  die, 
(those  that  live  till  Christ's  appearing,)  but  we  shall  all  be  chang- 
ed. And  yet,  if  Elias  have  business  on  the  mount,  he  can  put  on 
the  clothing  of  a  grosser  body  to  be  seen  of  men,  and  can  lay  it 
by,  or  return  to  his  more  invisible,  spiritual  state,  when  he  return- 
eth  to  the  place  from  whence  he  came.  And  no  wonder,  when 
angels  (and  the  ancients  say  Christ,  before  his  incarnation)  assum- 
ed bodies  suitable  to  their  several  businesses  on  earth  ;  yea,  such 
as  could  eat  and  drink  with  men  ;  when  they  dwelt  not  in  heaven 
so  coarsely  clothed. 

9.  But  how  came  Moses  to  have  a  body  on  the  mount,  who  is 
said  to  have  been  buried,  and,  therefore,  took  none  with  him  into 
heaven  ?     We  must  still  remember,  that  we  inquire  of  things  above 
our  certain  knowledge.     But,  in  humble  conjecture,  we  may  say, 
that  it  is  no  more  impossible  for  Moses  to  assume  such  a  body  as 
he  appeared  in  on  the  mount,  for  that  occasion,  than  for  angels  to 
appear  in  human  shapes  ;  and  departed  souls,  too,  as  many  appa- 
ritions have  told  men.     And  if  bad  souls  can  do  it,  why  not  good 
ones,  when  God  will  have  it?     The  tradition  seemeth  but  a  Jew- 
ish dream,  that  God  kept  the  body  of  Moses  uncorrupted  in  the 
grave  ;  and  that  this  was  it  that  the  devil  is  said  to  strive  for  against 
Michael,  that  the  body  might  be   corrupted.     And  say  others, 
that,  at  this  transfiguration,  it  rose  again.     There  need  no  such 
conceits  to  our  satisfaction.     The  soul  of  Moses  could  assume 
a  body. 

10.  But  still,  the  dissimilitude  of  Enoch  and  Elias  from  all  the 
saints  in  heaven  is  an  unresolved  difficulty.     If  we  knew  that  God 
would  have  it  so,  it  might  satisfy  us.     But  there  is  a  symmetry  in 
the  body  of  Christ.     And  it  is  like,  that  the  same  region  hath  in- 


212  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

habitants  of  the  same  nature.  What  shall  we  think,  then,  that 
Enoch  and  Elias,  at  their  entrance  into  those  regions,  laid  by  their 
bodies,  and  became  such  as  Abraham,  and  other  holy  souls  ?  Why 
are  they  taken  up,  to  be  so  laid  by  ?  The  corruptibility,  no  doubt, 
thpy  did  lay  by.  God  knoweth,  but  it  is  much  unknown  to  us. 
Or  shall  we  think,  as  all  those  fathers  cited  by  Faustus  Regiensis, 
and  as  Dr.  More,  and  some  of  late,  that  all  spirits  are  souls,  and 
animate  some  bodies  ;  and  so  that  all  in  heaven  have  some  bodies  ? 
If  so,  what  bodies  are  they  ?  and  how  differ  they  from  the  resur- 
rection state?  As  the  soul  here  operateth  in,  and  by,  the  igneous 
spirits  in  our  bodies,  it  may  be  so  lodged  in  these  as  to  take  some 
of  them  with  it  at  death,  as  the  life  of  a  dying  plant,  yet  dieth  not 
in  the  seed.  And  a  man  maybe  said  to  go  unclothed  to  bed, 
though  he  put  not  off  his  shift  or  nearest  garment,  and  to  be  cloth- 
ed again  when  he  puts  on  the  rest.  And  at  the  resurrection,  as 
there  will  be  a  new  heaven  and  earth,  so  spirits,  now  in  heaven, 
may  have  much  more  delightful  business  on  the  new  and  righteous 
earth  than  now  they  have,  and,  therefore,  may  have  use  for  an 
additional  body,  as  much  differing  from  what  they  have  now  in 
heaven,  as  the  new  earth  and  their  employment  there  require ; 
and  as  the  seed  doth  differ  from  the  plant.  And  spirits,  being 
communicative,  will  be  more  happy  by  more  communication.  As 
God  delighteth  to  do  good  to  all  his  works,  so  the  souls  now  con- 
fined to  heaven  will  delight  to  be  employed  in  doing  good  to  the 
new  earth,  and  to  animate  the  bodies  suited  to  such  work  ;  though 
now  they  have  use  for  no  other  than  such  spiritual,  lucid  recepta- 
cles as  are  fit  for  the  regions  where  they  dwell.  And  it  will  be  no 
debasement  or  dejection  for  a  spirit  now  in  heaven  to  animate  a 
body  at  the  resurrection,  fit  for  the  new  earth ;  no  more  than  it 
was  to  angels  to  speak  to  Adam,  and  to  Moses,  to  Abraham,  Jacob, 
Manoah,  and  others;  or  than  it  is  to  the  sun  to  enlighten  and  en- 
liven things  on  earth. 

It  is  a  foolish  thing  to  think,  as  some  do,  that  departed  souls 
will  be  as  dormant  and  unactive  as  in  apoplectic  or  sleeping  per- 
sons, for  want  of  organized  bodies  to  act  in.  Spirits  are  essential- 
ly active,  intellective,  and  volitive ;  and  will  God  continue  such 
essential  powers  in  vain  ?  Moses  and  Elias  wanted  not  bodies  ; 
and  those  in  heaven  can  praise  Jehovah  and  the  Lamb  with  holy, 
concordant  love  and  joy  ;  whether  in  any  sort  of  ethereal  bodies, 
or  without,  we  shall  shortly  know. 

It  is  said  that  Moses  and  Elias  talked  with  Christ :  this  show- 
eth  that  Christ  hath  familiar  communion  with  the  blessed.  He 
that  would  come  into  flesh  on  earth,  and  live  with  man  in  an 
humbled  state,  and  refused  not  familiar  converse  with  poor  men 
and  women,  and  would  eat  and  drink  with  publicans  and  sinners, 


APPKMMX. 

will  not  refuse  everlasting  near  familiarity  with  the  glorified.  If 
the  church  be  his  dearly-beloved  spouse,  and,  as  it  were,  one  with 
him,  as  his  body,  surely  he  will  be  no  stranger  to  the  least  and 
lowest  member  of  it. 

11.  But  what  was  it  that  they  talked  about?  Luke  (ix.  31.) 
saith,  "They  appeared  in  glory,  and  spake  of  his  decease,  which 
he  should  accomplish  at  Jerusalem."  This  was  not  to  make  it 
known  to  Christ,  who  came  into  the  world  to  die  for  sin ;  what, 
then,  was  it  for?  Did  Christ  tell  them  of  it,  as  not  knowing  it  be- 
fore ?  That  is  not  likely,  neither.  Did  he  need  their  comfort,  as 
angels  in  his  trials  ministered  to  him,  and  strengthened  him  ?  The 
particular  uses  of  this  speech  we  know  not ;  but  in  general,  we  know 
it  was  somewhat  preparatory  to  his  great  sufferings  and  death. 

And  must  Christ's  sufferings  and  death  have  such  preparation? 
And  must  not  mine  have  such  premeditation?  And  do  I  not 
need  the  consolatory  messages  of  God  ?  Carnal  men  would 
rather  have  chosen  pleasanter  discourse,  than  the  talk  of  suffer- 
ings and  death.  But  that  which  must  be  undergone,  and  requir- 
eth  greatest  strength,  must  be  forethought  of,  and  requireth  the 
most  preparing  thoughts.  It  is  worse  than  madness  to  be  sur- 
prised with  sufferings  and  death,  before  it  is  seriously  forethought 
of.  So  sharp  a  trial,  and  so  great  a  change,  require  the  greatest 
preparation.  He  that  can  refuse  to  suffer  and  die,  may  refuse  to 
talk  or  think  of  it.  If  Christ  must  have  men  from  heaven  to  talk 
with  him  of  his  cross,  what  cause  have  we  to  study  the  cross ! 
even  all  our  lives  to  foresee  it,  and,  by  obedient  consent,  to  submit 
unto  it,  and  take  it  up  to  follow  Christ,  and  even  to  determine, 
with  Paul,  to  know  nothing  in  the  world  but  Christ  and  him  cruci- 
fied ;  that  is,  to  take  this  for  the  only  needful  and  excellent  learn- 
ing. But,  alas  !  how  senselessly  is  death  and  suffering  talked  of, 
till  it  comes  !  Who  are  to  learn  how  to  suffer  when  suffering  is 
upon  us ;  and  to  learn  how  to  die  when  nature,  or  the  physician, 
passes  the  sentence  of  death  on  us  at  hand.  And  it  is  God's 
mercy  to  some  of  us  to  make  our  sufferings  long,  that  we  may 
have  a  competent  time  of  learning.  As  we  learti  to  write  by 
writing,  and  to  discourse  by  discoursing,  and  every  art  and  trade  by 
practice,  even  so  by  suffering  we  learn  to  suffer :  and  the  lesson  is 
very  hard.  Malefactors  suffer  without  learning,  whether  they  will 
or  not ;  but  to  suffer  obediently,  with  childlike  affections,  is  the 
lesson  to  be  learned.  O  !  little,  too  little,  do  many  honest  Chris- 
tians think  how  much  of  their  excellent  obedience  consisteth  in 
childlike,  holy  suffering ;  therefore  they  little  expect  it,  and  pro- 
vide for  it ;  and  then  they  are  overwhelmed  with  the  unexpected 
surprisal  when  it  comes.  Even  in  the  suffering  which  men  bring 
on  the  faithful,  for  righteousness'  sake,  how  many  shrink,  and  shift 


214  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

off  their  duty,  or  venture  on  forbidden  things  for  safety,  because 
they  were  not  prepared  for  it !  The  loss  of  goods,  or  imprisonment 
and  want,  seem  to  many  almost  insufferable  trials.  But  I  can  tell 
such,  by  some  experience,  that  bodily  pain  and  torment  is  a  far 
greater  trial,  which  none  of  them  are  secured  from,  and  requireth 
greater  strength  of  faith  obediently  to  accept  it  at  the  hand  of  God : 
and  others  can  tell  them  that  the  violence  of  temptations,  and  the 
terrors  of  God  on  a  wounded  conscience,  and  troubled  soul,  are  yet 
far  harder  than  all  these :  and  these  are  the  saddest,  because  they 
make  the  mind  unfit,  at  present,  to  improve  them,  and  to  refer 
them  to  holy  ends  and  uses.  Christ,  in  all  his  agony,  and  even 
when  he  cried  out  on  the  cross,  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast 
thou  forsaken  me  ? "  had  his  intellectuals  free  and  perfect,  to  know 
the  nature,  the  reason,  the  uses,  and  end  of  all  his  sufferings  : 
but  so  have  not  many  poor,  distressed,  troubled,  distracted  souls. 
O,  how  great  a  part  of  Christianity  is  it  to  understand  and  rightly 
bear  the  cross  !  Most  of  our  care  is  how  to  escape  it,  or  to  be  de- 
livered from  it,  rather  than  obediently  to  bear  it. 

12.  Experience  of  a  suffering,  painful  state  is  a  great  help  to 
our  understanding  of  the  gospel.  It  taketh  off  from  me  the  scan- 
dal of  Christ's  cross,  and  helpeth  me  to  perceive  the  great  use  and 
reasons  of  it,  when  I  am  under  sufferings.  O  !  what  need  have  I 
of  such  an  example  as  Christ's !  All  the  parts  of  his  sufferings 
are  as  useful  to  teach  me  how  to  suffer,  as  the  ten  commandments 
to  teach  me  what  to  do.  That  he  was  put  to  fly  from  proud, 
domineering  Pharisees,  false  teachers,  and  worldly  rulers,  and  to 
converse  most  with  the  poor,  in  wildernesses,  or  various  obscure 
places ;  that  he  was  hated  and  persecuted  for  doing  good,  and  ac- 
counted a  sinner  for  neglecting  men's  ceremonies  and  traditions ; 
that  he  was  hardly  believed,  even  by  them  that  saw  his  miracles  ; 
and  his  own  disciples  were  so  slow  in  learning ;  and  that,  in  his  suf- 
fering, they  all  forsook  him  and  fled  ;  and  one  denied  him  with 
oaths  and  curses  ; — all  these  are  instructing  instances.  That  Christ's 
natural,  though  sinless  aversation  to  death  and  suffering,  and  his  fear, 
should  be  so  powerful,  and  the  sense  of  God's  punishing  justice  so 
terrible,  as  to  make  his  soul  sorrowful,  even  to  the  death,  and  cast 
him  into  an  agony,  where  he  sweat  water  and  blood,  and  to  pray 
thrice  that  the  bitter  cup,  if  possible,  might  pass  from  him,  which 
he  came  into  the  world  to  drink  ; — all  these,  also,  are  teaching  parts 
of  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  that  rulers  and  priests,  and  soldiers,  and 
the  rabble,  should  agree  to  scorn  him,  clothe  him  in  derision,  spit 
on  him,  buffet  him,  scourge  him,  make  him  their  jest  that  came  to 
save  them ;  that  they  should  make  a  sinner  of  him  that  never  sin- 
ned, but  came  to  destroy  it,  and  save  men  from  it ;  yea,  to  make 
him  no  less  than  a  deceiver,  a  blasphemer,  and  an  usurping  rebel 


APPENDIX.  215 

against  Caesar,  and  write  this  last  as  his  accusation  on  his  cross, 
thinking  to  leave  his  innocency  no  vindication  or  defence.  For  the 
Lord  and  Savior  of  the  world  to  undergo  all  this,  is  very  instruct- 
ing to  a  suffering  believer ;  that  he  should,  as  such  a  malefactor,  be 
reviled  on  a  cross,  and  numbered  with  transgressors,  and  his  side 
be  pierced,  and  he  there  cry  out  to  his  Father  as  forsaken  by  him  ; 
that  thus  dying  he  was  buried,  and  his  soul  went  to  the  place  of 
separated  souls,  and  yet  into  paradise.  They  are  excellent  lessons 
which  may  be  learned  from  all  this. 

I  am  not  to  suffer  for  others,  nor  to  make  God's  justice  a  satisfy- 
ing sacrifice  for  sin,  as  Christ  did  ;  but  1  must  suffer  God's  fatherly 
corrections,  and  the  castigation  of  paternal,  healing  justice.  I  must 
be  saved  as  by  fire,  and  pass  through  this  purgatory,  that  I  may  be 
refined  :  I  must  suffer  from  Christ  and  for  Christ,  for  my  sin,  and 
also  for  righteousness'  sake  ;  and  I  must,  with  a  filial  justification  of 
God's  holiness  and  chastening  justice,  bear  his  indignation,  because 
I  have  sinned  against  him.  I  am  predestined  to  be  conformed  10 
Christ's  image,  in  suffering  and  in  sanctity  ;  (Rom.  viii.  30,  &,c.) 
yea,  I  must  "  count  all  things  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowl- 
edge of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord,"  for  whom  I  must  not  refuse  to 
suffer  the  loss  of  all  things,  and  count  them  dung,  that  I  may  win 
him,  and  be  found  in  him,  and  not  only  know  the  power  of  his  res- 
urrection, but  also  the  "  fellowship  of  his  sufferings,  and  be  made 
conformable  to  his  death;"  Phil.  iii.  8 — 10.  Paul  rejoiced  in 
such  infirmities,  and  in  his  suffering  for  the  church,  filling  up  that 
which  was  behind  of  the  afflictions  of  Christ  in  his  flesh  ;  Col.  i. 
24.  Peter  bids  us  "  rejoice,  inasmuch  as  we  are  partakers  of 
Christ's  sufferings,  that  when  his  glory  shall  be  revealed,  we  may 
be  glad  also  with  exceeding  joy  ; "  1  Peter  iv.  13.  "  If  we  suffer 
with  him,  that  we  may  also  be  glorified  with  him  ;  "  Rom.  vii.  17. 
It  is  a  great  gift  to  suffer  for  his  sake  ;  Phil.  i.  29.  It  is  for  the 
kingdom  of  God  that  such  suffer ;  2  Thess.  i.  5.  It  is  happiness 
and  joy  to  suffer  for  righteousness'  sake,  for  well  doing ;  1  Pet.  ii. 
10.  and  iii.  14.  17.  and  iv.  15,  16.  19.  Matt.  v.  10,  11.  It  is 
the  sufferings  of  Christ  that  abound  in  such,  that  their  consolations 
may  abound ;  2  Cor.  i.  5. 

But,  alas !  I  suffer  much  more  for  my  own  sin  than  for  Christ 
and  righteousness  :  but  even  this  also  by  the  cross  of  Christ  is  sanc- 
tified, and  made  a  great  remedy  against  my  sin.  As  Christ  suffer- 
ed for  our  sins,  and  yet  merited  by  his  suffering,  so  if  we  accept  the 
castigatory  punishment,  and  exercise  repentance  and  mortification 
in  our  suffering,  and  an  obedient  submission  to  the  rod,  God  will 
take  this  as  acceptable  service,  and  bless  it  to  our  further  good. 

13.  But  how  is  it  that  Christ  is  said  "  to  learn  obedience  by  the 
things  that  he  suffered,  and  so  to  be  made  perfect  ? "  Heb.  v.  8,  9. 


216  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

Was  he  unlearned  and  imperfect  before  ?  He  had  no  culpable 
imperfection  ;  but  his  satisfactory  mediation  was  imperfect  till  it  was 
all  performed  :  it  was  not  perfectly  done  ;  and  when  it  was  done,  he 
thereby  was  constitutively  made  a  perfect  Mediator ;  as  he  said 
upon  the  cross,  "  It  is  finished  ;"  and  as  this  human  nature  receiv- 
ed additional  acts  of  knowledge,  as  he  grew  up,  and  conversed  with 
more  objects,  and  so  is  said  to  increase  in  wisdom,  (as  Adam  knew 
the  creatures  when  he  saw  them,)  so  he  had  a  new  acquaintance 
with  obedient  suffering,  when  he  was  under  the  experience  of  it ; 
and  is  said  to  learn  it,  in  that  he  now  exercised  it. 

And  should  not  my  suffering  be  God's  school  ?  Should  I  not 
learn  obedience  by  it  ?  Surely,  as  it  smartly  tells  me  of  the  evil 
of  former  disobedience,  so  it  calls  me  to  remember  in  whose  hands 
I  am,  and  with  whom  I  have  to  do,  and  what  is  my  duty  in  such 
a  state  :  God  can  do  no  wrong  to  his  own  :  he  will  do  nothing  final- 
ly hurtful  to  his  children.  In  all  our  afflictions  he  is  said  to  be 
afflicted,  to  signify  that  he  afflicts  not  willingly,  or  without  our 
provocation.  Justice  is  good,  and  holiness  is  good  ;  and  it  is  good 
for  us  to  repent,  and  be  weaned  from  the  flesh  and  world;  and  all 
good  must  be  loved,  and  the  means  as  such.  Sharp,  heart-break- 
ing sermons  are  unpleasing  to  nature ;  and  yet  to  be  loved  for  their 
use ;  and  afflictions  are  God's  powerful  sermons :  the  proud  and 
hardened  are  forced  to  hear  them,  who  scorn  and  prosecute  preach- 
ers for  speaking  the  same  things :  and  shall  believers  under  suffer- 
ings be  untaught  ?  Words  are  but  words,  but  stripes  go  by  forci- 
ble sense  unto  the  heart:  obedient  submission  to  the  greatest  pains 
is  a  serious  acknowledgment  of  God's  dominion,  and  of  his  wisdom 
and  love,  and  the  certain  hopes  of  a  better  life.  Impatience  hath 
in  it  somewhat  of  atheism,  or  blasphemy :  God  is  not  duly  ac- 
knowledged and  honored.  Job's  wife  would  have  had  him  thus 
purposely  provoke  God  to  end  his  misery  by  death  ;  as  if  she  had 
said, '  Speak  no  more  well  of  him,  by  whom  thou  sufferest  so  much, 
nor  honor  a  God  that  will  not  help  thee.'  But  patience  saith,  "  I 
will  look  unto  the  Lord  ;  I  will  wait 'for  the  God  of  my  salvation ; 
my  God  will  hear  me."  Mic.  vii.  7. 

Impatience  showeth  a  misunderstanding  of  God's  dealing  with 
the  afflicted ;  but  patience  yieldeth,  because  it  understandeth 
whence  all  comes,  and  what  will  be  the  fruit  and  end.  A  man 
that  is  let  blood  for  his  life,  is  not  impatient  with  the  chirurgeon ; 
but  a  beast  will  strive,  and  a  swine  or  child  will  cry. 

Our  burdens  are  heavy  enough  of  themselves ;  impatience  maketh 
them  heavier,  and  is  oft  more  painful  than  the  thing  which  we  suf- 
fer :  some  have  gone  mad  with  crosses,  which  to  another  would 
have  been  light.  Patience  is  our  cordial  and  nepenthes ;  yea,  the 
health  of  the  soul,  by  which  it  is  able  to  bear  its  infirmities.  "In 


APPENDIX.  217 

our  patience  we  possess  our  souls;"  Luke  xxi.  19.  Whatever 
else  we  lose,  we  lose  not  ourselves.  He  that  keepeth  his  faith,  and 
hope,  and  love,  by  patience,  keepeth  his  soul :  but  the  impatient  lose 
themselves,  as  if  their  other  losses  were  not  enough.  A  poor  man 
singeth  that  gets  his  living  only  by  his  daily  labor;  when  a  lord  or 
knight  would  be  tormented  with  sorrow,  if  he  were  reduced  to  his 
degree.  Striving  under  our  yoke  and  burden  inaketh  it  gall  the 
more  :  and  we  cannot  so  hopefully  or  comfortably  pray  for  deliver- 
ance from  the  pain  which  we  make  ourselves,  as  from  that  which 
God  layeth  on  us ;  though  also  there,  we  must  pray  for  the  grace 
that  must  save  us  from  our  own  impatience. 

Patience  prevented)  many  sins  which  impatience  causeth ;  hard 
thoughts  of  God,  if  not  hard  and  unseemly  words  :  "  Job  sinned 
not,  nor  charged  God  foolishly  :  "  impatience  tempteth  men  to  think 
that  piety  and  prayer  are  in  vain,  and  to  condemn  the  generation 
of  the  just,  and  to  leave  off  duty,  and  say,  '  Why  should  I  wait  on 
God  any  longer  ? '  Yea,  and  to  venture  on  false  and  sinful  means, 
in  hopes  of  deliverance  and  ease. 

Were  it  to  men,  we  have  much  to  allay  our  impatience  ;  but  im- 
patience against  God  hath  no  just  excuse.  Infinite  power,  wisdom, 
and  goodness,  can  do  nothing  that  deserveth  blame  :  we  have  God's 
promise  that  all  things  shall  work  together  for  our  good  ;  and 
is  he  not  to  be  trusted  ?  Or  is  the  means  of  our  good  to  be 
accused  ? 

Impatience  is  unseemly  for  them  that  believe  that  heavenly  rest 
and  glory  are  at  hand ;  where  all  their  pains  and  sorrows  will  end. 
Were  a  man  on  the  rack,  and  were  sure  to  have  all  that  he  desir- 
ed after  it,  he  would  the  more  easily  endure  it.  Why  else  did  the 
martyrs  so  patiently  suffer  ?  It  is  incongruous  to  complain  of  any 
thing  that  brings  a  man  to  heaven. 

Christ  himself  was  innocent,  and  yet  accused  not  God  for  his 
sufferings.  But  \ve  suffer  justly  for  our  faults ;  and  it  is  so  much 
less  than  they  deserve,  that  the  sins'which  we  suffer  most  for  are 
said  to  be  forgiven  us,  in  that  the  everlasting  punishment  is  for- 
given. Should  we  so  often  sinfully  please  the  flesh,  and  yet  must 
it  not  smart  ?  Shall  we  so  often  grieve  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  not 
be  grieved  ?  Shall  we  lose  our  time,  neglect  our  duty,  forget  our 
home,  fall  in  love  with  the  world,  and  yield  to  temptations,  and 
defile  our  souls  with  filth  and  vanity,  and  must  not  correction  tell 
us  of  our  sinful  folly  ?  "  If  we  suffer  for  our  faults,  and  bear  it 
patiently,  it  is  not  thankworthy  ; "  1  Pet.  ii.  20. 

Our  merciful  Father  doth  use  to  shame  us  for  our   impatience, 

by  the  blessed  end  of.  our  afflictions.     The  end  that  God  made 

with  Job  showed  the  reasonableness  of  his  patience.     When  our 

afflictions  are  over,  do  not  all  believers  see  cause  of  thankfulness 

VOL.  u.  28 


218  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

for  there,  and  say,  *  It  is  good  for  me  that  I  was  afflicted?'  The 
pain  is  past,  and  the  benefit  remaineth.  And  if  all  that  is  past  was 
mercy  to  us,  why  should  we  much  fear  that  which  is  to  come  ? 
Heaven  will  end  all,  and  shame  impatience  forever. 

Our  patience  is  much  of  our  perseverance  :  what  a  deal  of  labor 
do  those  impatient  men  lose,  that  learn,  and  pray,  and  are  some- 
what religious,  and  have  not  patience  at  the  last  assault  to  bear 
the  trial,  but  fail  when  they  seemed  to  be  near  the  crown  ! 

Hold  out,  then,  poor  desponding  soul !  lift  up  the  hands  which 
hang  down,  and  the  feeble  knees,  and  run  with  patience  the  race 
which  is  set  before  thee,  looking  to  Jesus,  who,  for  the  joy  that 
was  set  before  him,  endured  the  cross.  God  will  not  deceive  thy 
hopes.  Sin  hath  brought  pain  and  death  on  man  ;  but  Christ  hath 
sanctified  it,  and  is  the  Lord  of  Life.  Yet  a  little  while  and  the 
heavenly  possession  shall  turn  thy  sorrows  into  everlasting  joy,  and 
thy  moans  and  groans  into  thanks  and  praise,  and  there  shall  be  no 
more  sickness,  pain,  or  death.  O  foolish,  unbelieving  hearts  !  that 
cry  out  of  suffering,  and  fear  deliverance ;  that  would  fain  be  free 
from  all  affliction,  and  yet  fly  from  the  only  state  of  freedom  ;  that 
are  impatient  under  their  calamity,  and  yet  afraid  of  passing  to  the 
only  rest ! 

14.  But  it  is  neither  pain  alone,  nor  death  alone,  that  will  suf- 
ficiently try  our  strength,  and  exercise  our  faith  and  patience.  It 
must  be  great  pain  (and  often  long)  in  order  to  a  certain,  expected 
death.  These  two  conjunct  were  the  case  of  Christ.  The  tor- 
ment of  his  agony,  scourging,  crucifying,  piercing,  and  desertion, 
and  the  certainty  of  death  that  followed.  Great  pains,  with  hopes 
of  recovery  and  ease  may  be  borne  even  by  a  worldly  man  ;  because 
there  is  still  the  worldly  hope  of  better  ;  and  so  there  is  no  denial 
of  all,  while  life  itself  is  not  denied.  We  must  receive  the  sen- 
tence of  death  in  ourselves,  if  we  will  find  that  we  trust  in  God 
alone,  and  trust  him  as  one  th^t  raiseth  the  dead,  that  is,  for  another 
and  better  life. 

As  long  as  a  man  hath  any  hope  of  life  and  ease,  a  man's  faith 
is  not  tried  to  the  uttermost,  by  actual  forsaking  all.  And  yet  an 
easy  death  alone  doth  not  fully  try  a  man  ;  for  they  that  know  that 
all  must  die,  may  submit  to  this,  who  cannot  bear  long  pains  be- 
fore it.  But  great  and  long  pains,  and  the  sentence  of  death 
together,  are  the  trial. 

And  if  God  will  so  try  me,  why  should  I  repine  ?  Flesh  will 
groan,  but  the  mind  may  obediently  submit.  It  is  but  flesh  ;  that 
flesh  that  hath  tempted  and  imprisoned  my  soul.  I  have  too  much 
loved  it,  and  am  too  loath  to  leave  it ;  and  is  it  not  mercy  from  God 
to  make  me  weary  of  it  ?  God  is  engaged  against  idols ;  that  is,  all 
that  is  loved  and  pleased  before  him  ;  and  if  any  thing,  that  is  likest 


APPEN'DIX.  ->10 

to  be  this  flesh.  Its  corruptibility  tells  us,  that  both  its  pleasure 
and  its  pain  will  be  but  short.  Long  pain  is  usually  tolerable  ;  and 
intolerable  pain  will  conquer  nature,  and  not  be  long.  The  grace 
of  Christ  is  sufficient  for  us,  and  his  strength  is  manifest  in  our 
weakness,  when  he  will  not  take  the  thorn  out  of  our  flesh,  though, 
as  Christ  and  Paul  did,  we  pray  thrice,  or  oftener. 

And  to  be  impatient  with  death  is  to  repine  that  we  were  born 
mortal  men ;  and  to  fly  from  heaven  and  all  true  hopes,  and  all  the 
felicity  purchased  by  Christ ;  and  is  this  renouncing  the  world,  and 
trusting  Christ  for  life  everlasting  ?  And  why  fear  we  that  which 
endeth  all  our  pains  and  fears?  A  true  believer  never  sufFer- 
eth  so  much,  but  his  mercies  are  far  more  and  greater  than  his 
sufferings.  His  soul  is  united  to  Christ :  his  hopes  of  heaven  have 
a  sure  foundation :  he  is  sealed  up  to  glory :  rest  and  joy  are  near 
at  hand  ;  and  former  mercies  should  not  be  forgotten  ;  and  should 
not  such  men  patiently  endure?  O  what  a  shameful  contra- 
diction is  it,  to  choose  heaven  as  our  only  portion,  to  believe  in 
Christ  for  it,  and  to  seek  it  as  the  business  of  all  our  lives,  and 
yet  to  be  loath  to  die,  that  we  may  obtain  it,  and  to  fly  with 
fear  from  that  which  we  so  seek  and  hope  for !  What  a  con- 
tradiction is  it  to  call  God  our  God  and  Father,  the  God  of  Love, 
and  to  call  Christ  our  gracious,  glorified  Redeemer,  and  to  fly 
from  his  presence  with  distrustful  fear  !  Almighty  love  may  cor- 
rect us,  may  kill  us,  but  it  cannot  finally  hurt  true  believers. 

So  much  of  Moses'  and  Elias'  discourse  of  the  sufferings  and 
death  of  Christ. 

15.  Sure  it   is  not  true  that  the  souls  of  the  fathers,  before 
Christ's  coming,  did  not  enter  into  heaven,  but  lay  in  some  inferior 
limbm.     For  Moses  and  Elias  came  from  heaven :  their  shining 
glory  showed  that,  and  their  discourse'with  Christ,  and  the  voice 
and  glory  that  went  with  them.     And  it  is  not  to  be  thought  that 
they  were  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  souls  of  the  faithful,  and, 
with  Enoch,  were  in   heaven  by  themselves   alone,  and  the  rest 
elsewhere.     Though  it  is  said  that  God's  house  hath  many  man- 
sions, and  there  are  various  degrees  of  glory,  yet  the  blessed  are  all 
fellow-citizens  of  one  society,  and  children  in  one  family  of  God. 
And  they  that  came  from  east  and  west,  shall  sit  down  with  Abra- 
ham, Isaac,  and  Jacob,  in  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  and  Lazarus  is  in 
Abraham's  bosom,  and  the  believing  thief  with  Christ  in  paradise. 

16.  It  seems  that  Moses  and  Elias  appeared  thus,  to  foreshow 
the  resurrection  of  Christ,  and  of  the  faithful,  and  to  make  it  easier 
to   the   three  disciples  to  believe   it.     Why  should  they  doubt 
whether  Christ  should  rise,  when  they  saw  that  Moses  was  risen 
before  him  ?     And  why  should  they  doubt  of  the  resurrection  of 
the  faithful,  and  the  glory  following,  when  they  saw  these  glorified 


220  IUXTEK'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

saints  ?  Some  think  that  this  apparition  was  for  the  strengthening 
of  Christ  himself,  whose  human  nature  had  use  for  such  ministry 
also  of  angels ;  but  it  is  more  certain  that  it  was  for  the  strengthen- 
ing of  the  disciples'  faith,  and  of  ours  by  their  testimony.  As  it 
is  said,  "  This  voice  came  not  because  of  me,  but  for  your  sakcs  ;" 
John  xii.  30.  , 

17.  It  is  much  worth  our  noting,  in  what  a  communion  this 
specimen  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  was  represented  in  the  holy 
mount.     Here  was  a  voice  of  God,  and  a  glimpse  of  his   glory  : 
here  was  our  Redeemer  in  a  glimpse  of  his  glory  :  here  was  a 
Moses  and  Elias  in    a  glimpse    of  their  glory ;    and  here   were 
three  beloved    disciples   yet    in  the  flesh,   and    in  weakness  of 
faith,  which  needed  such  confirmation.     God,  our  Father,  and  our 
Savior,  the  saints  of  heaven,  and  those  on  earth,  are  all  of  one 
society  or  kingdom.     There  is  a  near  relation  and  a  near  com- 
munion among  them  all.     When  the  eternal  Word  disdained  not 
so  wonderful  condescension  as  to  come  to  us  in  the  form  of  a  ser- 
vant, even  of  a  poor,  despised,  crucified  man,  it  is  less  wonder  that 
Moses  and  Elias  should  come  down  as  his  witnesses  and  servants. 
The  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  city  of  the  living  God,  of  which  we 
are  enrolled  burgesses  or  heirs,  hath  many  parts.     There  is  the 
assembly  of  the  first-born,  and  innumerable  angels,  and  the  spirits 
of  the  just  made  perfect,  and  Jesus,  the  Mediator  of  the  new  cove- 
nant, and  God  the  Judge  of  all ;  Heb.  xii.  23,  &c.     O,  what  ho- 
ly, glorious,  joyful  company  shall  we  have  above  !     Christ  and  his 
angels  will  not  despise  the  least  of  saints. 

18.  But  what  was  the  introduction  to  this  apparition  and  trans- 
figuration ?     It  was  Christ's  praying.     "  He  went  up  into  a  moun- 
tain to  pray,  and,  as  he  pij^yed,  he  was  transfigured;"  Luke  ix. 
28,  29.     Surely  this  is  written  to  invite  and  encourage  us  to  pray. 
We  are  in  greater  need  than  Christ.     It  is  folly  in  unbelievers  to 
think  prayers  vain,  because  God  is  unchangeable.     We  are  not 
unchangeable ;  and  the  exercise  of  faith,  dependence  on  God,  and 
true  desires,  being  the  condition  required  in  a  due  receiver,  maketh 
those  blessings  become  ours,  which  else  we  had  been  incapable  of. 
God,  who  commandeth  fefvent  prayer,  hath  promised  to  answer 
it.     Though  we  must  not  think  to  be  the  rulers  of  the  world,  nor 
have  whatever  our  flesh  or  folly  doth  desire,  because  we  ask  it 
earnestly,  yet  true  prayer  is  the  appointed  way  for  obtaining  what 
we  need,  and  is  best  for  us,  and  we  are  fitted  to  receive.     And  as 
Christ  had  this  wonderful  return  to  his  prayers,  his  servants  have 
experience  that  their   choicest  mercies,  for  soul  and  body,  have 
come  this  way. 

19.  Though  the  three  disciples  were  admitted  to  this  glorious 
society,  how  different  was  their  case  from  that  of  Christ,  and  Mo- 


APPENDIX.  *2\ 

ses,  and  Ellas  !  In  the  beginning  of  the  heavenly  concourse, 
they  were  asleep  with  heaviness,  even  while  this  glorious  company 
stood  near  them.  Alas !  such  is  our  infirmity  in  flesh,  and  such  a 
clog  are  these  earthly  bodies  to  us,  that  when  God  is  present,  and 
heaven  is  before  us,  and  we  have  the  greatest  cause  to  watch  and 
pray,  a  heavy,  weary,  sluggish  body,  even  fettereth  an  active 
spirit,  and  we  sleep,  or  turn  away  in  wandering  thoughts,  when  we 
should  seriously  converse  with  Christ  and  heaven.  Alas !  what 
unworthy  servants  hath  our  Lord !  Are  such  as  these  meet  for 
his  work,  his  love,  his  acceptance,  or  his  kingdom  ?  But  O,  how 
merciful  a  Savior  have  we,  who  taketh  not  his  poor  servants  at 
the  worst,  but  when  they  have  served  him  thus  in -his  agony,  he 
gently  rebuketh  them;  "Could  you  not  watch  with  me  one 
hour?"  and  that  with  an  excuse,  "The  Spirit  is  willing,  but  the 
flesh  is  weak." 

20.  It  is  a  matter  of  great  moment  to  understand  in  what  cases 
this  excuse  will  hold,  and  our  weakness  will  not  make  the  willing- 
ness of  the  Spirit  unacceptable  to  God.  If  a  drunkard,  fornicator, 
or  other  sensualist,  should  say,  '  My  spirit  is  willing  to  leave  my 
Bin,  but  my  flesh  is  weak,  and  a  temptation  doth  prevail/  Video 
meliora  proboq,  &c. ;  this  excuse  would  not  prove  God's  forgive- 
ness. If  a  man  live  in  known  sin,  which  he  could  forbear  were  he 
truly  willing,  and  say,  "  To  will  is  present  with  me,  but  to  do  I 
am  unable  ;  it  is  not  I,  but  sin,  that  dwelleth  in  me , "  this  would 
be  but  a  frivolous  excuse;  and  yet  to  the  sleepy  disciples  it  was  a 
good  excuse,  and  I  think  to  Paul;  Rom.  vii.  Where,  then,  is  the 
difference  ?  There  are  some  acts  of  man  which  the  will  hath  not 
power  to  rule,  and  some  that  it  can  rule.  The  will  hath  not 
power  always  to  keep  a  sleepy  man  awake :  this  sleep  might  be 
of  the  flesh  without  any  will  at  all ;  and  this  excuseth  from  all 
guilt.  There  are  some  acts  of  man  which  the  will  cannot  rule, 
but  by  a  great  degree  of  power  and  endeavor ;  as,  perhaps,  with 
much  ado,  by  preventing  and  resisting  diligence,  the  disciples 
might  have  kept  awake  :  in  this  case,  their  sleep  is  a  fault,  but  a 
pardoned  fault  of  weakness.  Some  persons  are  liable  to  inordi- 
nate fear  and  grief,  which  so  surpriseth  them  by  the  constitution 
of  their  bodies,  that  the  greatest  unwillingness  would  not  hinder 
them.  And  some  could  do  more  to  resist  these  passions  than  they 
do,  but  very  hardly  with  the  greatest  diligence.  These  are  ac- 
cordingly excusable  in  degree.  Paul  would  have  perfectly  obeyed 
God's  law,  and  never  have  sinned.  But  there  is  no  perfection  in 
this  life :  mere  imperfection  of  true  grace,  which  is  predominant 
in  the  will,  doth  not  damn  men.  But  there  are  acts  which  are  so 
subject  to  the  will,  that  a  sincere  will,  though  imperfect,  can  com- 


BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

mand  them.  He  that  doth  these,  (or  doth  the  contrary,)  k  is  not 
because  he  sincerely  would,  and  cannot,  but  because  he  hath  but 
ineffectual  wishes,  and  is  not  sincerely  willing,  if  he  know  them  to 
be  what  they  are ;  especially  if  they  be  materially  great  sins  which 
he  yieldeth  to,  which  true  grace  more  strongly  resisteth  than  it 
doth  an  idle  word,  or  thought,  or  action.  In  short,  all  omissions 
or  commissions,  in  which  the  will  is  positively  or  privately  guilty, 
are  sinful  in  some  degree ;  but  only  these  do  damn  the  sinner, 
which  are  inconsistent  with  the  predominant  love  of  God,  and 
heaven,  and  holiness,  in  the  soul. 

21.  When  the  disciples  awaked,  they  saw  these  glorious  ones  in 
converse.     Did  they  hear  what  they  said,  or  did  Christ  after  tell 
them  ?     The  latter  is  most  probable.     Doubtless,  as  Moses  tells 
us  how  God  made  the  world,  which  none  could  tell  him  but  by 
God's  telling  them  first,  so  the  apostles  have   written  many  things 
of  Christ,  which  they  neither  saw  nor  heard,  but  from  Christ,  that 
told  it  them  by  word,  or  inspiration.     How  else  knew  they  what 
Satan  said  and  did  to  him  in  his  temptations  in  the  wilderness,  and 
on  the  pinnacle  of  the  temple  ?     How  knew  they  what  his  prayer 
was  in   his  agony  ?     And  so  in  this  instance  also.     But  Christ's 
own  testimony  was  enough  to  put  them  out  of  doubt,  to  them  that 
daily  saw  his  confirming  miracles. 

22.  How  great  a  difference  was  there  between  mount  Sinai  and 
this  mount !     When  God  delivered  the  law  to  Moses,  that  mount 
was  terrible  in  flame,  and  smoke,  and  thunder,  so  that  the  people 
trembled  and  fled  :  but  now  here  is  nothing  but  life,  and  light,  and 
love  from  heaven.     A  merciful  Redeemer,  whose  face  shone  as 
the  sun,  with  heavenly  company,  appearing  nearly  to  the  disci- 
ples, pitying  and  bearing  with  their  heaviness  and  infirmity,  strength- 
ening their  faith  and  hope,  and  proving  to  them  a  resurrection,  and 
a  heavenly  kingdom,  by  a  visible  apparition  of  some  of  its  pos- 
sessors.    This  was  not  a  frightful,  but  a  confirming,  delectable 
sight :  the  law  in  terror  was  by  Moses,  but  grace  and  truth,  peace 
and  pleasure,  are  by  Christ. 

This  was  an  inviting  and  delighting,  and  -not  an  affrighting,  ap- 
parition. Was  it  not  a  shameful  infirmity,  and  a  sin,  that  Peter 
should  deny  Christ  after  such  a  sight  as  this,  and  the  rest  of  his 
disciples  forsake  him  and  fly  ?  What !  after  they  had  seen  the 
kingdom  of  God  come  in  power,  and  Christ's  face  shine  as  the  sun 
in  its  brightness,  could  they  forget  all  this  ?  Or  could  they  doubt 
whether  he  or  his  persecutors  were  the  stronger,  and  liker  to  pre- 
vail at  last  ?  O,  how  frail,  how  uncertain,  how  bad  a  thing,  is 
depraved  man  ! 

But  though  Christ  found  them  asleep,  and  though  he  foreknew 


APPENDIX.  223 

that  they  would  forsake  him,  he  forsook  not  them,  nor  used  them 
as  they  deserved,  but  comforted  them  with  a  glimpse  of  heaven  ; 
for  he  died  for  his  enemies. 

23.  But  this  was  but  once  in  all  the  time  of  his  abode  among 
them.     It  was  an  extraordinary  feast,  and  not  their  daily  bread : 
they  had  Christ  still  with  them,  but  not  transfigured  in  glory,  nor 
Moses  and  Elias  in  their  sight.    We  are  too  apt  to  think,  that  if  God 
give  us  a  joyful,  extraordinary  glimpse  of  heaven,  we  must  have 
it  always,  or  that  he  forsaketh  us,  and  casts  us  off  when  he  denieth 
it  us.     O  that  we  were  as  desirous  of  holiness  and  duty  as  we  are 
of  the  joy  which   is  the  reward  !     But  our  Father,  and  not  we, 
must  be  the  chooser  both  of  our  food  and   feast.     Moses  did  not 
dwell  on  mount  Nebo,  that  he  might  still  see  the  land  of  promise : 
it  was  enough  to  have  one  sight  of  it  before  his  death.     As  flesh 
and  blood  cannot  enter  into  heaven,  so  it  is  little  of  heaven  that 
entereth  into  it. 

24.  When  the  disciples  awake,  they  see  his  glory,  and  the  two 
men  that  stood  with  them.     It  must  not  be  a  sleeping  but  an 
awakened  Christian  that  will  have  a  sight  of  heavenly  glory.     As 
we  must  love  God  with  all  the  heart,  and  soul,  and  might,  all  must 
be  awakened  in  seeking  him,  and  in  attending  him,  before  we  can 
have  a  joyful  foretaste  of  his  love.     Carnal  security,  supine  neg- 
lect, and  dull  contempt,  are  dispositions  which  render  us  incapable 
of  such  delights.     Heavenly  joy  supposes  a  heavenly  disposition 
and  desires.     Angels  sleep  not,  nor  are  clogged  with  bodies  of 
clay :  earth  hath  no  wings :  it  must  be  holy  vivacity  that  must 
carry  up  a  soul  to  God,  notwithstanding  the  fetters  of  flesh.     It  is 
with  each  others'  souls  in  the  body  that  we  converse  together  on 
earth.     And  it  is  not  sluggish,  but  lively  faith,  and  fervent  desires, 
that  must  converse  in  heaven  with  Moses  and  Elias,  and  our  living 
Head. 

25.  But  how  did  Peter  know  Moses  and  Elias,  whom  he  had 
never  seen  before  ?     Perhaps  glorified  saints  do  bear  each  one  his 
notifying  signature,  and  need  not  names  and  sound  of  words  to 
make  them  known  :  perhaps  Christ  told  the  disciples  who  they 
were  that  talked  with  him :  perhaps  he  made  them  know  it  by  in- 
spiration, as  the   prophets  have  their  knowledge.     Any  of  these 
ways  God  could  notify  them :  it  is  not  needful  that    we   know 
which  of  them  it  was  ;  but  that  they  were  known,  is  certain.     We 
shall  be  no  strangers  to  any  saints  in  heaven,  and  therefore  not  to 
our  old  acquaintance.    Whether  we  shall  have  any  greater  love  to 
them,  or  delight  in  them,  for  old  acquaintance'  sake,  or  because 
they  were   instruments  of  our  good  on  earth,  I  know  not;  but  1 
know  that  our  love  to  them  with  whom  we  had  holy  comfort  on 
earth,   may   well  render  heaven  more   familiar  to   us  now,   and 


224  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

more  suitable  to  our  desires.  O !  how  great  a  number  of  my 
godly  friends  are  there !  They  are  so  many  that  I  cannot  make 
a  catalogue  of  their  names,  but  the  memory  of  abundance  of 
them  doth  delight  me.  And  when  we  meet,  there,  we  shall  be 
far  better  known  to  each  other  than  we  were  to  the  most  intimate 
on  earth. 

O,  let  Christians  now  so  converse  together  as  remembering  that 
they  must  meet  in  heaven,  where  all  that  was  secret  will  be 
brought  to  light.  If  we  now  put  on  any  vizor,  and  seem  better 
than  we  are ;  if  we  hide  any  sin,  or  base  corruption  ;  if  we,  by 
fraud  or  falsehood,  deceive  our  friends,  all  this  will  be  opened 
when  we  meet  in  heaven.  It  is  a  daily  grief  and  shame  to  my  soul, 
to  think  of  the  sins  that  I  have  committed  against  some  that  are 
now  in  heaven,  which  I  either  excused,  extenuated,  or  hid,  and 
to  think  how  much  evil  they  will  know  of  me  there,  which  on  earth, 
they  knew  not  by  me.  But  God,  who  pardoneth  them,  will  cause 
his  servants  there  to  forgive  each  other  ;  but  the  detected  sin,  for 
all  that,  will  be  an  odious,  shameful  thing.  Lying  and  hypocrisy 
are  therte  no  cloak,  but  an  aggravation,  of  the  shame.  If  we  can- 
not confess,  and  take  shame  to  ourselves,  by  repentance,  upon 
earth,  how  shall  we  appear  in  the  open  light,  and  see  the  faces  of 
those  whom  we  have  wronged  ?  What  diminution  it  will  make  of 
our  joy,  I  know  not,  but  it  must  needs  be  a  dishonor  to  have  been 
false  to  God  or  man  ;  and  especially  when  we  meet  where  sin  is 
perfectly  hated,  to  think  how  we  either  sinned  together,  or  that 
we  tempted  and  ensnared  one  another  in  any  sin.  How  it  will 
affect  us  then  I  do  not  fully  know ;  but  it  is  now  to  me  a  far  greater 
grief  to  think  of  any  in  heaven  whom  I  have  tempted  or  wronged, 
than  it  was  while  they  lived  with  me  on  earth.  And  I  think  there 
is  somewhat  of  this  nature  common  to  good  and  bad :  even  the 
consciences  of  wicked  men  do  haunt  them  for  notable  injuries  to 
others,  especially  concealed  ones,  and  especially  for  persecuting 
the  servants  of  God,  when  they  are  dead,  more  than  while  they 
lived.  Insomuch  that  (though  I  doubt  not  of  real  apparitions)  I 
am  ready  to  think,  that  some  that  say  they  are  haunted  by  the 
sight  and  the  voice  of  such  as  seem  to  them  to  be  deceased  per- 
sons, are  rather  haunted  by  their  own  consciences,  which  strongly 
represent  those  persons  to  their  imaginations. 

But  on  the  other  side,  it  is  a  great  delight  to  me  to  think  of  the 
good  which  I  received  from  many  that  are  now  in  heaven ;  of 
the  profitable  sermons  which  I  have  heard  from  some,  and  the 
profitable  conversations  which  I  have  had  with  others ;  how  oft  we 
sweetly  consulted  together  of  the  things  which  concern  everlasting 
life  ;  how  many  days,  in  public  and  private,  we  spent  in  prepara- 
tion, and  in  some  prospect  of  the  blessedness  which  now  they  en- 


APPENDIX. 


joy  !  And  it  is  not  a  small  mercy  to  me,  that  1  can  think  of  the 
multitudes  now  in  heaven,  of  whose  conversion  and  salvation  God 
hath  made  my  weak  endeavors  a  prosperous  means.  O,  what  a 
mercy  is  it  to  think  on,  that  while  I  am  yet  compassed  with  temp- 
tations, and  languishing  in  weakness,  and  groaning  in  pain,  and, 
worst  of  all,  burdened  with  a  dark  and  sinful  soul,  so  many  are 
past  all  this  with  Christ,  by  means  of  any  help  which  Ine  sent  them 
by  my  labors  !  It  hath  oft  humbled  me  greatly  to  read,  in  the  lives 
of  such  men  as  John  Janeway  and  Joseph  Allen,  how  much  of 
their  proficiency  they  ascribed  to  rny  writings,  and  how  far  they 
overwent  me.  and  left  me  quite  behind  them  in  holy  delights  and 
praises  of  God.  But  how  much  more  am  I  below  a  multitude  now 
in  heaven,  who  called  me  father  here  on  earth  ! 

And  if  here  I  must  rejoice  with  them  that  rejoice,  as  well  as 
mourn  with  them  that  mourn,  why  should  I  not  much  more  rejoice 
with  all  the  blessed  society  above  ;  and  more  familiarly  with  my 
old  acquaintance,  pupils,  and  dear  friends?  My  love  should  be 
most  to  the  best  ;  and  therefore  more  to  them  than  to  any  other 
of  my  friends  ;  and,  therefore,  my  union  with  them  being  closer, 
and  their  felicity  far  greater,  I  should  think  with  more  joy  of  them 
than  of  any  left  behind.  They  are  safe  in  the  harbor,  past  all  our 
dangerous  storms  and  waves  ;  and  though  they  know,  or  will  know, 
more  of  my  sins  than  they  did  on  earth,  and  hate  them  more,  yet 
they  that  feel  the  comfort  of  the  pardon  of  their  own,  will  imitate 
God  in  pardoning  me,  and  rejoice  in  God's  forgiveness  of  me. 
Though  their  vile  bodies  lie  like  common  dust,  how  much  better 
do  they  now  know  the  love  of  God,  the  mysteries  of  grace,  the 
heavenly  glory,  the  state  of  spirits  in  the  city  of  God,  than  1  do, 
who  was  wont  to  preach  it  to  them  !  God,  that  sent  down  Moses 
and  Elias,  to  show  that  saints  in  heaven  and  on  earth  have  com- 
munion, will  bring  me  and  my  friends,  now  in  heaven,  together 
again,  into  a  far  sweeter  communion  than  ever  we  had  here. 

26.  It  is  no  great  wonder  that  Peter  should  be  transported  with 
this  glorious  'sight  ;  and  greatly  delighted  with  this  heavenly  com- 
munion, and  say,  "  Master,  it  is  good  for  us  to  be  here."  Would 
not  a  sight,  a  glimpse  of  heaven,  have  transported  any  holy  soul  ; 
yea,  even  those  that  now  lie  in  tears  and  fears,  and  are  overwhelm- 
ed with  doubts  and  troubles  ?  When  they  are  groping  after  God, 
and  groaning  on  their  knees,  because  they  feel  more  of  his  frowns 
than  of  his  love,  if  then  they  had  such  a  sight  as  this,  what  a 
change  would  it  make  upon  them  !  Perhaps  you  will  say,  that 
the  doubt  of  their  own  sincerity  might  still  deprive  them  of  their 
joy.  No  ;  this  sight  would  banish  doubts  and  troubles.  It  is  a 
communication  of  love,  and  such  as  will  fully  convince  the  com- 
municants. 

vor,.  ii.  29 


KAXTKKS  DI>-G  THOUGHTS. 


Without  such  a  miraculous  glimpse  of  glory,  God  sometime 
giveth  some  of  his  servants  such  a  mental  illustration,  and  inward 
glimpse  and  taste  of  heaven,  as  greatly  overcometh  all  the  fears  of 
pain  and  death  :  such  many  old  and  later  martyrs  have  had.  It 
was  a  strange  word  of  the  godly  Bishop  of  St.  David's,  Mr.  Farrar, 
to  his  neighbors,  '  If  I  stir  in  the  fire,  believe  not  my  doctrine  ;  ' 
and,  accordingly,  he  stirred  not.  If  he  had  not  had  some  prophet- 
ical inspiration,  this  could  not  have  been  justified  from  being  a  pre- 
sumptuous tempting  of  God.  And  Mr.  Baynam's  case  was  a  mere 
wonder,  who,  in  the  flames,  called  to  the  Papists  to  see  a  miracle, 
professing  to  them,  that  in  the  fire  lie  felt  no  more  pain  than  if  he 
had  been  laid  on  a  bed  of  down,  or  roses. 

I  am  just  now  reading  in  Melch.  Adam's  Lives  of  the  German 
Philosophers,  the  Life  of  Olympia  Fulvia  Morata,  which  ended 
with  some  such  experience.  In  many  ages,  there  hath  been  some 
one  rare  woman,  who  hath  excelled  men  in  the  languages,  philos- 
ophy, and  other  human  learning.  Such  an  one  was  this  Olympia 
Fulvia  Morata,  of  Ferrara.  She  married  Andr.  Gundler,  a  phy- 
sician :  she  removed  with  him  into  Germany  ;  and  was,  by  the 
way,  convinced  of  the  guard  of  angels,  by  her  young  brother  fall- 
ing out  of  a  high  window,  on  cragged  stones,  without  any  more 
hurt  than  if  it  had  been  on  the  soft  ground.  In  Germany,  she  thus 
wrote  to  Anna,  Estensis,  a  Guisian  princess  :  '  As  soon  as,  by  the 
singular  goodness  of  God,  I  was  departed  from  the  Italian  idolatry, 
and  came  with  my  husband  into  Germany,  it  is  incredible  how  God 
changed  my  soul,  (or  mind,)  which  being  formerly  most  averse 
(or  abhorring)  to  the  divine  Scriptures,  am  now  delighted  in  them 
alone,  and  place  in  them  all  my  study,  labor,  care,  and  mind  ;  and, 
as  much  as  possible,  contemn  all  the"  riches,  honors,  and  pleasures, 
which  formerly  1  was  wont  to  admire.'  But  the  cross  presently 
following,  in  God's  usual  method,  her  husband  and  she  were,  by 
soldiers,  stripped  naked,  save  the  shift  next  the  body,  and  narrowly 
escaping  with  life,  were  put  so  to  wander  from  place  to  place,  none 
daring  to  entertain  them,  even  when  she  was  sick  of  a  fever;  till 
at  last  they  found  liberal  entertainment,  in  which  she  shortly  fell 
into  a  mortal  disease,  of  which  she  died.  And,  in  her  last  sickness, 
and  after  much  torment  of  body,  near  death,  she  pleasantly  smiled. 
Her  husband  asked  her  the  cause  ;  who  said,  '  I  saw  a  certain  place 
which  was  full  of  a  most  clear  and  beauteous  light  ;  '  intimating 
that  she  should  quickly  be  there,  and  saying,  '  I  am  wholly  full 
of  joy.'  And  spake  no  more  till,  her  eye-sight  failing  her,  she 
said,  '  I  scarce  know  any  of  you  any  more  ;  but  all  things  else  about 
seem  to  be  full  of  most  beauteous  flowers  ;  '  which  were  her 
last  words;  having  a  long  time  professed,  that  nothing  seemed 


APPKMMX. 


more  desirable  to  her,  than  to  be  dissolved,  and  so  be  with  Christ  : 
in  all  her  sickness  magnifying  his  mercies  to  her. 

Many  have  thus  joyfully  laid  down  the  flesh  to  go  to  Christ  : 
what  wonder,  then,  if  Peter  was  loath  to  lose  the  pleasure  of  what 
he  saw! 

Two  things  are  necessary  to  great  and  solid  joy  ;  first,  that  the 
obj°ct  be  truly  and  greatly  amiable  and  delectable  ;  and,  secondly, 
that  the  apprehensions  of  it  be  clear  and  strong.  As  to  the  first, 
we  have  so  great  and  glorious  things  to  delight  us  as  would  feast 
our  souls  with  constant  joy,  were  not  the  second,  alas  !  much  wanting. 
What  man  could  choose  but  be  even  in  Peter's  rapture  continual- 
ly, if  he  had  but  ascertained  heavenly  glory,  apprehended  by  him 
in  as  satisfactory  a  manner  as  these  sensible  things  are  ?  If  I  lay 

•  f  1-  IV 

m  prison,  yea,  or  in  torment  ot  colic,  stone,  or  any  such  disease, 
and  had  but,  withal,  such  apprehensions,  or  sight  of  assured  glory, 
surely  the  pain  would  not  be  able  to  suppress  my  joy.  What  a 
mixture,  what  a  discord  would  there  be  in  my  expressions  !  tor- 
ment would  constrain  my  flesh  to  groan,  and  the  sight  of  heaven 
would  make  me  triumph.  I  cannot  but  think  how  this  great  dis- 
cord would  show  the  difference  between  the  spirit  and  the  flesh. 
What  a  strange  thing  it  would  be  to  hear  the  same  man,  at  the 
same  time,  crying  out  in  pain,  with  groans,  and  magnifying  the  love 
of  God  with  transporting  joy  !  But  we  are  not  yet  fit  for  such 
joyful  apprehensions  :  our  weak  eyes  must  not  see  the  sun,  but 
through  the  allaying  medium  of  a  humid  air,  at  a  vast  distance, 
and  by  the  crystalline  humor  and  organical  parts  of  the  eye. 
Fain  we  would  get  nearer,  and  have  sight,  or  clearer  apprehen- 
sions, of  the  spiritual  society  and  glorious  world.  We  study,  we 
pray,  we  look  up,  we  groan  under  our  distance,  darkness,  and  un- 
satisfying conceptions  ;  but  yet  it  must  not  be  ;  we  must  be  ripen- 
ed before  the  shell  will  break,  or  the  dark  womb  will  deliver  us  up 
to  the  glorious  light.  But  Christ  vouchsafed  that  to  his  three 
apostles,  which  we  are  unworthy  of,  and  yet  unfit  for.  O,  happy 
sight  !  O,  happy  men  !  It  is  incongruous  to  say,  '  WThat  would  I 
not  give  for  such  a  sight  !  '  lest  it  should  savor  of  Simon  Magus' 
folly  ;  and  I  have  nothing  to  give  ;  but  it  is  not  incongruous  to  say, 
'  What  would  I  not  do,  and  what  would  I  not  suffer,  for  such  a 
sight  !  '  Yea,  Christ  puts  such  kind  of  questions  to  us  :  O  that  I 
had  better  answered  them  in  the  hour  of  duty,  and  in  the  hour  of 
temptation  !  When  he  asked,  "  Can  ye  drink  of  the  cup  that  I 
drink  of,  and  be  baptized  with  the  baptism  that  I  am  baptized 
with  ?  "  I  have  been  ready,  with  James  and  John,  to  say,  I  can  ; 
but  when  the  trial  comes,  (as  they  after,  in  his  suffering,  forsook 
him  and  fled,)  how  insufficient  is  my  own  strength  to  perform  my 
promise  !  When  he  did  impose  on  me  the  denying  of  myself, 


BAXTERS  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

forsaking  all,  taking  up  the  cross  and  following  him,  I  yielded,  and 
covenanted  by  vow  to  do  it ;  but  it  was  by  the  help  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  which  he  promised  to  give  me.  I  stand,  Lord,  to  my  cov- 
enant ;  help  me  to  perform  it ;  and  give  me,  though  not  his  present 
sight,  yet  some  of  Peter's  mental  apprehensions,  and  a  glimpse,  a 
taste,  of  that  which  transported  him  with  delight.  Let  who  will 
(or  who  thou  wilt)  take  the  riches  and  grandeur  of  the  world. 
O,  give  me  some  delightful  taste  of  that  which  I  am  made  for,  re- 
deemed for,  and  which  thy  Spirit  hath  long  taught  me  to  seek 
and  hope  for,  as  my  all ! 

27.  Peter  was  not  weary  with  the  sight  of  this  heavenly  appa- 
rition.    Why  should  I  be  weary  of  the  believing  contemplation  of 
greater  things  ?     Though  sight  affect  us  more  sensibly  than  mere 
believing  and  thinking,  yet  these  have  their  happy  office,  which 
may  be  effectual.     And  Christ,  who  thus  appeared  in  glory  to 
Peter,  hath  said,  "  Blessed  are  they  that  have  not  seen,  and  yet 
have  believed."     And  Peter  himself  saith  of  them  that  see  not 
Christ,  that  "  They  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory," 
in  believing.     O,  how  unexcusable  am  I  for  every  weary  prayer 
or  meditation  of  such  a  glory  ;  and  for  yielding  to  Satan  and  a 
backward  heart,  which  have  oft  made  me  shorten  these  sweet  em- 
ployments, when  I  had  time,  and  leave,  and  need,  to  lengthen 
them  !     What !  weary  of  communion  with  Christ !  weary  of  speak- 
ing to  my  heavenly  Father,  for  endless  blessedness,  upon  such 
joyful  terms  of  hope  as  he  hath  given  me  !  weary  of  the  thoughts 
of  the  city  of  God,  the  heavenly  society  and  work  !  weary  of  ex- 
citing divine  love,   and  exercising  it  in  divine  praise,  which  are  the 
works  of  angels,  and  all  the  heavenly  host !     O,  how  justly  might 
God  be,  as  it  were,  weary  of  me,  and  of  my  weary  services  ;  yea, 
of  the  best  that  I  can  offer  him,  which  hath   in  it  so  much  to  give 
him  cause ! 

28.  Peter  did  not  fly  from  this  glorious  prospect ;  but  would  fain 
have  had  more  of  it,  and  have  dwelt  upon  the  holy  mount.     And 
when  God  will  call  me  to  a  more  glorious  vision  and  fruition  in 
heaven,  shall   I   draw  back  and  be  unwilling  to  go  ?     Was  that 
mount  a  better  place  than  heaven  ?     Is  not  Christ  now  to  be  there 
seen  in  greater  glory  ?     Is  the  Jerusalem  above,  the  glorious  com- 
pany of  saints  and  angels,  no  better,  and  more  desirable  a  sight, 
than  Moses  and  Elias  were  on  the  mount  ?     Alas  !  when  we  have 
read,  and  heard,  and  thought,  and  talked  so  much  of  heaven,  and 
done  and  suffered  so  much  for  it,  that  yet  we  should  draw  back 
with  fear  and  unwillingness  to  go  to  it !    O,  what  lamentable  weak- 
ness of  faith,  and  power  of  flesh,  doth  this  discover  !     When  I 
read  Peter's  words,  "  It  is  good  to  be  here,"  I  am  grieved  that  I, 
who  dwell  in   a  world  so  near  like   hell,  among  the   implacable 


APPENDIX.  .'    <> 

haters  ot'  holiness  and  holy  peace,  and  in  a  painful,  tired  body, 
and  who  have  thought,  said,  and  written  so  much  of  heaven,  do 
yet  say,  with  no  stronger  desire  and  joy,  "  It  is  good  to  be  there." 
When  I  see  all  natural  appetites  desire  earnestly  their  proper  food, 
and  even  the  brutes  desire  their  beloved  company,  shall  my  holy 
appetite  be  so  dull  and  indifferent  ?  Lord,  quicken  it  by  the  fuller 
communications  of  thy  Spirit,  and  save  me  from  this  hated,  dan- 
gerous disease. 

29.  But  Peter  spake  he  knew  not  what,  when  he  talked  of 
building  tabernacles  on  earth,  for  the  fruition  of  that  which  is 
proper  to  heaven.  Alas  !  this  is  our  common  malady  and  folly  : 
we  would  have  Christ  in  the  splendor  of  his  glory ;  but  we  would 
have  him  here :  we  would  see  Moses  and  Elias,  if  they  will  come 
down  to  us :  we  would  have  that  in  the  flesh,  which  flesh  and  blood 
cannot  possess.  O,  if  we  knew  in  what  land,  what  city,  what 
country,  what  private  house,  we  might  live  in  the  least  glimpse  of 
the  heavenly  glory,  how  joyfully  should  we  run  to  such  an  habi- 
tation !  Merchants  make  towards  the  most  gainful  place  for  trade  : 
poor  men  inquire  after  the  most  fertile  and  delectable  countries  for 
plantation :  gentlemen  delight  themselves  with  a  sweet  and  pleas- 
antly-seated mansion ;  but  if  saints  on  earth  could  find  a  place 
where  they  could  see  what  Stephen,  or  Paul,  or  the  apostles  saw, 
and  have  a  little  of  heaven  without  dying  or  putting  off  this  body, 
what  a  desirable  dwelling  would  that  seem  to  them !  And  yet, 
alas !  how  cold  are  our  desires  of  the  time  and  place  where  we 
shall  have  much  more  !  We  have  Christ  on  earth,  in  the  manner 
and  measure  that  we  are  capable:  we  have  here^some  communion 
with  heaven,  as  verily  (though  not  so  sensibly)  as  our  eye  hath 
with  the  sun.  God  will  not  deny  believers  their  title,  their  ear- 
nest, and  some  fust-fruits ;  but  when  we  would  have  our  all.  or  our 
best  on  earth,  or  that  on  earth  which  is  proper  to  heaven,  we  know 
not  what  we  desire  or  pav. 

4 

Are  we,  vile,  dirty  "Sinners  in  flesh,  now  fit  for  heavenly  sights 
or  joys  ?  Or  is  this  world  a  place  for  building  tabernacles,  where 
we  may  see  the  Lord,  and  take  up  our  rest  ?  What !  in  a  world 
of  temptations,  of  wickedness,  of  sufferings,  where  we  are  daily 
wrestling  for  our  lives,  and  fighting,  not  merely  against  flesh  and 
blood,  but  against  principalities  and  powers,  and  the  rulers  of  the 
darkness  of  this  world,  even  spiritual  wickedness  (or  wicked  spirits) 
in  high  places ;  (above  the  greatest  men  that  are  their  servants.) 
Eph.  vi.  12.  But  that  which  is  of  the  earth  is  earthly.  Our 
earthly  part  would  have  an  earthly  felicity  ;  but  when  we  know- 
that  it  is  corruptible,  and  a  dying  thing,  and  that  we  have  here  no 
continuing  city,  both  faith  and  reason  bid  us  seek  for  one  to  come. 
The  unfaithful  steward  had  so  much  wit  as  to  make  sure  of  an- 


230  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

other  habitation,  when  he  knew  that  he  must  be  no  longer 
steward. 

God  hath  so  constantly  confuted  and  befooled  me,  by  his  mar- 
velous providence,  whenever  I  have  said,  '  Soul,  take  thy  ease,' 
and  have  thought  of  building  tabernacles  on  earth,  as  hath  con- 
vinced me,  that  such  folly  is  not  the  least  part  of  the  danger  of  a 
soul,  from  which  his  mercy  did  so  watchfully  save  me.  If  a  little 
health  and  ease,  or  a  pleasant  habitation,  or  beloved  company  and 
friends,  have  but  flattered  me  into  earthly  delight  and  hopes,  and 
made  me  say,  "  It  is  good  to  be  here  ; "  I  never  was  long  without 
some  pains,  and  dangerous  sickness,  or  some  loss  or  cross  in  friends, 
or  some  removal  by  personal  or  public  changes,  to  tell  me,  that  I 
knew  not  what  I  said,  and  that  rest  and  happiness  are  not  here. 
As  the  laborious  ants  and  bees  are  long  gathering  a  heap  of  treas- 
ure, and  furnishing  a  hive  with  winter  provisions,  and  a  contemp- 
tuous foot  soon  spurneth  about  the  one,  and  the  chief  owner  of 
the  hive  destroyeth  the  other ;  so  (while  I  neglected  wealth  and 
honor)  when  I  have  but  treasured  up  the  choicest  books,  and 
taken  pleasure  in  my  works  and  friends,  God  saw  that  such  pleas- 
ures needed  an  allay,  and  hath  taken  away  books  and  friends 
together,  or  driven  me  oft  from  them  and  my  habitation,  to  tell 
me,  sensibly,  that  I  have  higher  to  look,  and  further  to  go ;  and 
that  Moses  and  Elias  appeared  not  to  turn  earth  into  heaven,  and 
make  me  think  that  now  I  am  well,  but  to  invite  my  soul  to  their 
celestial  habitation.  When  Christ  hath  comforted  me  by  hearing 
prayers,  by  great  deliverances,  by  wonderful  success  of  my  defec- 
tive labors,  by  comfortable  friends,  by  public  mercies,  it  was  not, 
by  making  my  condition  pleasant,  to  keep  down  my  desires  from 
heaven,  but  to  draw  them  thither  by  such  foretastes.  Content- 
ment with  our  condition,  as  without  more  of  the  world,  is  a  great 
duty ;  but  to  be  content  with  the  world,  or  any  thing  on  earth, 
without  more  holiness  and  communion  with  God,  and  without  a 
part  in  the  heavenly  perfection,  is  a  heinous  and  pernicious  sin. 

But,  alas  !  it  is  a  far  worse  mistake  than  Peter's,  which  deceiv- 
eth  the  greatest  part  of  men.  They  say,  indeed,  as  he,  "  It  is 
good  to  be  here,"  (till  melancholy  or  misery  make  them  intoler- 
able to  themselves  ;)  but  it  is  not  because  they  have  seen  a  glimpse 
of  heaven  on  earth,  or  tasted  the  sweetness  of  the  holy  society 
and  work,  but  because  their  bodies  are  in  health,  their  purses  full, 
their  appetites  pleased,  and  their  inferiors  do  their  wills  and  honor 
them.  This  is  all  the  heaven  that  they  love ;  and  to  leave  all 
this  is  the  death  which  they  abhor  and  fear.  And  they  will  not 
hear  God  and  the  experience  of  all  mankind  befooling  them,  till 
near  the  night  that  their  souls  shall  be  required ;  and  then,  whose 
will  all  their  treasure  be  ? 

30.  But  yet  it  was  a  greater  part  of  Peter's  dotage,  to  think  of 


APPENDIX.  231 

tabernacles  for  Christ,  Moses,  and  Elias,  and  of  detaining  of  heav- 
enly inhabitants  upon  earth.  If  you  would  offer  the  lowest  saint 
in  heaven  an  earthly  kingdom  in  exchange  for  his  condition,  with 
what  disdain  would  he  despise  the  offer !  Christ's  kingdom  was 
not  of  this  world,  nor  would  Moses  and  Elias  change  their  lot  with 
Alexander  or  Caesar.  Poor  trifles  allure  us,  and  seem  somewhat 
to  us  (as  toys  to  children)  while  we  are  dreaming  in  the  flesh  ; 
but  if  once  we  be  delivered,  and  see  what  the  celestial  glory  is, 
what  a  change  will  it  make  upon  our  judgments  ?  We  fear  now 
in  the  dark  to  go  unto  that  world  of  light,  and  are  loath  to  put  off 
the  rags  of  flesh,  and  to  depart  from  a  known,  though  a  dirty, 
falling  habitation  ;  but  if  \ve  get  to  heaven,  we  shall  be  loath  to 
return  to  earth  again,  and  be  so  coarsely  clothed :  when  once  we 
are  there,  a  world  would  not  hire  us  to  come  back  into  this  cor- 
ruptible body,  till  God  will  make  it  spiritual  and  incorruptible. 
Our  friends,  whose  deaths  we  passionately  lamented,  would  be 
loath  now  to  change  their  company  for  such  as  we  are,  or  their 
abode  for  such  a  wicked  world  as  this,  or  their  work  for  the  best 
of  ours  on  earth.  No  wonder  that  departed  souls  appear  not  to 
their  friends  on  earth :  most  apparitions  are  of  devils,  or  misera- 
ble souls,  to  whom  it  is  no  loss  or  condescension.  Were  I  once 
in  heaven,  could  I  possibly  be  willing  to  be  turned  again  into  a 
Bedlam  world,  and  laid  under  the  feet  of  blinded  pride,  and  raging 
madness,  and  live  among  Sodomites  (called  Christians)  whose 
God  is  their  belly,  and  who  glory  in  their  filthiness  and  shame, 
and  mind  nothing,  with  love,  but  earthly  things,  and  are  bitter 
enemies,  not  only  to  the  cross,  but  to  the  government  of  Christ  ? 
Would  I  be  again  among  dogs  and  swine ;  yea,  devils  in  the  flesh, 
who  hate  and  persecute  the  regenerate  seed,  and  all  that  will  not 
receive  the  mark,  and  be  as  mad  and  bad  as  they  ?  Would  I 
again  be  groaning  here  in  pain,  or  tired  with  a  weary  body,  and 
more  with  a  feeble,  sinful  soul,  weak  in  faith,  cold  in  love,  of 
doubtful  hope,  and  imperfect  duty  ?  Would  I  be  here  again  in 
the  prospect  of  a  grave,  with  fear  of  dying ;  as  strange  as  now  to 
the  heavenly  felicity  ?  Lazarus  will  not  come  from  Abraham's 
bosom,  for  the  rich  man's  wealth  and  belly-pleasure ;  no,  not  to 
warn  his  sensual  brethren.  Had  Peter  seen  heaven  as  he  saw  the 
glory  on  the  mount,  he  would  never  have  made  so  blind  a  motion 
for  Chri  r.  Closes,  and  Elias,  to  continue  there,  who  have  so  much 
better  a  habitation. 

31.  But  this  glorious  apparition  was  but  short ;  as  the  glory  of 
God's  back  parts  to  Moses,  which  did  but  pass  by.  Presently  a 
cloud  cometh,  and  separateth  the  company,  and  ends  the  pleasant 
sight.  When  Christians  receive  some  extraordinary  sense  of  the 
love  of  God,  some  sweet  foretastes  of  promised  happiness,  they 


232          BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

must  not  look  that  this  should  be  ordinary,  or  always  so.  When 
some  fervent  prayer  is  extraordinarily  answered,  and  a  sacrament 
sweetened  with  drops  of  heavenly  sweetness,  or  a  holy  discourse 
or  meditation  hath  raised  us  higher  than  ever  before,  we  must  not 
expect  that  this  should  be  our  constant  diet,  and  God  should  thus 
feast  us  all  the  year.  The  times  of  fasting  also  have  their  turn. 
Moses  did  not  dwell  on  Mount  Horeb,  nor  Mount  Nebo  or  Pisgah, 
from  whence  he  saw  the  Land  of  Promise.  God's  children  do 
not  always  laugh  and  sing :  while  they  have  their  sinning  times, 
they  will  have  their  suffering  and  crying  times.  How  suddenly 
doth  the  lark  come  down  to  the  earth,  who  before  was  soaring 
out  of  sight,  and  singing  pleasantly  in  the  higher  air,  as  if  it  had 
been  aspiring  towards  the  sun !  A  luscious  diet  is  not  best  for 
such  as  we,  that  have  so  many  corruptions  to  be  cured  by  cleans- 
ing means :  cordials  must  not  be  all  our  physic :  unwarrantable 
expectations  of  greater  or  more  continued  joys  than  we  are  meet 
for,  is  injurious  both  to  God  and  to  ourselves.  Desires  of  more 
we  may  and  must  have  ;  but  those  desires  must  look  up  to  heaven, 
where,  indeed,  they  may  be  satisfied. 

32.  The  joy  of  these  spectators  was  turned  into  fear  (saith  the 
text)  when  they  entered  into  the  cloud.  No  wonder :  the  change 
was  sudden  and  great ;  from  a  sight  of  the  kingdom  of  God  in 
power,  unto  a  dark  cloud.  Just  now  they  seemed  almost  in  heav- 
en, and  presently  they  knew  not  where  they  were  ;  from  glorious 
light  to  a  kind  of  prison  of  obscurity. 

Such  changes  here  we  are  liable  to.  The  same  soul  that  lately 
tasted  of  transporting  joy,  may  lie  in  terror,  hardly  resisting  temp- 
tations to  despair.  The  same  person  that  was  confident  of  the 
love  of  God  may  be  quickly  not  only  doubting  of  it,  but  sinfully 
denying  it :  the  same  that  had  assuring  evidence  of  sincerity  may 
shortly  conclude  that  a.11  was  but  hypocrisy.  The  same  that  was 
triumphing  in  the  sense  of  love,  may  cry  out,  O  miserable  man 
that  I  am !  And  as  the  same  that  magnified  the  grace  of  Christ, 
may  say,  the  day  of  grace  is  past ;  especially  if  either  the  tempter 
get  the  advantage  of  a  melancholy  body,  or  of  casting  the  soul  into 
renewed  guilt  of  some  wounding  sin,  or  into  impatient  discontents, 
with  the  things  that  befall  it  in  the  world. 

There  is  a  stability  in  the  essentials  of  holiness:  it  is  life  eternal 
that  is  here  begun :  but,  alas !  the  degrees  of  grace,  the  exercise 
of  it,  the  evenness  and  integrity  of  our  obedience,  and  accordingly 
our  comforts,  are  lamentably  liable  to  change  ;  even  as  all  worldly 
things  are  mutable  to  the  ungodly,  though  their  hardened  hearts 
are  too  little  changeable.  Expecting  nothing  but  joy  from  God, 
or  expecting  more  than  we  are  meet  for,  maketh  our  dejections 
the  greater,  and  more  grievous.  None  are  cast  lower  with  terror, 


APPENDIX.  233 

trouble,  and  almost  despair,  than  some  that  have  been  most  trans- 
ported with  joy  ;  when  some  other  Christians,  of  an  even  conver- 
sation, have  an  evenness  and  constancy  of  holy  peace,  though  no 
such  joys. 

33.  The  cloud  separated  the  company :  Moses  and  Elias  are 
seen  no  more  ;  no,  nor  the  glory  of  Christ :  but  yet  Christ  is  not 
separated  from  them;    his  ordinary  presence   still  abideth  with 
them.     Christ  doth  not  leave  the  soul  when  extraordinary  joys  do 
leave  it :  it  loseth  not  his  saving  grace,  nor  the  presence  of  his 
Spirit,  as  oft  as  it  loseth  heavenly  delight.     Desire  showeth  love 
to   him,  and  to  his  holiness ;   and  he  never  forsaketh  those  that 
love  him.     As  long  as  the  soul  breatheth  after  Christ,  and  after 
more  communion  with  God,  and,  conscious  of  its  imperfection, 
would  fain  be  perfect,  and  resolveth  to  continue  waiting  for  increase 
of  faith  and  holiness  in  the  use  of  the  means  which  Christ  hath 
appointed,  it  is  not  forsaken.     Christ,  by  his  Spirit,  dwelleth  and 
worketh  in  that  soul.     It  may  enter  into  a  cloud,  and  Christ  may 
be  unseen,  and  seem  quite  lost,  but  the  cloud  will  vanish,  and  he 
will  appear ;  and  he  will  first  find  us,  that  we  may  seek  and  find 
him.     If  he  appear  to  us  but  as  in  his  humiliation,  and  as  crucified, 
and  thereby  humble  us,  and  crucify  us  to  the  world  and  the  flesh, 
with  the  affections  and  lusts  thereof,  and  cause  us  but  to  seek  first 
his  kingdom  and  righteousness,  he  will  raise  us  higher,  and  show 
us  his  glory,  when  grace,  and  conquest,  and  perseverance  have 
prepared  us.     We  are  in  a  cloudy  world  and  body  ;  and  our  sins 
are  yet  a  thicker  cloud  between   God's  glorious  face  and  us :  but 
as  God  is  God,  and  heaven  is  heaven,  so  Christ  is  Christ,  and 
grace  is  grace,  when  we  see  it  not,  but  fear  that  we  are  undone, 
and  entering  into  outer  darkness ;   and  at  sun-rising,  all  our  dark- 
ness, and  all  our  doubts  and  fears,  will  vanish. 

34.  "  There  came  a  voice  out  of  the  cloud,  This  is  my  beloved 
Son  ;  hear  him  ; "  Luke  ix.  35.     Had  I  heard  such  a  testimony 
from  heaven,  would  it  not  have  set  my  faith  above  all  doubts  and 
unbelief?     For  the  voice  that  thus  owned  Christ  and  his  word, 
might  imbolden  me  fully  to  trust  all  his  promises,  as  it  bindeth 
me  to  obey  his  precepts. 

God's  love  is  effective  and  communicative ;  and  as  his  life  and 
light  cause  life  and  light,  so  his  love  causeth  love ;.  and  Christ, 
that  is  called  his  beloved  Son,  is  likest  him  in  love.  None  loveth 
us  so  much  as  God  our  Father,  and  his  beloved  Son,  who  is  also, 
as  God,  essential  love.  And  shall  I  think  with  cold  or  little  love 
of  such  a  God,  and  such  a  Savior?  It  is  as  unreasonable  to  fly 
from  God  or  Christ,  as  fearing  that  he  wanteth  love  to  a  capable 
soul,  as  to  fly  from  the  sun  as  wanting  heat  or  light.  O,  what 
an  unruly,  froward  thing  is  the  corrupted  soul  of  man !  When 
VOL.  ii.  30 


234  BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

we  think  of  God's  judgment,  and  how  we  are  in  his  hands,  as  to 
all  our  hopes,  for  soul  and  body,  we  fear,  and  are  uncomfortable, 
lest  he  have  not  so  much  love  and  mercy  as  should  cause  us  con- 
fidently to  trust  him.  We  could  trust  some  friends  with  life  and 
soul,  were  we  in  their  power ;  but  infinite  love  itself,  and  a  loving 
Savior,  we  can  hardly  trust,  so  far  as  to  quiet  us  in  pain  or  death. 
And  yet  when  Christ,  to  cure  this  distrust,  hath  manifested  his 
love  by  the  greatest  miracles  that  ever  God  showed  to  mortal 
men,  even  by  Christ's  incarnation,  his  life,  his  works,  his  death, 
his  resurrection,  intercession,  and  the  advancement  of  human 
nature  in  him  above  angels,  the  greatness  of  this  incomprehensible 
love  occasioneth  the  difficulty  of  our  believing  it;  as  if  it  were  too 
great  and  wonderful  to  be  credible :  thus  dark  and  guilty  sinners 
hardly  believe  our  Father's  love,  whether  it  be  expressed  by 
ordinary  or  by  the  most  wonderful  effects. 

35.  As  Christ  is   called  the  Son  of  God,  so  also  are  all  his 
members :  we  have  so  far  the  same  title,  that  we  might  partake 
of  the  same  comforts :  he  is  God's  only  Son,  by  eternal  generation 
and  the  hypostatical  union  upon  his  miraculous  conception :  but 
through   him  we   are  sons  by  regeneration  and  adoption.     And 
shall  not  the  love  of  such  a  Father  be  trusted,  and  the  presence 
and   pleasing  of  such  a  Father  be  desired  ?     If  Manoah's  wife 
could  say,  "  If  he  would  have  killed  us,  he  would  not  have  accept- 
ed a  sacrifice  of  us ; "  I  may  say,  if  he  would  have  damned  me, 
or  forsaken  my  departing  soul,  he  would  not  have  adopted  me, 
nor  made  and  called  me  his  son.     Christ  was  made  his  incarnate 
Son,  that  we  might  be  made  his  adopted  sons :  and  we  are  made 
his  adopted  sons,  for  the  sake,  and  by  the  grace,  of  Christ,  his 
natural  Son. 

36.  The  command,  "  hear  him,"  is  relative,  as  to  Moses  and 
Elias:  1.  Hear  him  whom  the  law  and  the  prophets  typified  and 
foretold,  and  were  his  servants,  and  preparatory  instructors,  to  lead 
us  to  him.     2.  Hear  him  before  Moses  and  the  prophets,  where 
his  coming  and  covenant  abrogateth  the  law  of  Moses,  and  as  a 
greater  light,  he  obscureth  the  less :   he  hath  revealed  more  than 
they  revealed ;  and  the  same  more  clearly :  life  and  immortality 
is  more  fully  brought  to  light  by  him :  his  gospel  is  as  the  heart 
of  the  Holy  Bible :   we  use  the  Old  Testament  books,  especially 
as  the  witnesses  of  Christ. 

37.  And  whom  shall  we  hear  so  willingly,  so  obediently,  as 
Christ  ?     Abraham  sent  not  Dives's  brethren  to  the  king,  or  to 
the  high-priest,  to  know  what  religion  he  should  choose,  or  what 
he  should  do  to  escape  hell  torments ;  but  it  was  Moses  and  the 
prophets  that  they  must  hear.     But  God,  from  heaven,  hath  sent 
us  yet  a  better  teacher,  and  commanded  us  to  hear  him.     Moses 


APPENDIX.  235 

was  faithful  in  God's  house  as  a  servant,  but  Christ  as  a  Son :  bis 
authority  is  above  kings  and  high  priests ;  and  they  have  no  power 
now  but  from  him,  and  therefore  none  against  him  or  his  laws : 
all  commands  are  null  to  conscience,  which  contradict  him.  The 
examples  in  Daniel  iii.  and  vi.,  and  of  the  apostles,  tell  us  wheth- 
er God  or  man  should  be  first  obeyed :  therefore  it  is  that  the 
Bible  is  more  necessary  to  be  searched  and  learned  than  the  stat- 
ute-book, or  canons.  Were  man  to  be  heard  before  Christ,  or 
against  him,  or  as  necessarily  as  he,  why  have  we  not  law-preach- 
ers every  Lord's-day  to  expound  the  statutes  and  canons  to  all 
the  people  ?  And  why  are  they  not  catechised  out  of  the  book 
of  canons,  or  law,  as  well  as  out  of  the  Bible  ? 

And  sure,  if  we  must  hear  Christ  and  his  gospel  before  priests 
or  princes,  or  before  our  dearest  friends,  much  more  before  our 
fleshly  lusts  and  appetites,  and  before  a  profane  and  foolish  scorner, 
and  before  the  temptations  of  the  devil.  O,  had  we  heard  Christ 
warning  us,  when  we  hearkened  to  the  tempter,  and  to  the  flesh, 
how  safely  had  we  lived,  and  how  comfortably  might  we  have 
died! 

38.  But  this  word,  "  hear  him,"  is  as  comfortable  as  obligatory. 
Hear  him,  sinner,  when  he  calls  to  thee  to  repent  and  turn  to  God  : 
hear  him,  when  he  calleth  thee  to  himself,  to  take  him  for  thy 
Lord  and  Savior,  to  believe  and  trust  him  for  pardon  and  salvation : 
hear  him,  when  he  calleth,  "  Come  to  me,  all  ye  that  are  weary 
and  heavy  laden :  ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come :  whoever 
will,  let  him  drink  of  the  water  of  life  freely."  Hear  him  when 
he  commandeth,  and  hear  him  when  he  promiseth ;  and  hear  him 
before  the  worldly  wise,  when  he  teacheth  us  the  way  to  God  : 
hear  him,  for  he  knows  what  he  saith :  hear  him,  for  he  is  true, 
and  faithful,  and  infallible :  hear  him,  for  he  is  the  Son  of  God, 
the  greatest  messenger  that  ever  God  sent :  hear  him,  for  he  pur- 
posely came  down  in  flesh,  that  he  might  familiarly  teach  us : 
hear  him,  for  none  else  in  the  world  hath  made  known  the  things 
of  God  like  him,  and  none  can  do  it :  hear  him,  for  he  meaneth 
us  no  hurt ;  he  is  our  dearest  friend,  and  love  itself,  and  saith 
nothing  but  for  our  salvation,  and  promiseth  nothing  but  what 
he  will  perform.  Yea,  hear  him,  for  every  soul  that  will  not  hear 
him  shall  be  cut  off. 

Hear  him,  therefore,  if  he  contradict  thy  fleshly  appetite ;  hear 
him,  if  great  or  small,  if  any  or  all  shall  be  against  it :  hear  him, 
if  he  set  thee  on  the  hardest  work,  or  call  thee  to  the  greatest 
suffering :  hear  him,  if  he  bid  thee  take  up  the  cross,  and  forsake 
all  and  follow  him,  in  hope  of  a  reward  in  heaven :  hear  him,  if 
he  call  thee  to  lay  down  thy  life ;  for  none  can  be  a  loser  by  him. 

Hear  him  now  in  the  day  of  grace,  and  he  will  hear  thee  in  the 


23(5  BAXTER  s  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

day  of  thy  extremity,  in  the  day  of  danger,  sickness,  death,  and 
judgment,  when  the  world  forsaketh  thee,  and  no  one's  hearing 
else  can  help  thee. 

39.  But  '  I  was  not  one  that  saw  this  vision :  had  I  seen  it 
myself,  it  would   have  satisfied  me,  and  confuted  all  my  doubts.' 
Answ.  But  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  the  ministry  and  testimony  of 
men  shall  be  a  means  of  our  believing :  it  is  faith,  and  not  sight, 
that  must  be  the  ordinary  way  of  our  salvation ;  else  Christ  must 
have  showed  himself,  and  his  miracles,  resurrection,  and  ascension, 
to  every  one  in  the  world  that  must  believe  in  him :  and   then  he 
must  have  been  visible  at  once  in  every  kingdom,  parish,  and  place 
on  earth,  and  continued  so  to  the  end  of  the  world ;  and  must  have 
died,  risen,  and  ascended,  many  millions  of  times,  and  in  every 
place.     They  that  will  put  such  laws  on  their  lawgiver  before  they 
will  believe  in  him,  must  be  saved  without  him  and  against  him  if 
they  can.     This  is  more  unreasonable  than  to  tell  God  that  you 
will  not  believe  that  there  is  a  heaven  or  hell  unless  you  see  them. 
But  God  will  have  us  live  and  be  saved  by  believing,  and  not 
by  sight.     And  he  will  use  man  for  the  instruction  and  salvation 
of  man,  and  not  send  angels  with  every  message. 

40.  But  why  did  Christ  show  this  vision  but  to  three  of  his  dis- 
ciples ?      Answ.  He  is  not  bound  to  tell  us  why :  but  we  may 
know  that  a  sight  of  heavenly  glory  is  not  to  be  ordinarily  expect- 
ed on  earth.     Why  did  God  show  the  back  parts  of  his  glory  to 
none  but  Moses ;  no,  not  to  his  brother  Aaron  ?     Why  did  he  speak 
to  him  only  in  the  bush  and  on  the  mount  ?     Why  did  he  translate 
none  to  heaven  without  dying  but  Enoch  and  Elias?     Why  did 
he  save  but  Noah,  and  seven  with  him,  in  the  ark  ?     These  are 
not  things  ordinary,  nor  to  be  common  to  many. 

41.  But  by  this  it  appeareth,  that  even  among  his  twelve  apos- 
tles Christ  made  a  difference,  and  preferred  some  before  the  rest ; 
though  he  set  no  one  over  the  rest  in  any  governing  authority,  yet 
some  of  them  were  qualified  above  the  rest,  and  esteemed  and  used 
by  him  accordingly.     Peter  is  called  the  first,  and,  it  seems,  was 
qualified  above  the  rest,  by  his  more  frequent  speaking  and  famil- 
iarity with  Christ,  and  his  speeches  and  miracles  after  the  resurrec- 
tion ;  though  yet  the  faction  that  said,  "  I  am  of  Cephas,"  or,  "  I 
am  of  Paul,"  was  rebuked  as  carnal.     So  far  was  Christ  from  di- 
recting the  churches  to  end  all  difference  by  obeying  Peter  as  their 
supreme  ruler.     James  and  John  are  called  the  sons  of  thunder  : 
they  had  some  more  eminent  qualification  than  the  rest ;  so  that 
James  was  the  first  martyred  apostle,  and  John  the  disciple  whom 
Jesus  specially  loved.     Ministers  of  the  same  office  and  order  may 
much  differ  in  gifts  and  grace,  in  labor  and  success,  and  in  God's 
acceptance  and  reward,  and  in  the  church's  just  esteem  and  love. 


Ari'KMHN..  237 

All  pastors  were  not  such  as  Cyprian,  Basil,  Gregory  Nazianzen, 
Chrysostom,  or  Augustin.  And  the  rest  must  not  envy  at  the 
preference  of  Peter,  James,  and  John.  Andrew  seems  to  be  Pe- 
ter's elder  brother,  and  knew  Christ  before  him  ;  as  Aaron  was  el- 
der brother  to  Moses,  and  yet  must  give  God  leave  to  choose  to 
give  preeminence  to  whom  he  will. 

42.  But  why  did  not  these  three  apostles  tell  any  of  this  vision 
till  after  Christ's  resurrection  ?     ^4nsw,  Christ  did  forbid  it  them. 
And  it  is  according  to  the  method  of  his  revelation.     He  would 
make  himself  known  to  the  world  by  degrees ;  and  more  by  his 
works  than  by  mere  words ;  and  these  works  were  to  be  finished, 
and  all  set  'together,  to  be   his  convincing  witness  to  the  world. 
And  the  chief  of  these  were  his  resurrection,  ascension,  and  send- 
ing down  the  Holy  Ghost ;  the  apostles  could  not  say  till  then, 
'  Jesus  is  risen,  ascended,  and  hath  given  us  the  seal  of  the  Spirit ; 
therefore  he  is  the  Son  of  God.'     Christ  first  preached  repentance, 
like  John  Baptist ;   and  next  he  told  them  that  the  kingdom  of 
God  (by  the  Messiah)  has  come,  and  was  among  them ;  and  then 
he  taught  them  to  believe  his  word  to  be  sent  from  God,  and  to  be 
true  ;  and  he  taught  them  the  doctrines  of  holiness,  love  and  right- 
eousness towards  men  :  and  he  wrought  those  miracles  which  might 
convince  them  that  what  he  said,  or  should  say,  deserved  their  be- 
lief; but  yet,  before  his  resurrection,  his  apostles  themselves  under- 
stood not  many  of  the  articles  of  our  creed :  they  knew  not  that 
Christ  was  to  die  for  sin,  and  so  to  redeem  the  world  by  his  sacri- 
fice, nor  that  he  was  to  rise,  ascend,  and  reign,  and  intercede  in 
glory ;  and  yet  they  were  then  in  a  state  of  grace  and  life,  such 
as  believers  were  in  before  Christ's  incarnation.     And  sure  no 
more  is  required  of  the  nations  that  cannot  hear  the  gospel. 

But  the  resurrection  was  the  beginning  of  the  proper  gospel  state, 
and  kingdom,  to  which  all  before  was  but  preparatory  ;  and  then, 
by  the  Spirit,  Christianity  was  formed  to  its  settled  consistence, 
and  is  a  known,  inalterable  thing. 

And  it  is  a  great  confirmation  to  our  faith,  that  Christ's  kingdom 
was  not  settled  -by  any  advantage  of  his  personal  presence,  preach- 
ing, and  persuasion,  so  much  as  by  the  Holy  Ghost  in  his  apostles 
and  disciples,  when  he  has  gone  from  them  into  heaven. 

43.  But  how  are  we  sure  that  these  three  men  tell  us  nothing 
but  the  truth?      Answ.  This  is  oft  answered   elsewhere.      The 
Spirit  which  they  spake  and  worked  by,  was  Christ's  witness  and 
theirs.      They  healed  the  sick,  raised  the  dead,    spake   various 
languages  which  they  never  learned ;  and  preached  and  recorded 
that  holy  doctrine  committed  to  them  by  Christ,  which  itself  con- 
tained the  evidence  of  its  divinity,  and  of  their  truth  ;  and  Christ 


238          HALTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

then  and  to  this  day  hath  owned  it,  by  the  sanctifying  efficacy  of 
the  same  Spirit,  upon  millions  of  souls. 

How  holy  a  doctrine  hath  Peter  himself  delivered,  as  confirmed 
by  his  apparition  !  "  We  have  not  followed  cunningly-devised  fa- 
bles, when  we  made  known  to  you  the  power  and  coming  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  were  eye-witnesses  of  his  majesty  ;  for  he 
received  from  God,  the  Father,  honor  and  glory,  when  there  came 
such  a  voice  to  him  from  the  excellent  glory,  This  is  my  beloved 
Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased  ;  and  this  voice,  which  came  from 
heaven,  we  heard  when  we  were  with  him  in  the  holy  mount;"  2 
Peter  i.  16 — 18.  The  words  "in  whom  I  am  well  pleased"  are 
only  here  and  in  Matthew  ;  Mark  and  Luke,  omitting  them,  tell  us 
that  the  evangelists  undertook  not  to  recite  all  that  was  said  and 
done,  but  each  one  so  much  as  seemed  necessary  for  him  to  say. 

44.  And  now  what  remaineth,  O  my  soul,  but  that  thou  take 
in  the  due  impression  of  this  apparition  of  the  glory  of  Jesus  and 
his  saints  ;  and  that  thou  joyfully  obey  this  heavenly  voice,  and 
hear  the  beloved  Son  of  God,  in  whom  tht  Father  is  well  pleased  ? 

I.  As  we  that  are  born  in  another  age  and  land  must  know  what 
Christ  said  by  the  transmission  and  certain  testimony  of  them  that 
heard  him,  infallible  tradition,  by  act,  word,  and  record,  being  our 
way  of  notice,  as  immediate  sensation  was  theirs,  so  even  the  glo- 
rious apparition  itself  may,  by  the  mediation  of  their  infallible 
record,  be  partly  transmitted  to  our  imagination.  An  incorporate 
soul  is  so  used  to  a  mixed  way  of  knowing  by  imagined  ideas  re- 
ceived by  sense,  that  it  would  fain  have  such  a  sort  of  knowledge 
of  separated  souls,  and  other  spirits,  and  of  their  glorious  state,  and 
place,  and  work,  and  is  hardly  fully  satisfied  without  it.  Seeing 
Christ  hath  partly  condescended  to  this  our  culpable  weakness, 
lose  not  the  help  of  his  condescension.  Let  this  clear  description 
of  the  heavenly  sight  make  it  to  thee  partly  as  if  thou  hadst  been 
one  of  the  three  spectators  ;  till  thou  canst  say,  '  Methinks  I  almost 
see  the  face  of  Christ  shine  as  the  sun,  and  his  raiment  whiter  than 
the  snow  ;  and  Moses  and  Elias  (no  doubt  in  some  degree  of  glo- 
ry) standing  with  him  : '  metbinks  I  almost  hear  them  discoursing 
of  Christ's  death  and  man's  redemption  ;  and  by  this  sight  I  part- 
ly conceive  of  the  unseen  heavenly  company  and  state  :  metbinks 
I  see  the  cloud  receive  them,  when  Peter  had  been  transported 
with  the  sight ;  and  I  almost  feel  his  pleasant  raptures,  and  am 
ready  to  say,  as  if  I  had  been  with  him,  "  It  is  good  for  us  to  be 
here  :  "  methinks  I  almost  hear  the  heavenly  voice,  "  This  is  my 
beloved  Son,  hear  him."  And  shall  I  yet  doubt  of  the  celestial 
society  and  glory  ?  Had  I  once  seen  that,  what  a  sense  would  it 
have  left  upon  my  heart,  of  the  difference  between  earth  and  heav- 


APPENDIX.  239 

en,  man  and  God,  flesh  and  spirit,  sin  and  duty !  How  thank- 
fully should  I  have  thought  of  the  work  of  redemption  and  sancti- 
fication ! 

And  why  may  I  not  accordingly  put  myself  as  into  the  case  of 
them  who  saw  all  Christ's  miracles,  and  saw  him  risen,  and  ascend 
towards  heaven  ?  or  at  least  of  all  those  ordinary  Christians  who 
saw  all  the  wonders  done  by  the  reporters  of  these  things  ?  I  can 
easily  receive  a  pleasing  idea  of  some  foreign,  happy  country,  which 
a  traveler  describeth  to  me,  though  I  never  saw  it ;  and  my  rea- 
son can  partly  gather  what  great  things  are,  if  I  see  but  lesser  of 
the  same  kind,  or  somewhat  like  them.  A  candle  showeth 
somewhat  by  which  we  may  conceive  of  the  greatest  flame. 
Even  grace  and  gracious  actions  do  somewhat  notify  to  us  the 
state  of  glory ;  but  the  sight  on  the  mount  did  more  sensibly 
notify  it. 

Think  not,  then,  that  heavenly  contemplation  is  an  impossible 
thing,  or  a  mere  dream,  as  if  it  had  no  conceivable  subject-matter 
to  work  upon  :  the  visible  things  of  earth  are  the  shadows,  the  cob- 
webs, the  bubbles,  the  shows,  mummeries,  and  masks  ;  and  it  is 
loving  them,  and  rejoicing  and  trusting  in  them,  that  is  the  dream 
and  dotage.  Our  heavenly  thoughts,  and  hopes,  and  business, 
are  more  in  comparison  of  these  than  the  sun  is  to  a  glow-worm, 
or  the  world  to  a  mole-hill,  or  governing  an  empire  to  the  motions 
of  a  fly.  And  can  I  make  somewhat,  yea,  too  much,  of  these  al- 
most nothings ;  and  yet  shall  I  make  almost  nothing  of  the  active, 
glorious,  unseen  world ;  and  doubt  and  grope  in  my  meditations  of 
it,  as  if  I  had  no  substance  to  apprehend  ?  If  invisibility  to  mor- 
tals were  a  cause  of  doubting,  or  of  unafFecting,  unsatisfying 
thoughts,  God  himself,  who  is  all  to  men  and  angels,  would  be  as 
no  God  to  us,  and  heaven  as  no  heaven,  and  Christ  as  no  Christ, 
and  our  souls,  which  are  ourselves,  would  seem  as  nothing  to 
themselves ;  and  all  men  would  be  as  no  men  to  us,  and  we  should 
converse  only  with  carcasses  and  clothes. 

Lord,  shine  into  this  soul  with  such  an  heavenly,  potent,  quick- 
ening light,  as  may  give  me  more  lively  and  powerful  conceptions 
of  that  which  is  all  my  hope  and  life  !  Leave  me  not  to  the  ex- 
ercise of  art  alone,  in  barren  notions  ;  but  make  it  as  natural  to 
me  to  love  thee,  and  breathe  after  thee.  Thou  teachest  the  young 
ones,  both  of  men  and  brutes,  to  seek  to  the  dam  for  food  and  shel- 
ter ;  and  though  grace  be  not  a  brutish  principle,  but  works  by 
reason,  it  hath  its  nature  and  inclining  force,  and  tendeth  towards 
its  original,  as  its  end.  Let  not  my  soul  be  destitute  of  that  holy 
sense  and  appetite,  which  the  divine  and  heavenly  nature  doth  con- 
tain. Let  me  not  lay  more  stress  and  trust  upon  my  own  sight 
and  sense  than  on  the  sight  and  fidelity  of  my  God,  and  my  Re- 


IP 

240          BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

deeraer.  I  am  not  so  foolish  as  to  live  as  if  this  earth  were  no  big- 
ger than  the  little  of  it  which  I  see :  let  me  not  be  so  much  more 
foolish  as  to  think  of  the  vast  and  glorious  regions,  and  the  blessed 
inhabitants  thereof,  and  the  receptacles  of  justified  souls,  as  if  they 
wanted  either  substantiality  or  certainty,  to  exercise  a  heavenly 
conversation  here,  and  to  feast  believing  souls  with  joy,  and  draw 
forth  well-grounded  and  earnest  desire  to  "  depart  and  be  with 
Christ." 

II.  Hear,  then,  and  hear  with  trust  and  joy,  the  tidings  and  prom- 
ises of  him  whom  the  voice  from  heaven  commanded  man  to  hear. 
He-is  the  glorified  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth:  all  is  in  his  power. 
He  hath  told  us  nothing  but  what  he  knew,  and  promised  nothing 
but  what  he  is  able  and  willing  to  give.  Two  sorts  of  things  he 
hath  required  us  to  trust  him  for;  things  -notified  by  express, 
particular  promises,  and  things  only  generally  promised  and 
known  to  us. 

We  may  know  particularly  that  he  will  receive  our  departing 
souls,  and  justify  them  in  judgment,  and  raise  the  dead,  and  all 
the  rest  particularly  promised.  And  we  know,  in  general,  that  we 
have  a  heavenly  city  and  inheritance,  and  shall  see  God,  and  be 
with  Christ  in  everlasting  happiness^  loving  and  praising  God  with 
joy  in  the  perfected,  glorious  church  of  Christ.  All  this,  there- 
fore, we  must  explicitly  believe.  But  it  is  little  that  we  know 
distinctly  of  the  consistence  and  operations  of  spirits  and  separated 
souls,  as  to  a  formal  or  modal  conception :  a  great  deal  about  the 
place,  state,  and  mode,  their  acting,  and  fruition,  is  dark  to  us ; 
but  none  of  it  is  dark  to  Christ:  here,  therefore,  an  implicit  trust 
should  not  only  bind  and  stop  our  selfish  and  over-bold  inquiries, 
but  also  quiet  and  comfort  the  soul,  as  well  as  if  ourselves 
knew  all. 

O  my  soul,  abhor  and  mortify  thy  selfish  trust,  and  unbelieving 
thirst  to  have  that  knowledge  of  good  and  evil  thyself,  which  is 
the  prerogative  of  thy  Lord  and  Savior.  This  was  the  sin  that 
first  defiled  human  nature,  and  brought  calamity  on  the  world. 
God  hath  set  thee  enough  to  learn  ;  know  that,  and  thou  knowest 
enough.  If  more  were  possible,  it  would  be  a  perplexity  and  a 
snare,  and  he  that  increaseth  such  knowledge  would  increase  sor- 
row ;  but  when  it  is  both  unprofitable  and  impossible,  what  a  sin 
and  folly  it  is  to  waste  our  time,  and  tire  and  deceive  our  minds, 
in  long  and  troublesome  searches  after  it,  and  then  disquietly  to 
murmur  at  God,  and  the  Holy  Scripture,  and  die  with  sad,  distrust- 
ful fears,  because  we  attain  it  not ;  when  all  this  while  we  should 
have  understood,  that  this  part  of  knowledge  belongs  to  Christ, 
and  the  heavenly  society,  and  not  to  sinful  mortals  here  ;  and  that 
we  have  without  it  as  much  as  may  cause  us  to  live  and  die  in  ho- 

#- 


APPENDIX. 


liness,  safety,  peace  and  joy,  if  we  can  but  trust  him  who  knoweth 
for  us  !  Christ  perfectly  kndweth  what  spirits  are,  and  how  they  act, 
and  whether  they  have  any  corporeal  organ,  or  vehicle,  or  none; 
and  what  is  the  difference  between  Enoch  and  Elias,  and  those 
that  left  their  bodies  here,  and  what  a  resurrection  will  add  to  souls, 
find  how  it  will  be  wrought,  and  when  ;  and  what  is  meant  by  the 
thousand  years'  previous  reign  ;  and  who  they  be  that  shall  dwell 
in  the  new  earth,  and  how  it  will  be  renewed.  All  the  dark  pas- 
sages of  Scripture  and  Providence  '  he  can  perfectly  resolve  :  he 
knoweth  why  God  leaveth  the  far  greatest  part  of  the  world  in  Sa- 
tan's slavery,  darkness,  and  wickedness,  and  chooseth  so  few  to 
real  holiness  ;  and  why  he  maketh  not  men  such  as  he  command- 
eth  them  to  be  ;  and  why  he  leaveth  serious  Christians  to  so  much 
weakness,  error,  scandal,  and  division.  These,  and  all  other  diffi- 
culties, are  fully  known  to  Christ.  And  it  is  not  the  child,  but 
the  father,  that  must  know  what  food  and  clothing  he  should  have, 
and  the  physician  that  must  know  what  are  the  ingredients  of  his 
medicines,  and  why. 

Lord,  open  my  eyes,  then,  to  see  what  thou  hast  revealed  ;  and 
help  me  willingly  to  shut  them  to  the  rest  ;  and  to  believe  and 
trust  in  thee  for  both  ;  not  to  stagger  at  thy  sealed  promises,  nor 
selfishly  to  desire  particular  knowledge,  which  belongs  not  to  me, 
as  if  I  could  trust  myself,  and  my  own  knowledge,  and  not  thine. 
Lord,  teach  me  to  follow  thee,  even  in  the  dark,  as  quietly  and  con- 
fidently as  in  the  light  (having  the  general  light  of  thy  promise  of 
felicity.)  I  knew  not  the  mystery  of  thy  conception,  incarnation, 
or  the  way  of  the  workings  of  thy  Spirit  on  souls.  No  wonder  if 
much  of  the  resurrection  and  unseen  world  be  above  my  reach  ; 
much  more  that  thy  infinite  majesty  is  incomprehensible  to  me  : 
how  little  do  the  brutes  that  see  me  know  of  my  thoughts  or  me  ! 
I  have  no  adequate  knowledge  of  any  one  thing  in  the  world,  but 
somewhat  of  it  is  unknown.  O,  blessed  be  that  love  and  grace  that 
has  given  me  a  glorified  Head  in  heaven,  to  know  all  for  me 
which  I  know  not  :  hear  and  trust  him,  living  and  departing,  O 
my  soul  !  who  hath  told  thee  that  we  shall  be  with  him  where  he 
is,  and  shall  behold  his  glory  ;  and  that  a  crown  of  salvation  is  laid 
up  for  us,  and  we  shall  reign  with  him,  when  we  have  conquered 
and  suffered  with  him,  and  hath  bid  us  live  in  joyful  hope  of  our 
exceeding,  eternal,  heavenly  reward,  and  at  our  death  to  commend 
our  spirits  into  his  hand  :  receive  us,  Lord,  according  to  thy  prom- 
ises. Amen. 

VOL.  11.  >n 


SHORT   MEDITATIONS 


ON 


ROMANS  v.  1—5. 

OF    THE 

SHEDDING  ABROAD  GOD'S  LOVE  ON  THE  HEART  BY  THE 
HOLY  GHOST. 


EXPERIENCE  of  the  want  of  this  effusion  of  God's  love,  and 
some  small  taste  of  its  sweetness,  make  me  think  the  thoughts  of 
this  very  suitable  to  one  expecting  death. 

The  words  contain  a  golden  chain  of  highest  blessings  on  all 
true  Christians. 

I.  They  are  supposed  to  have  faith,  that  is,  both  a  general  trust 
in  God's  revelations  and  grace,  and  a  special  trust  in  Jesus  Christ, 
as  given  by  the  Father's  love  to  be  the  Redeemer,  to  justify,  sanc- 
tify, and  glorify  his  people.     I  have  oft  proved  this  justifying  faith 
to  be  no  less  than  our  unfeigned  taking  Christ  for  our  Savior,  and 
becoming  true  Christians,  according  to  the  tenor  of  the  baptismal 
covenant.     As  to  the  acts,  it  is  formally  trust — one  in  three  ;  the 
understanding's  assenting  trust,  the  will's  consenting  trust,  and  the 
executive  power's  practical,  venturing,  obeying  trust. 

II.  All  true  believers  are  justified  ;  even  all  that  consent  to  the 
baptismal  covenant,  and  choose  God  to  be  their  God,  and  Christ 
to  be  their  Savior,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  to  be  their  Sanctifier,  and 
give  up  themselves  to  him  by  true  resolution,  as  their  only  ruler, 
hope, "and  happiness  ;  though  this  be  done  with  so  great  weakness, 
as  endeth  not  all  doubts,  nor  quieteth  the  mind. 

To  be  justified  is  riot  to  be  accounted  such  as  have  no  sin,  but, 
1.  To  be  made  such  by  pardon  through  Christ's  merits,  and  by 
true  faith,  as  God  will  take  by  special  love  and  favor  unto  life.  2. 
To  be  accounted  such  by  God.  3.  To  be  virtually  sentenced 
such  by  the  law  of  grace  and  faith,  and  to  be  just  in  law  sense. 


4.  At  last  to  be  judged  such  by  public  sentence.  5.  And  to  be 
used  as  such. 

Not  justified  by  the  law  of  innocency,  or  of  Moses,  but  by 
Christ's  law  of  grace. 

Not  justified  perfectly  till  the  time  of  perfection.  Much  pun- 
ishment oil  soul  and  body  is  yet  to  be  taken  off,  and  more  sins  dai- 
ly to  be  pardoned,  and  we,  before  the  world,  to  be  sentenced  as 
just  to  life  everlasting. 

III.  The  justified  have  peace  with  God.     They  are  reconciled, 
and  in  a  state  of  love  and  friendship.     It  signifieth  mutual  peace, 
but  with  great  inequality.     God's  love  and  favor  to  us  is  the  stable, 
constant  part.     Our  consent  also,  and  acceptance  of  his  terms  of 
peace,  is  constant  in  its  truth  :  but  our  sense  of  God's  love,  which 
is  the  peace  possessed  by  the  soul,  is  weak  and  inconstant,  and  too 
oft  quite  lost  or  obscured  by  ignorance,  mistake,  and  fear.     But 
it  must  be  known  that  this  is  a  diseased  state,  unnatural  to  the  be- 
liever as  such ;  as  it  is  unnatural  for  a  woman  married  to  a  faithful 
husband,  to  lie  in  terror  thinking  that  he  will  kill  her,  or  doth  not 
love    her ;  or   for  a  child  to  think  the  same  of  a  loving  father. 
Faith,  of  its  own  nature,  tendeth  to  the  soul's  peace  and  joy,-  in  the 
sense  of  God's  love.     And  how  is  Christ  offered  to  us,  but  as  a 
Savior,  to  bring  us  by  grace  to  glory  ?     And  he  that  accepteth 
him  as  such,  whereby  he  is  justified,  doth  sure  believe  that  he  is 
offered  as  such ;  for  none  can  accept  what  he  thinks  not  to  be  of- 
fered.    And  this  implieth  some  hope,  at  least  that  Christ  will  be 
such  to  us  :  and  did  faith  work  strongly  and  kindly,  its  effect  would 
be  a  constant,  joyful  state  of  soul,  as  pleasant  health  and  mirth  is 
to  our  natures.     All  our  distrustful  fears  and  griefs,  and  disquiet- 
ness  of  soul,  are  for  want  of  more  faith,  as  sickness  and  pain  is  for 
the  want  of  vital  causes  of  health. 

IV.  Tin's  peace  with   God  is  only  "  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."     Though  it   be  a  vain  dream  to  think  by  justifying  faith 
is  meant  Christ  only,  and  not  faith  ;  yet  it  is  no  other  faith  but  the 
foresaid  believing  trust  on  Christ.     Therefore  as  faith  is  our  part, 
so  it  supposeth  Christ,  and  all  the  works  of  his  office,  and  righte- 
ousness, on  his  part,  as  its  object.     Christ  is  the  purchasing  cause ; 
but  our  trust  and  acceptance  is  that  which  is  pleasing  to  God,  and 
chosen  by  him  to  be  our  part,  without  innocency  or  keeping  the 
Jewish  law. 

Since  man  once  sinned,  God's  justice  and  man's  conscience  tell 
us  that  we  are  unfit  for  God's  acceptance  or  communion  immedi- 
ately, but  must  have  a  suitable  Mediator.  O,  blessed  be  God  for 
this  suitable  Mediator.  Without  him  I  dare  not  pray,  I  cannot 
hope,  I  dare  not  die ;  God  would  else  frown  me  away  to  misery. 
All  the  hope  of  pardon  and  salvation  that  I  have ;  all  the  access 


v?41  BAXTERS   HYING  THOIGHTS. 

to  God,  and  the  mercies  and  deliverances  that  I  have  received, 
have  been  by  this  Author  and  Finisher  of  our  faith.  Into  his  con- 
ducting hands  I  give  my  soul ;  and  into  his  preserving  hands  both 
soul  and  body  ;  and  into  his  receiving  hands  1  commend  my  de- 
parting soul. 

V.  Ver.  2.  '  By  whom  we  have  access  by  faith  unto  this  grace 
wherein  we  stand  ; '  that  is,  into  this  state  of  blessed  Christianity, 
peace  with  God,  and  the  following  blessings.     As  it  is  by  marriage 
that  a  woman  hath  right  to  her  husband's  estate  and  honors,  and 
by  inheritance  that  a  child  comes  to  his  father's  maintenance  and 
land.     This  is  no  diminution  to  God's  love.     To  say  it  is  all  by 
Christ,  is  not  to  take  it  as  ever  the  less  from  God  the  Father.     It 
is  more  to  give  us  Christ,  and  life  in  him,  than  to   have  given  us 
life  without  a  Christ ;  (John  iii.  16.     1  John  v.  10 — 12.)  as  God 
is,  never  the  less,  the  giver  of  light  to  the  earth,  for  giving  it  them 
by  the  sun.     Second  causes  diminish  not  the  honor  of  the  first. 

VI.  "And  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God."     1.  The  bea- 
tifical object — "  the  glory  of  God."     2.  The  beatifical  act — "re- 
joice."    3.  The  mediate,  causing  act — "  hope."     All  presuppos- 
ing faith  and  justification. 

The  "  glory  of  God  "  is  that  glorious  appearance  of  God  to  man 
and  angels,  which  maketh  happy,  (1.)  the  mind  by  beholding  it, 
(2.)  the  will  by  loving  it,  and  receiving  the  communications  of  love, 
(3.)  the  executive  powers  by  joyful  praise,  &c. 

Though  some  foretastes  are  here,  it  is  yet  said  to  be  hoped  for ; 
and  we  hope  for  that  which  is  not  seen.  When  faith  is  said  to  be 
that  which  we  are  justified  or  saved  by,  it  includeth  hope,  though, 
more  precisely  taken,  they  are  distinct.  "  We  are  saved  by  hope." 
The  same  word  is  oft  translated  '  trust '  and  '  hope  ; '  and  faith  is 
trust.  To  trust  Christ  for  salvation,  includeth  hoping  that  he  will 
save  us.  But  hope  is  denominated  from  the  good  hoped  for,  and 
faith  from  the  cause  by  which  we  hope  to  obtain  it. 

Hope  doth  not  necessarily  imply  either  certainty  or  uncertainty. 
It  may  stand  with  both  in  various  degrees. 

Rejoicing  is  made  by  God  the  very  naturally-desired  state  of  the 
soul.  It  is,  when  natural,  the  pleasant  efflorescence  of  the  spirits, 
or  their  state  of  health. 

It  is  pleasure  that  is  the  spring  or  poise  of  all  motion  sensitive  in 
the  world.  Trahit  sua  quemque  voluptas.  Appetite,  or  will,  is 
the  active  principle  ;  and  congruous  good  or  delectable  is  the  ob- 
ject. The  world  is  undone  by  the  seduction  of  false,  deceitful 
pleasure ;  and  though  we  that  made  not  ourselves  are  not  so  made 
for  ourselves,  as  that  our  pleasure  or  felicity  in  God  should  be  so 
high  in  our  desire  as  God  himself,  who  is  the  ultimate  object  of 
our  love ;  yet  seeing  such  an  object  he  is,  and  the  love  of  him 


(and  received  from  him)  is  our  felicity,  these  are  never  to  be  sep- 
arated. 

What  have  I  to  rejoice  in,  if  this  hoped-for  glory  be  not  my 
joy  ?  All  things  else  are  dying  to  me  ;  and  God  himself  is  not  my 
felicity,  as  he  afflicts  me,  nor  as  he  giveth  me  the  transitory  gifts 
of  nature,  but  as  he  is  to  be  seen  in  glory.  If  this  be  not  my  joy, 
it  is  all  but  vanity.  What,  then,  should  all  my  thoughts  and  labor 
aim  at  more,  as  to  myself,  than  to  hope  for  and  foretaste  this  glory  ? 
No  sin  lieth  heavier  on  me  than  that  my  hopes  of  glory  raise 
me  to  no  higher  joy ;  and  that  the  great  weakness  of  my  faith  ap- 
peareth  by  such  dull  thoughts  of  glory,  or  by  withdrawing  fears. 
Sure  there  is  enough  in  the  glory  of  God,  soundly  believed  and 
hoped  for,  to  make  a  man  rejoice  in  pain  and  weakness,  and  to 
make  him  long  to  be  with  Christ.  1  rive  not  according  to  the  na- 
ture of  Christianity,  if  I  live  not  as  in  peace  with  God,  and  in  the 
joyful  hopes  of  promised  glory. 

VII.  "  Not  only  so,  but  we  glory  in  tribulation."     Glory  is  so 
transcendent,  and  tribulation  so  small  and  short,  that  an  expectant 
of  glory  may  well  rejoice,  in  bodily  sufferings.     It  is  tribulation  for 
Christ  and  righteousness'  sake  that  we  are  said  to  glory  in  :  the 
rest,  for  our  sins,  it  is  well  if  we  can  improve  and  patiently  bear. 
Yet  in  them  we  may  rejoice,  in  hope  of  glory,  though  we  glory 
not  of  them.     O,  if  all  the  painful,  languid  days,  and  nights,  and 
years,  that  I  have  had,  as  the  fruit  of  my  sin,  had  been  sufferings 
for  that  which  I  am  now  hated  and  hunted  for,  even  for  preaching 
Christ  when  men  forbid  me,  how  joyfully  might  I  undergo  it !  but 
yet,  even  here,  approaching  glory  should  be  my  joy.     Alas  !  my 
groans  and  moans  are  too  great,  and  my  joy  too  little. 

VIII.  "  Knowing  that   tribulation  worketh  patience."       That 
which  worketh  patience  is  matter  of  joy  ;  for  patience  doth  us  more 
good  than  tribulation  can  do  hurt :  why,  then,  do  I  groan  so  much 
under  suffering,  and  so  little  study  and  exercise  patience,  and  no 
more  rejoice  in  the  exercise  thereof? 

IX.  '-'And  patience,  experience."     It  is  manifold  and  profitable 
experience,  which  patient  suffering  brings.     It  giveth  us  experi- 
ence, as  of  nature's  weakness,  and  the  great  need  of  faith ;  so  of 
the  truth  of  God's  promises,  the  love   and  tenderness  of  Christ, 
the  acceptance  of  our  prayers,  and  the  power  of  the  Spirit's  aid 
and  grace.     O,  what  abundance  of  experiences  of  God  and  our- 
selves, and  the  vanity  of  creatures,  had  we  wanted,  if  we  had  not 
waited  in   a  suffering  state  ;  alas  !  how  many  experiences  have  1 
forgotten  ! 

X.  "  And  experience,  hope."     A  bare  promise  should  give  us 
hope ;  but  we  are  still  distrustful  of  ourselves,  and  of  all  the  clear- 
est evidences,  till  experience  help  us  and  set  all  home.     O,  what 


>••• 

24G  IJAXTER'S  UYING  THOUGHTS. 

an  advantage  hath  a  Christian  of  great  and  long  experience  for  his 
hope  and  joy  !  And  yet  when  notable  experiences  of  God's  prov 
idence  are  past  and  gone,  an  unbelieving  heart  is  ready  to  ques- 
tion, whether  the  things  came  not  by  mere  natural  course  ;  and, 
like  the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness,  dangers  and  fears  bear  down 
even  long  and  great  experiences.  This  is  my  sin 

XL  "  And  hope  maketh  not  ashamed."  That  is,  true  hope  of 
what  God  hath  promised,  shall  never  be  disappointed.  They  that 
trust  on  deceitful  creatures  are  deceived,  and  ashamed  of  their 
hope  ;  for  all  men  are  liars,  that  is,  untrusty ;  but  God  is  true,  and 
ever  faithful :  O,  what  a  comfort  it  is  that  God  commandeth  me  to 
trust  him  !  Sure  such  a  command  is  a  virtual  promise,  from  him 
that  cannot  fail  that  trust  which  he  commandeth.  Lord,  help  me 
to  trust  thee  in  greatest  dangers,  and  there  to  rest. 

XII.  "  Because  the  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  upon  our  hearts, 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  given  to  us."  It  is  the  love  of  God 
shed  abroad  on  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost  which  must  make 
us  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God,  even  in  tribulation. 

Here  I  must  consider,  i.  What  is  meant  by  the  love  of  God. 
ii.  Why,  and  how  it  is  shed  abroad  on  the  heart  by  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

i.  By  the  love  of  God  is  meant  the  effects  of  his  love.  1 .  His 
special  grace.  2.  The  pleasant  gust  or  sense  of  it. 

God's  love  thus  shed  on  the  heart,  presupposeth  it  expressed  in 
the  gospel  and  providence,  and  contains  all  these  particulars. 

1 .  The  sanctifying  of  the  soul  by  renewing  grace.     This  is  the 
giving  of  the  Spirit,  as  he  is  given  to  all  true  Christians. 

2.  Herein  the  Holy  Ghost  makes  us  perceive  the  exceeding  de- 
sirableness of  the  love  of  God,  and  maketh  us  most  desire  it. 

3.  He  giveth  the  soul  some  easing  hope  of  the  love  of  God. 

4.  He  quieteth  the  doubts,  and  fears,  and  trouble  of  the  soul. 

5.  He  raiseth  our  hopes,  by  degrees,  to  confident  assurance. 

6.  Then  the  thoughts  of  God's  love  are  pleasant  to  the  soul,  and 
give  it  such  delight  as  we  feel  in  the  love  and  fruition  of  our  most 
valued  and  beloved  friends. 

7.  The  soul  in  this  state  is  as  unapt  to  be  jealous  of  God,  or  to 
question  his  love,  as  a  good  child  or  wife  to  question  the  love  of  a 
parent  or  husband,  or  to  hear  any  that  speak  evil  of  them. 

8.  This,  then,  becomes  the   habitual  state  of  the  soul,  in   all 
changes,  to  live  in  the  delightful  sense  of  the  love  of  God,  as  we 
do  live  in  pleasure  with  our  dearest  friends. 

O,  blessed  state,  and  first-fruits  of  heaven  !  and  happy  are  they 
that  do  attain  it.  And  though  lower  degrees  have  their  degree  of 
happiness,  yet  how  far  short  are  such,  in  goodness,  amiableness, 
and  comfort,  of  those  that  are  thus  rich  in  grace ! 


APPENDIX.  247 

Th;s  presupposeth,  1.  Knowledge  of  God  and  the  gospel.  2. 
True  belief,  and  hope.  3.  A  sincere  and  fruitful  life.  4.  Morti- 
fication as  to  idol,  worldly  vanities.  5.  A  conviction  of  our  sincer- 
ity in  all  this.  6.  A  conclusion  that  God  doth  love. 

But  yet  it  is  somewhat  above  all  this.  A  man  may  have  all 
this  in  his  mind  and  mouth,  and  yet  want  this  gust  of  effused  love 
upon  his  heart.  These  are  the  way  to  it,  but  not  itself. 

This  is  the  greatest  good  on  this  side  heaven  ;  to  which  all  wealth 
and  honor,  all  fleshly  pleasure  and  long  life,  all  learning  and  knowl- 
edge, are  unworthy  to  be  once  compared  :  briefly, 

1.  It  is  the  flower  and  highest  part  of  God's  image  on  man. 

2.  It  is  the  soul's  true  communion  with  God,  and  fruition  of  him, 
which  carnal  men  deride ;   even  as  our  eye  hath  communion  with 
the  sun,  and  the  flourishing  earth  enjoys  its  reviving  heats. 

3.  It  is  that  which  all  lower  grace  doth  tend  to,  as  childhood 
doth  to  manhood  :   and  what  is  a  world  of  infants,  comparatively, 
good  for? 

4.  It  is  that  which  most  properly  answereth  the  design  of  re- 
demption, and  the  wonders  of  God's  love  therein,  and  all  the  tenor 
of  the  gospel. 

5.  It  is  that  which  is  most  fully  called  the   Spirit  of  God,  or 
Christ  in  us :  he  hath  lower  works,  but  this  is  his  great  work,  by 
which  he   possesseth  us,  as  God's  most  pleasant  habitation :  "  For 
we  have  not  received  the  spirit  of  bondage  again  to  fear,  but  the 
spirit  of  power  and  love,  and  a  sound  mind  ; "  2  Tim.  i.  7. 

6.  It  is  only  that  which  all  men,  in  general,  desire  ;  I  mean,  the 
only  satisfying  content  and  pleasure  that  man  is  capable  of  on  earth. 
All  men  would  have  quieting  and  constant  pleasure ;  and  it  is  to 
be  found  in  nothing  else  but  the  effused  love  of  God. 

7.  It  is  that  which  will  make  every  burden  light,  and  all  afflic- 
tion easy :  when  the  sense  of  God's  love  is  still  upon  the  soul,  all 
pain  and  crosses  will  be  but  as  blood-letting  by  the  kindest  physician, 
to  save  the  patient's  life.     God  will  not  be  suspected,  or  grudged 
at,  in  suffering;  his  love  will  sweeten  all. 

8.  It  will  overcome  abundance  of  temptations,  whioh  no  men's 
wit,  or  learning,  or  knowledge  of  the  words  of  Scripture  will  over- 
come.    No  arguments  will  draw  a  loving  child,  or  wife,  from  the 
parents,  or  husband,  that  they  know  doth  love  them.     Love  is  the 
most  powerful  disputant. 

9.  It  puts  a   mellow,  pleasant  sweetness  into  all  our  duties. 
When   we  hear  the  word,  or  receive  the  sacrament,  it  is  to  such 
a  soul  as  pleasant  food  to  the  most  healthful  man  :  when  we  pray, 
or  praise  God,  it  comes    from  a  comforted   heart,  and   excites 
and  increaseth  the  comfort  it  comes  from.     O,  who  can  be  back- 


S48          BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

ward  to  draw  near  to  God  in  prayer  or  meditation,  who  tasteth  the 
sweetness  of  his  love!  This  is  religion  indeed,  and  tells  us  what 
its  life,  and  use,  and  glory  is.  This  is  the  true  walking  with  God  in 
the  best  degree.  When  the  soul  liveth  in  the  taste  of  his  love,  the 
heart  will  be  still  with  him,  and  that  will  be  its  pleasure.  And  God 
most  delights  in  such  a  soul. 

10.  This  it  is  that  putteth  the  sweetest  relish  on  nil  our  mercies. 
Deny  God's  love,  and  you  deny  them  all.  If  you  taste  not  his 
love  in  them,  you  taste  little  more  than  a  beast  may  taste  :  poor 
food  and  raiment  is  sweet,  with  the  sense  of  the  love  of  God.  Had 
1  more  of  this,  1  should  lie  down,  and  rise,  and  walk,  in  pleasure  and 
content.  I  could  bear  the  loss  of  other  things;  and  though  nature 
will  feel  pains,  I  should  have  pleasure  and  peace  in  the  midst  of 
all  my  pains  and  groans.  This  is  the  white  stone,  the  new  name : 
no  man  well  knoweth  it  who  never  felt  it  in  himself. 

There  is  no  dying  comfortably  without  this  experienced  taste 
of  the  love  of  God.  This  will  draw  up  the  desires  of  the  soul: 
love  tasted,  casteth  out  fear:  though  God  be  holy  and  just,  and 
judgment  terrible,  and  hell  intolerable,  and  the  soul  hath  no  dis- 
tinct idea  of  its  future  state  out  of  the  body,  and  though  we  see 
not  whither  it  is  that  we  must  go,  the  taste  of  God's  love  will  make 
it  go  joyfully,  as  trusting  him ;  as  a  child  will  go  any  whither  in 
his  father's  poxver  and  hand. 

But  all  the  knowledge  in  the  world  without  this  quiets  not  a  de- 
parting soul.  A  man  may  write  as  many  books,  and  preach  as 
many  sermons  of  heaven,  as  I  have  done,  and  speak  of  it,  and  think 
of  almost  nothing  else,  and  yet  till  the  soul  be  sweetened  and  com- 
forted with  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  on  it  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
death  and  the  next  life  will  be  rather  a  man's  fear  than  his  desire. 
And  the  common  fear  of  death  which  we  see  in  the  far  greater 
part  even  of  godly  persons  doth  tell  us,  that  though  they  may  have 
saving  desires  and  hopes,  yet  this  sense  of  God's  love  on  the  heart 
is  rare. 

What  wonder,  then,  if  our  language,  our  converse,  our  prayers, 
have  too  little  savor  of  it,  and,  in  comparison  of  joyful  believers' 
duties,  be  but  like  green  apples  to  the  mellow  ones. 

My  God,  I  feel  what  it  is  that  I  want,  and  I  perceive  what  it  is 
that  is  most  desirable  :  O,  let  not  guilt  be  so  far  unpardoned  as 
to  deprive  my  soul  of  this  greatest  good,  which  thou  hast  commend- 
ed to  me,  and  commanded,  and  which,  in  my  languishing  and 
pains,  I  so  much  need  !  Did  I  beg  for  wealth  or  honor,  I  might 
have  it  to  the  loss  of  others.  But  thy  love  will  make  me  more 
useful  to  all,  and  none  will  have  the  less  for  my  enjoyment ;  for 
thou,  Lord,  art  enough  for  all ;  even  as  none  hath  the  less  of  the  sun- 


APPENDIX.  249 

light  for  my  enjoying  it.  The  least  well-grounded  hope  of  thy 
love  is  better  than  all  the  pleasures  of  the  flesh  ;  but  without  some 
pleasant  sense  of  it,  alas  !  what  a  withered',  languishing  thing  is  a 
soul  !  Thy  loving-kindness  is  better  than  life  ;  but  if  I  taste  it  not, 
how  shall  I  here  rejoice  in  God,  or  bear  my  heavy  burdens  ? 

0.  let  me  not  be  a  dishonor  to  thy  family,  where  all  have  so  great 
cause  to  honor  thy  bounty  by  their  joy  and  hopes  ;  nor,  by  a  sad 
and  fearful  heart,  tempt  men  to  think  that  thy  love  is  not  real  and 
satisfactory.     I  can  easily  believe  and  admire   thy  greatness,  and 
thy  knowledge.     Let  it  not  be  so  hard  to  me  to  believe  and  taste 
thy  goodness  and  thy  love,  which  is  as  necessary  to  me. 

If  there  be  any  thing  (as  surely  there  is)  in  which  the  divine 
nature  and  spirit  of  adoption  consisteth,  as  above  all  the  art  and 
notions  of  religion,  which  are  but  like  to  other  acquired  knowledge, 
sure  it  must  be  this  holy  appetite  and  habitual  inclination  of  the 
soul  to  God,  by  way  of  love,  which  is  bred  by  an  internal  sense 
of  his  loveliness,  and  loving  inclination  to  man;  which  differenceth 
a  Christian  from  other  men,  as  a  child  differs  towards  his  father, 
from  strangers,  or  from  common  neighbors.  Till  the  love  of  God 
be  the  very  state  and  nature  of  the  soul,  (working  here  towards 
his  honor,  interests,  word,  and  servants,)  no  man  can  say  that  he 
is  God's  habitation  by  the  Spirit ;  and  how  the  heart  will  ever  be 
thus  habited,  without  believing  God's  love  to  us,  it  is  hard  to 
conceive. 

Experience  tells  the  world  how  strongly  it  constraineth  persons 
to  love  one  another,  if  they  do  but  think  that  they  are  strongly  be- 
loved by  one  another.  In  the  love  that  tends  to  marriage,  if  one 
that  is  inferior  do  but  know  that  a  person  of  far  greater  worth  doth 
fervently  love  them,  it  almost  puts  a  necessity  and  constraint  on 
them  for  returns  of  love :  nature  can  scarce  choose  but  love  in 
such  a  case.  Love  is  the  loadstone  of  love.  A  real  taste  of  the 
love  of  God  in  saving  souls  by  Christ  and  grace,  is  it  that  con- 
straineth them  to  be  holy  ;  that  is,  to  be  devoted  to  that  God 
in  love. 

ii.  But  this  must  as  necessarily  be  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  can  be  no  more  done  without  him  than  the  earth  can  be  illu- 
minated, and  the  vegetables  live  without  the  sun.  But  all  the 
approaches  of  the  Holy  Spirit  suffice  not  to  produce  this  great  ef- 
fect, and  give  us  the  divine,  holy  nature. 

The  same  sunshine  hath  three  different  effects  on  its  objects. 

1.  On  most  things,  as  houses,  stones,  earth,  it  causeth  nothing 
but  accidents  of  heat,  color,  and  motion. 

2.  On  some  things  it  causeth  a  seminal  disposition  to  vegeta- 
ble life,  but  not  life  itself. 

VOL.  n.  32 


250          BAXTER'S  UVING  THOUGHTS. 

3.  In  this  disposed  matter  it  causeth  vegetable  life  itself. 

So  doth  the  Spirit  of  God,  1 .  operate  on  millions  but  lifeless  ac 
cidents,  as  the  sun  on  a  stone  wall.  2.  On  others  dispose  and 
prepare  them  to  divine  life.  3.  On  others  so  disposed  it  effecteth 
the  divine  life  itself,  when  holy  love  is  turned  into  a  habit  like  to 
pature. 

That  none  but  the  Holy  Ghost  doth  make  this  holy  change  is 
evident ;  for  the  effect  cannot  transcend  the  causes.  1 .  Nature 
alone  is  dark,  and  knoweth  not  the  attractive  amiableness  of  God, 
till  illuminated  ;  nor  can  give  us  a  satisfactory  notice  of  God's  special 
love  to  us. 

2.  Nature  is  guilty,  and  guilt  breedeth  fears  of  justice,  and  fear 
makes  us  become  wild,  and  fly  from  God,  lest  he  should  hurt  us. 

3.  Nature  is  under  penal  sufferings  already  ;  and  feeleth  pain, 
fear,  and  many  hurts,  and  foreseeth  death ;  and  under  this  is  un- 
disposed, of  itself,  to  feel  the  pleasure  of  God's  love. 

4.  Nature  is  corrupted  and  diverted  to  creature  vanity,  and  its 
appetite  goeth  another  way,  and  cannot  cure  itself  and  make  itself 
suitable  to  the  amiableness  of  God. 

5.  God  hateth  wickedness  and  wicked  men ;  and  mere  nature 
cannot  secure  us,  that  we  are  saved  from  that  enmity. 

Diligence  may  do  much  to  get  religious  knowledge,  and  words, 
and  all  that  which  I  call  the  art  of  religion ;  and  God  may  bless 
this  as  a  preparation  to  holy  life  and  love.  But  till  the  soul's  ap- 
petite incline,  with  desire,  to  God  and  holiness,  divine  things  will 
not  sweetly  relish. 

And  this  is  a  great  comfort  to  the  thoughts  of  the  sanctified, 
that  certainly  their  holy  appetite,  desire,  and  complacency,  is  the 
work  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  For,  1.  this  secureth  them  of  the  love 
of  God,  of  which  it  is  the  proper  token.  2.  And  it  assureth  them 
of  their  union  with  Christ,  when  they  live  because  he  liveth,  even 
by  the  Spirit,  which  is  his  seal  and  pledge.  3.  And  it  proveth 
both  a  future  life  and  their  title  to  it ;  for  God  rnaketh  not  all  this 
preparation  for  it  by  his  Spirit  in  vain. 

But  alas !  if  it  were  not  a  work  that  hath  great  impediment,  it 
would  not  be  so  rare  in  the  world.  What  is  it  in  us,  that  keepeth 
the  sun  of  love  from  so  shining  on  us  as  to  revive  our  souls  into 
holy  contentments  and  delight  ? 

It  must  be  supposed,  1.  that  all  God's  gifts  are  free,  and  that  he 
giveth  not  to  all  alike  ;  the  wonderful  variety  of  creatures  proveth 
this.  2.  The  reasons  of  his  differencing  works  are  his  own  will, 
and  inferior  reasons  are  mostly  unknown  to  us,  of  which  he  is  not 
bound  to  give  us  an  account. 

3.  But  yet  we  see  that  God  doth   his  works  in  a  causal  order, 


APPENDIX. 


and  one  work  prepareth  for  another ;  and  he  inaketh  variety  of 
capacities,  which  occasioa  variety  of  receptions  and  of  gifts  ;  and 
he  useth  to  give  every  thing  that  to  which  he  hath  brought  it  into 
the  next  capacity  and  disposition. 

And  therefore,  in  general,  we  may  conclude  that  we  feel  not 
God's  love  shed  abroad  upon  the'  heart,  because  the  heart  is  un- 
disposed, and  is  not  in  the  next  disposition  thereto ;  and  abused  free- 
will hath  been  the  cause  .of  that.  That  we  have  grace,  is  to  be  as- 
cribed to  God  :  that  we  are  without  it,  is  to  be  ascribed  to  ourselves. 

1.  Heinous  guilt  of  former  sin  may  keep  a  soul  much   without 
the  delights  of  divine  love ;  and  the  heinousness  is  not  only  in  the 
greatness  of  the  evil  done,  materially,  but  oft  in  our  long  and  will- 
ful committing  of  smaller  sins,  against  knowledge,  and  conscience, 
and  consideration.     The  Spirit   thus  grieved  by  hardened  hearts, 
and  willful  repulses,  is  not  quickly  and  easily  a  Comforter  to  such 
a  soul ;  and  when  the  sinner  doth  repent,  it  leaveth  him  more  in  un- 
certainty of  his  sincerity  when  he  thinks,  '  I  do  but  repent,  purpose, 
and  promise   now ;  and  so  I  oft  did,  and  yet  returned  the  next 
temptation  to  my  sin :  and  how  can  I  tell  that  my  heart  is  not  the 
same,  and  I  should  sin  again  if  I  had  the  same  temptations?'     O, 
what  doubts  and  perplexities  doth  oft  willful  sinning  prepare  for  ! 

2.  And  sins  of  omissions  have  here  a  great  part.     The  sweet- 
ness of  God's  love  is  a  reward  which  slothful  servants  are  unmeet 
for.     It  follows  a  "  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant."    There 
is  needful  a  close  attendance  upon  God,  and  devotedness  to  him, 
and  improvement  of  gospel  grace,  and  revelation,  to  make  a  soul 
fit  for  amicable,  sweet  communion  with  God  :  all  that  will  save  a 
soul  from  hell  will  not  do  this. 

He  that  will  taste  these  divine  love-tokens  must.  1.  Be  no 
stranger  to  holy  meditation  and  prayer,  nor  unconstant,  cold,  and 
cursory  in  them  ;  but  must  dwell  and  walk  above  with  God.  2. 
And  he  must  be  wholly  addicted  to  improve  his  Master's  talents 
in  the  world,  and  make  it  his  design  and  trade  on  earth  to  do  all 
the  good  in  the  world  he  can  ;  and  to  keep  his  soul  clean  from  the 
flesh,  and  worldly  vanity.  And  to  such  a  soul  God  will  make 
known  his  love. 

3.  And,  alas  !  how  ordinarily  doth  some  carnal  affection  corrupt 
the  appetite  of  the  soul !     When  we  grow  too  much  in  love  with 
men's  esteem,  or  with  earthly  riches,  or  when  our  throats  or  fan- 
cies can  master  us  into  obedience,  or  vain  desires  of  meat,  drink, 
recreation,  dwelling,   &tc.,  the  soul  loseth  its  appetite  to  things 
divine ;    and    nothing  relisheth    where  appetite  is  gone  or   sick. 
We  cannot  serve  God  and  Mammon,  and  we  cannot  at  once  taste 
much  pleasure  both  in  God    and  Mammon.     The  old,  austere 


252          BAXTER'S  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

Christians  found  the  mortification  of  the  fleshly  lusts  a  great  ad- 
vantage to  the  soul's  delight  in  God. 

4.  And  many  errors  about  God's  nature  and  works  much  hinder 
us  from  feasting  on  his  love. 

5.  And  especially  the  slight  and  ignorant  thoughts  of  Christ, 
and  the  wondrous  workings  of  God's  love  in  him. 

6.  And  especially  if  our  belief  itself  once  shake,  or  be  not  well 
and  firmly  founded. 

7.  And  our  slight  thoughts  of  the  office  and  work  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  on  souls,  and  our  necessity  of  it,  and  our  not  begging  and 
waiting  for  the  Spirit's  special  help. 

8.  And  lastly,  our  unfaithful  forgetfulness  of  manifold  experi- 
ences and  testimonies  of  his  love,  which  should  still  be  as  fresh 
before  us. 

Alas !  my  soul,  thou  feelest  thy  defect,  and  knowest  the  hin- 
drance, but  what  hope  is  there  of  remedy  ?  Will  God  ever  raise 
so  low,  so  dull,  so  guilty  a  heart,  to  such  a  foretaste  of  glory,  as 
is  this  effusion  of  his  love  by  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  The  lightsome 
days  in  spring  and  summer,  when  the  sun  reviveth  the  late  naked 
earth,  and  clothes  it  with  delectable  beauties,  differs  not  more 
from  night  and  winter,  than  a  soul  thus  revived  with  the  love  of 
God  doth  differ  from  an  unbelieving,  formal  soul. 

Though  this  great  change  be  above  my  power,  the  Spirit  of 
God  is  not  impotent,  backward,  barren,  or  inexorable.  He  hath 
appointed  us  means  for  so  high  a  state  ;  and  he  appointeth  no 
means  in  vain.  Were  my  own  heart  obedient  to  my  commands, 
all  these  following  I  would  lay  upon  it;  yea,  I  will  do  it,  and 
beg  the  help  of  God. 

1.  I  charge  thee,  think  not  of  God's  goodness  and  love,  as  un- 
proportionable  to  his  greatness  and  his  knowledge ;  nor  overlook, 
in  the  whole  frame  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  manifestation  of  one 
any  more  than  of  the  other. 

2.  Therefore,  let  not  the  wickedness  and  misery  of  the  world 
tempt  thee  to  think  basely  of  all  God's  mercies  to  the  world  ;  nor 
the  peculiar  privileges  of  the  churches  draw  thee  to  deny  or  con- 
temn God's  common  mercies  unto  all. 

3.  I  charge  thee  to  make   the  study  of  Christ,  and  the  great 
work  of  man's  redemption  by  him,  thy  chiefest  learning,  and  most 
serious  and  constant  work ;  and  in  that  wonderful  glass  to  see  the 
face  of  divine  love,  and  to  hear  what  is  said  of  it  by  the  Son  from 
heaven ;  and  to  come  boldly,  as  reconciled  to  God  by  him. 

4.  O,  see  that  thy  repentance  for  former  sins  against  knowledge, 
and  conscience,  and  the  motions  of  God's  Spirit,  be  sound,  and 
thoroughly  lamented  and  abhorred,  how  small  soever  the  matter 


APPE     D1X. 


was  in  itself;  that  so  the  doubt  of  thy  sincerity  keep  not  up  doubt? 
of  God's  acceptance. 

5.  Let   thy  dependence   on  the  Holy  Ghost,  as   given   from 
Christ,  be  henceforth  as  serious  and  constant  to  thee  as  is  the  de- 
pendence of  the  eye  on  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  of  natural  life 
upon  its  heat  and  motion.     Beg  hard  for  the   Holy  Spirit,  and 
gladly  entertain  it. 

6.  O,  never  forget  the  many  and  great  experiences  thou  hast 
had,  these  almost  sixty  years  observed,  of  marvelous  favor  and 
providence  of  God,  for  soul  and  body,  in  every  time,  place,  con- 
dition, relation,  company,  or  change,  thou   hast  been  in!     Lose 
not  all  these  love-tokens  of  thy  Father,  while  thou  art  begging 
more. 

7.  Hearken  not  too  much  to  pained  flesh,  and  look  not  too 
much  into  the  grave  ;  but  look  out  at  thy  prison  windows  to  the 
Jerusalem  above,  and  the  heavenly  society  that  triumph  in  glory. 

8.  Let  all  thy  sure  notices  of  a  future  life,  and  of  the  com- 
munion we  have  here  with  those  above,  draw  thee  to  think  that 
the  great  number  of  holy  souls  that  are   gone   before  thee  must 
needs  be  better  than  they  were  here  ;  and  that  they  had  the  same 
mind,  and  heart,  and  way  ;  the  same  Savior,  Sanctifier,  and  prom- 
ise, that  thou  hast  ;  and  therefore  they  are  as  pledges  of  felicity  to 
thee.     Thou  hast  joyfully  lived  with  many  of  them  here  ;  and  is 
it  not  better  to  be  with  them  there  ?     It  is  only  the  state  of  glory 
foreseen  by  faith,  which  most  fully  showeth  us  the  greatness  of 
God's  love. 

9.  Exercise  thyself  in  psalms  of  praise,  and  daily  magnify  the 
love  of  God,  that  the  due  mention  of  it  may  warm  and  raise  thy 
love  to  him. 

10.  Receive  all  temptations  against  divine  love  with  hatred  and 
repulse,  especially  temptations  to  unbelief;  and  as  thou  wouldest 
abhor  a  temptation  to  murder,  or  perjury,  or  any  other  heinous  sin, 
as  much  abhor  all  temptations  that  would  hide  God's  goodness,  or 
represent  him  to  thee  as  an  enemy,  or  unlovely. 

Thus  God.  hath  .set  the  glass  before  us,  in  which  we  may  see  his 
amiable  face.  But  alas  !  souls  in  flesh  are  in  great  obscurity,  and, 
conscious  of  their  weakness,  are  still  distrustful  of  themselves,  and 
doubt  of  all  their  apprehensions,  till  overpowering  objects  and  in- 
fluences satisfy  and  6x  them.  For  this  my  soul,  with  daily  long- 
ing, doth  seek  to  thee,  my  God  and  Father  :  O,  pardon  the  sin  that 
forfeits  grace  :  I  am  ready  to  say,  '  Draw  nearer  to  me;  '  but  it  is 
meeter  to  say,  '  Open  thou  my  eyes  and  heart,  and  remove  all 
impediments,  and  undisposedness,  that  I  may  believe  and  feel  howr 
near  thou  art,  and  hast  been  to  me,  while  I  perceived  it  not.' 


BAXTERS  DYING  THOUGHTS. 

* 

XIII.  It  is  God's  love  shed  abroad  on  the  heart  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  which  must  make  us  "  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God :  " 
this  will  do  it,  and  without  this  it  will  not  be  done. 

This  would  turn  the  fears  of  death  into  joyful  hopes  of  future 
life.  If  my  God  will  thus  warm  my  heart  with  his  love,  it  will 
have  these  following  effects  in  this  matter : — 

1.  Love  longeth  for  union,  or  nearness,  and  fruition  ;  and  it 
would  make  my  soul  long  after  God  in  glorious  presence. 

2.  This  would  make  it  much  easier  to  me  to  believe  that  there 
is  certainly  a  future  blessed  life  for  souls  ;  while  I  even  tasted 
how  God  loveth  them.     It  is  no  hard  thing  to  believe  that  the  sun 
will  give  light  and  heat,  and  revive  the  frozen  earth  ;  nor  that  a 
father  will  show  kindness  to  his  son,  or  give  him  an  inheritance. 
Why  should  it  be  hard  to  believe  that  God  will  glorify  the  souls 
whom   he  loveth,  and  that  he  will   take  them  near  himself;  and 
that  thus  it  shall  be  done  to  those  whom  he  delights  to  honor  ? 

3.  This  effusion  of  divine  love  would  answer  my  doubts  of  the 
pardon  of  sin  :  I  should  not  find  it  hard  to  believe  that  love  itself, 
which  hath  given  us  a  Savior,  will  forgive  a  soul  that  truly  repent- 
eth,  and  hates  his  sin,  and  giveth  up  himself  to  Christ  for  justifica- 
tion.    It  is  hard  to  believe  that  a  tyrant  will  forgive,  but  not  that  a 
father  will  pardon  a  returning  prodigal  son. 

4.  This  effusion  of  divine  love  will  answer  my  fears,  which  arise 
from  mere  weakness  of  grace  and  duty  ;  indeed  it  will  give  no  other 
comfort  to  an  unconverted  soul,  but  that  he  may  be  accepted  if  he 
come  to  God  by  Christ,  with  true  faith  and  repentance  ;  and  that 
this  is  possible.     But  it  should  be  easy  to  believe,  that  a  tender 
father  will  not  kill  nor  cast  out  a  child  for  weakness,  crying  or  un- 
cleanness  :  divine  love  will  accept  and  cherish  even  weak  faith, 
weak  prayer,  and  weak  obedience  and  patience,  which  are  sin- 
$ere. 

5.  This  effused  love  would  confute  temptations  that  are  drawn 
from  thy  afflictions,  and  make  thee  believe  that  they  are  not  so 
bad  as  flesh  representeth  them :  it  would  understand  that  every 
son  that  God  loveth  he  chasteneth,  that  he  may  not  be  condemned 
with  the  world,  and  that  he  may  be  partaker  of  his  holiness,  and 
the  end  may  be  the  quiet  fruit  of  righteousness :  it  would  teach 
us  to  believe  that  God  in  very  faithfulness  doth   afflict  us;  and 
that  it  is  a  good  sign  that  the  God  of  Love  intendeth  a  better  life 
for  his  beloved,  when  he  trieth  them  with  so  many  tribulations 
here  ;  and  though  Lazarus  be  not  saved  for  his  suffering,  it  signi- 
fied that  God,  who  loved  him,  had  a  life  of  comfort  for  him,  when 
he  had   his  evil  things  on  earth.     When   pangs  are  greatest,  the 
birth  is  nearest. 


APPENDIX.  255 


6.  Were  love  thus  shed  on  the  heart  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  it 
would  give  me  a  livelier  apprehension  of  the  state  of  blessedness 
which  all  the  faithful  now  enjoy :  I  should  delightfully  think  of 
them  as  living  in  the  joyful  love  of  God,  and  ever  fully  replenished 
therewith.     It  pleaseth  us  to  see  the  earth  flourish  in  the  spring, 
and  to  see  how  pleasantly  the  lambs,  and  other  young  things  will 
skip  and  play  ;  much  more  to  see  societies  of  holy  Christians  lov- 
ing each  other  and  provoking  one  another  to  delight  in  God.     O, 
then,  what  a  pleasant  thought  should  it  be,  to  think  how  all  our 
deceased  godly  friends,  and  all  that  have  so  died  since  the  crea- 
tion, are  now  together  in  a  world  of  divine,  perfect  love !     How 
they  are  all  continually  wrapped  up  in  the  love  of  God,  and  live 
in  the  delight  of  perfect  love  to  one  another ! 

O  my  soul,  when  thou  art  with  them,  thou  wilt  dwell  in  love, 
and  feast  on  love,  and  rest  in  love  ;  for  thou  wilt  more  fully  dwell 
in  God,  and  God  in  thee  ;  and  thou  wilt  dwell  with  none  but  per- 
fect lovers :  they  would  not  silence  thee  from  praising  God  in  their 
assembly  :  tyrants,  malignants,  and  persecutors,  are  more  strange 
there  (or  far  from  thence)  than  toads,  and  snakes,  and  crocodiles 
are  from  the  bed  or  bedchamber  of  the  king.  Love  is  the  air,  the 
region,  the  world,  they  live  in  :  love  is  their  nature,  their  pulse, 
their  breath,  their  constitution,  their  complexion,  and  their  work: 
it  is  their  life,  and  even  themselves  and  all.  Full  loath  would  one 
of  those  spirits  be  to  dwell  again  among  blind  Sodomites,  and  mad, 
self-damning  malignants  upon  earth. 

7.  Yea,  this  effused  love  will  teach  us  to  gather  the  glory  of 
the  blessed  from  the  common  mercies  of  this  life :  doth  God  give 
his  distracted,  malignant  enemies,  health,  wealth,  plenty,  pleasure, 
yea,  lordships,  dominions,  crowns,  and  kingdoms ;  and  hath  he  not 
much  better  for  beloved,  holy  souls ! 

Yea,  doth  he  give  the  brutes  life,  sense,  delight,  and  beauty^ 
and  hath  he  not  better  things  for  men  ;  for  saints  ? 

There  are  some  so  blind  as  to  think  that  man  shall  have  no  bet- 
ter, hereafter,  because  brutes  have  not,  but  perish.  But  they 
know  not  how  erroneously  they  think.  The  sensible  souls  of 
brutes  are  substance,  and  therefore  are  not  annihilated  at  death  ; 
but  God  put  them  under  us,  and  made  them  for  us,  and  us  more 
nearly  for  himself.  Brutes  have  not  faculties  to  know  and  love 
God,  to  meditate  on  him,  or  praise  him,  or,  by  moral  agency,  to 
obey  his  precepts;  they  desire  not  any  higher  felicity  than  they 
have:  God  will  have  us  use  their  service,  yea,  then*  lives  and 
flesh,  to  tell  us  they  were  made  for  Us.  He  tells  us  not  what  he 
doth  with  them  after  death  ;  but  whatever  it  is,  it  is  not  annihila- 
tion, and  it  is  like  they  are  in  a  state  still  of  service  unto  man  : 


256          BAXTER'S  DYIMG  THOUGHTS. 

whether  united,  or  how  individuate,  we  know  not ;  nor  yet  whether 
those  philosophers  are  in  the  right,  that  think  that  this  earth  is  but 
a  small  image  of  the  vast  superior  regions,  where  there  are  king- 
doms answerable  to  these  here,  where  the  spirits  of  brutes  are  in 
the  like  subjection,  in  aerial  bodies,  to  those  low,  rational  spirits 
that  inhabit  the  aerial  regions,  as  in  flesh  they  were  to  man  in 
flesh.  But  it  is  enough  for  us  that  God  hath  given  us  faculties  to 
know,  love,  praise,  and  obey  him,  and  trust  him  for  glory,  which 
he  never  gave  to  them,  because  they  were  not  made  for  things  so 
high.  Every  creature's  faculties  are  suited  to  their  use  and  ends. 

And  love  tells  me,  that  the  blessed  God,  who  giveth  to  brutes 
that  life,  health,  and  pleasure,- which  they  are  made  and  fitted  for, 
will  give  his  servants  that  heavenly  delight  in  the  fullness  of  his 
love  and  praise,  and  mutual,  joyful  love  to  one  another,  which 
nature  fundamentally,  and  grace  more  immediately,  hath  made 
them  fit  for. 

Blessed  Jehovah  !  for  what  tastes  of  this  effused  love  thou  hast 
given  me,  my  soul  doth  bless  thee,  with  some  degree  of  gratitude 
and  joy  ;  and  for  those  further  measures  which  I  want  and  long  for, 
and  which  my  pained,  languid  state  much  needs,  and  which  would 
raise  my  joyful  hopes  of  glory,  I  wait,  I  beg,  from  day  to  day.  O, 
give  me  now,  at  the  door  of  heaven,  some  fuller  taste  of  the  heaven- 
ly felicity :  shed  more  abroad  upon  my  heart,  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
that  love  of  thine,  which  will  draw  up  my  longing  soul  to  thee,  re- 
joicing in  the  hope  of  the  glory  of  God. 


TRUE    CHRISTIANITY; 


CHRIST'S  ABSOLUTE   DOMINION, 


AND 


MAN'S     NECESSARY    SELF-RESIGNATION   AND 
SUBJECTION. 

IN    TWO    ASSIZE    SERMONS,  PREACHED    AT    WORCESTER. 


"  For  to  this  end  Christ  both  died,  and  rose,  and  revived,  that  he  might 
be  Lord  both  of  the  dead  and  the  living." — ROM.  xiv.  9. 

"  But  those  mine  enemies  which  would  not  that  I  should  reign  over 
them,  bring  hither,  and  slay  them  before  me." — LUKE  xix.  27. 


VOL.  ii.  33 


TO   THE 


RIGHT    HONORABLE    SERJEANT    GLYN, 

NOW  JUDGE  OF  ASSIZE  IN  THIS  CIRCUIT. 


MY  LORD, 

COULD  ray  excuse  have  satisfied  you,  this  sermon  had  been 
confined  to  the  auditory  it  was  prepared  for.  I  cannot  expect 
that  it  should  find  that  candor  and  favor  with  every  reader,  as  it 
did  with  the  hearers.  Wheji  it  must  speak  to  all,  the  guilty  will 
hear,  and  then  it  will  gall.  Innocency  is  patient  in  hearing  a  re- 
proof, and  charitable  in  the  interpretation  ;  but  guilt  will  smart  and 
quarrel,  and  usually  make  a  fault  in  him  that  findeth  one  in  them. 
Yet  I  confess  this  is  but  a  poor  justification  of  his  silence  that  hath 
a  call  to  speak.  Both  my  calling  and  this  sermon  would  condemn 
me,  if,  on  such  grounds,  I  should  draw  back  ;  but  my  backwardness 
was  caused  by  the  reason  which  I  then  tendered  your  lordship  as 
my  excuse,  viz.  because  here  is  nothing  but  what  is  common,  and 
that  it  is  in  as  common  and  homely  a  dress.  And  I  hope  we 
need  not  fear  that  our  labors  are  dead,  unless  the  press  shall  give 
them  life.  We  bring  not  sermons  to  church,  as  we  do  a  corpse 
for  a  burial.  If  there  be  life  in  them,  and  life  in  the  hearers,  the 
connaturality  will  cause  such  an  amicable  closure,  that  through  the 
-reception,  retention,  and  operation  of  the  soul,  they  will  be  the 
immortal  seed  of  a  life  everlasting.  But  yet,  seeing  the  press  hath 
a  louder  voice  than  mine,  and  the  matter  in  hand  is  of  such  ex- 
ceeding necessity,  I  shall  not  refuse,  upon  such  an  invitation,  to 
be  a  remembrancer  to  the  world  of  a  doctrine  and  duty  of  such 
high  concernment,  though  they  have  heard  it  ever  so  oft  before. 
Seeing,  therefore,  I  must  present  that  now  to  your  eyes,  which  I 
lately  presented  to  your  ears,  I  shall  take  the  boldness  to  add  one 
word  of  application  in  this  epistle,  which  I  thought  not  seasonable 
to  mention  in  the  first  delivery,  and  that  shall  be  to  your  lordship, 
and  all  others  in  your  present  case,  that  are  elected  members  of 
this  expected  Parliament.  Be  sure  to  remember  the  interest  of 
your  Sovereign,  the  great  Lord-protector  of  heaven  and  earth. 
And  as  ever  you  will  make  him  a  comfortable  account  of  your 


TO    THE    R1CHT    HON.    SERJEANT    GU5fN. 

power,  abilities  and  opportunities  of  serving  him,  see  .that  you  pre- 
fer his  interest  before  your  own,  or  any  man's  on  earth.  If  you 
go  not  thither,  as  sent  by  him,  with  a  firm  resolution  tc  serve  him 
first,  you  were  better  sit  at  home.  Forget  not  that  he  hath  laid 
claim  to  you,  and  to  all  that  you  have,  and  all  that  you  can  do. 
I  am  bold,  .vith  all  possible  earnestness,  to  entreat  you,  yea,  as 
Christ's  minister,  to  require  you,  in  his  name,  to  study  and  remem- 
ber his  business  and  interest,  and  see  that  it  have  the  chief  place 
in  all  your  consultations.  Watch  against  the  encroachments  of 
your  own  carnal  interests  ;  consult  not  with  flesh  and  blood,  nor 
give  it  the  hearing  when  it  shall  offer  you  its  advice.  How  sub- 
tilly  will  it  insinuate  !  How  importunately  will  it  urge  you  !  How 
certainly  will  it  mar  all,  if  you  do  not  constantly  and  resolvedly 
watch  !  O,  how  hard,  but  how  happy  is  it  to  conquer  this  carnal 
self!  Remember,  still,  that  you  are  not  your  own  ;  that  you  have 
an  unseen  Master  that  must  be  pleased,  whoever  be  displeased, 
and  an  unseen  kingdom  to  be  obtained,  and  an  invisible  soul  that 
must  be  saved,  though  all  the  world  be  lost.  Fix  your  eyes  still 
on  him  that  made  and  redeemed  you,  and  upon  the  ultimate  end 
of  your  Christian  race,  and  do  nothing,  willfully,  unworthy  such  a 
master,  and  such  an  end.  Often  renew  your  self-resignation,  and 
devote  yourself  to  him  ;  sit  close  at  his  work,  and  be  sure  that  it 
be  his,  both  in  the  matter  and  in  your  intent.  If  conscience  should 
at  any  time  ask,  'Whose  work  are  you  now  doing?'  or  a  man 
should  pluck  you  by  the  sleeve,  and  say,  '  Sir,  whose  cause  are  you 
now  pleading  ? '  see  that  you  have  the  answer  of  a  Christian  at 
hand :  delay  not  God's  work  till  you  have  done  your  own,  or  any 
one's  else.  You  will  best  secure  the  commonwealth,  and  your  own 
interest,  by  looking  first  to  his.  By  neglecting  this,  and  being 
carnally  wise,  we  have  wheeled  about  so  long  in  the  wilderness, 
and  lost  those  advantages  against  the  powers  of  darkness,  which 
we  know  not  whether  we  shall  ever  recover  again.  It  is  the  great 
astonishment  of  sober  men,  and  not  the  least  reproach  that  ever 
was  cast  on  our  holy  profession,  to  think  with  what  a  zeal  for  the 
work  of  Christ  men  seemed  to  be  animated  in  the  beginning  of 
our  disagreements,  and  how  deeply  they  did  engage  themselves  to 
him  in  solemn  vows,  protestations,  and  covenants,  and  what  ad- 
vantages carnal  self  hath  since  got,  and  turned  the  stream  another 
way  !  So  that  the  same  men  have  since  been  the  instruments  of 
our  calamity,  in  breaking  in  pieces  and  dishonoring  the  churches 
of  Christ,  yea,  and  gone  so  near  to  the  taking  down,  as  much  as 
in  them  lay,  the  whole  ministry  that  stand  approved  in  the  land. 
O,  do  not,  by  trifling,  give  advantage  to  the  tempter  to  destroy 
your  work  and  you  together !  Take  warning  by  the  sad  experi- 
ences of  what  is  past ;  bestir  you  speedily  and  vigorously  for  Christ, 


TO    THE    RIGHT    HON.     SERJEANT    M.\  \.  X*6l 

as  knowing  your  opposition,  and  the  shortness  of  your  time.  ;  Bless- 
ed is  that  servant  whom  his  Lord,  when  he  cometh.  shall  find  so 
doing.'  If  you  ask  me  wherein  this  interest  of  Christ  doth  con- 
sist, I  shall  tell  you,  but  in  a  few  unquestionable  particulars. 

1.  Jn  the  main,  that  truth,  godliness,  and  honesty  be  countenanced 
and  encouraged ;  and  their  contraries,  by  all  fit  means,  suppressed. 

2.  In  order  to  this,  that  unworthy  men  be  removed  from  magistra- 
cy and  ministry,  and  the  places  supplied  with  the  fittest  that  can 
be  had.     3.  That  a  competent  maintenance  may  be  procured 
where  it  is  wanting,  especially  for  cities  and  great  towns,  where 
more  teachers  are  so  necessary,  in  some  proportion  to  the  number 
of  souls,  and  on  which  the  country  doth  so  much  depend.     Shall 
an  age  of  such  high  pretenses  to  reformation  and  zeal   for  the 
churches,  alienate  so  much,  and  then  leave  them  destitute,  and  say, 
it  cannot  be  had  ?     4.  That  right  means  be  used,  with  speed  and 
diligence,  for  the  healing  of  our  divisions,  and  the  uniting  of  all 
the  true  churches  of  Christ  at  last,  in  these  nations;  and  O  that 
your  endeavors  might  be  extended  much  further !     To  which  end, 
I   shall  mention  but  these  two  means,  of  most  evident  necessi- 
ty.     1.  That  there  be  one  Scripture  creed,  or  confession  of  faith, 
agreed  on  by  a  general  assembly  of  able  ministers,  duly  and  freely 
chosen  hereunto,  which  shall  contain  nothing  but  matter  of  evident 
necessity  and  verity.     This  will  serve,  1.  For  a  test  to  the  church- 
es to  discern  the  sound  professors  from  the  unsound,  (as  to  their 
doctrine,)  and  to  know  them  with  whom  they  may  close  as  breth- 
ren, and  whom  they  must  reject.     2.  For  a  test  to  the  magistrate 
of  the  orthodox  to  be  encouraged,  and  of  the  intolerably  heterodox, 
\vhich,  it  seems,  is  intended  in  the  37th  article  of  the  late  formed 
government,  where  all  that  will  have  liberty  must  profess  faith  in 
God  by  Jesus  Christ,  which,  in  a  Christian  sense,  must  compre- 
hend every  true  fundamental  article  of  our  faith  ;  aad,  no  doubt,  it 
is  not  the  bare  speaking  of  those  words  in  an  unchristian  sense  that 
is  intended  ;  as  if  a  ranter  should  say,  that  himself  is  God,  and  his 
mate  is  Jesus  Christ. 

2.  That  there  be  a  public  establishment  of  the  necessary  liberty 
of  the  churches,  to  meet  their  officers  and  delegates  on  all  just  oc- 
casions, in  assemblies  smaller  or  greater,  (even  national,  when  it  is 
necessary,)  seeing,  without  associations  and  communion  in  assem- 
blies, the  unity  and  concord  of  the  churches  is  not  like  to  be  main- 
tained. I  exclude  not  the  magistrates'  interest,  or  oversight,  to 
see  that  they  do  not  transgress  their  bounds.  As  you  love  Christ, 
and  his  church  and  gospel,  and  men's  souls,  neglect  not  these  un- 
questionable points  of  his  interest,  and  make  them  your  first  and 
chietest  business,  and  let  none  be  preferred  before  him  until  you 
know  them  to  be  of  snore  authority  over  you,  and  better  friends 


TO    Till;    R[C,HT    HON.     SERJEANT    GLYN.         • 

to  you  than  Christ  is.  Should  there  be  any  among  you  that  cher- 
ish a  secret  root  of  infidelity,  after  such  pretenses  to  the  purest 
Christianity,  and  are  jealous  of  Christ  lest  he  should  overtop 
them,  and  do  set  up  an  interest  inconsistent  with  his  sovereignty, 
and,  thereupon,  grow  jealous  of  the  liberties  and  power  of  his  min- 
isters, and  of  the  unity  and  strength  of  his  church,  and  think  it 
their  best  policy  to  keep  under  his  ministers,  by  hindering  them 
from  the  exercise  of  their  office,  and  to  foment  divisions,  and  hin- 
der our  union,  that  they  may  have  parties  ready  to  serve  their 
ends ;  I  would  not  be  in  the  case  of  such  men,  when  God  ariseth 
to  judge  them,  for  all  the  crowns  and  kingdoms  on  earth !  If  they 
stumble  on  this  stone,  it  will  break  them  in  pieces,  but  if  it  fall 
upon  them,  it  will  grind  them  to  powder.  They  may  seem  to 
prevail  against  him  awhile,  when  their  supposed  success  is  but  a 
prosperous  self-destroying  :  but  mark  the  end,  when  his  wrath  is 
kindled,  yea,  but  a  little,  and  when  these,  his  enemies,  that  would 
not  he  should  reign  over  them,  are  brought  forth  and  destroyed 
before  him,  then  they  will  be  convinced  of  the  folly  of  their  re- 
bellion. In  the  mean  time,  let  wisdom  be  justified  of  her  children. 

My  lord,  I  had  not  troubled  you  with  so  many  words,  had  I  not 
judged  it  probable  that  many  more  whom  they  concern  may  pe- 
ruse them. 

I  remain,  your  Lordship's  servant  in  the  work  of  Christ, 

RICHARD  BAXTER. 

August  5,  1654. 


A  SERMON 


ABSOLUTE  DOMINION  OF  GOD-REDEEMER; 


THE  NECESSITY  OF  BEING  DEVOTED  AND  LIVING 
TO  HIM. 

PREACHED     BEFORE     THE     HONORABLE     JUDGE     OF    ASSIZE 
AT    WORCESTER,    AUGUST  2,   1654. 


1  COR.  vi.  19,  20. 

AND  YE  ARE  NOT  YOUR  OWN,  FOR  YE  ARE  BOUGHT  WITH  A  PRICE  ; 
THEREFORE  GLORIFY  GOD  IN  YOUR  BODY,  AND  IN  YOUR  SPIRIT, 
WHICH  ARE  GOD'S. 

FUNDAMENTALS  in  religion  are  the  life  of  the  superstructure. 
Like  the  vitals  and  naturals  in  the  body,  which  are  first  necessary 
for  themselves  and  you  also,  for  the  quickening  and  nourishing  of 
the  rest ;  there  being  no  life  or  growth  of  the  inferior  parts,  but 
what  they  do  receive  from  the  powers  of  these :  it  is  but  a  dead 
discourse,  which  is  not  animated  by  these  greater  truths,  whatever 
the  bulk  of  its  materials  may  consist  of.  The  frequent  repetition, 
therefore,  of  these,  is  as  excusable  as  frequent  preaching ;  and  they 
that  nauseate  it  as  loathsome  battology,  do  love  novelty  better 
than  verity,  and  playing  with  words  to  please  the  fancy,  rather 
than  closing  with  Christ  to  save  the  soul.  And  as  it  is  the  chief 
part  of  the  cure,  in  most  external  maladies,  to  corroborate  the  vital 
and  natural  powers,  which  then  will  do  the  work  themselves,  so  it 
is  the  most  effectual  course  for  the  cure  of  particular  miscarriages 
in  men's  lives,  to  further  the  main  work  of  grace  upon  their  hearts. 
Could  we  make  men  better  Christians,  it  would  do  much  to  make 
them  better  magistrates,  counsellors,  jurors,  witnesses,  subjects, 
neighbors,  &c.  And  this  must  be  done  by  the  deeper  impress  of 
those  vital  truths  and  the  good  in  them  exhibited,  which  are  ade- 
quate objects  of  our  vital  graces.  Could  we  help  you  to  wind  up 


264  THE    ABSOLUTE    DOMINION" 

the  spring  of  faith,  and  so  move  the  first  wheel  of  Christian  love, 
we  should  find  it  the  readiest  and  surest  means  to  move  the  inferior 
wheels  of  duty.  The  flaws  and  irregular  motions  without  do  show 
that  something  is  amiss  within,  which,  if  we  could  rectify,  we  might 
the  easier  mend  the  rest.  I  shall  suppose,  therefore,  that  I  need  no 
more  apology  for  choosing  such  a  subject  at  such  a  season  as  this, 
than  for  bringing  bread  to  a  feast.  And  if  I  medicate  the  brain  and 
heart,  for  the  curing  of  senseless  paralytic  members,  or  the  inor- 
dinate convulsive  motions  of  any  hearers,  I  have  the  warrant  of  the 
apostle's  example  in  my  text.  Among  other  great  enormities  in 
the  church  of  Corinth,  he  had  these  three  to  reprehend  and  heal : 
First,  their  sidings  and  divisions,  occasioned  by  some  factious,  self- 
seeking  teachers.  Secondly,  their  personal  contentions  by  law- 
suits, and  that  before  unbelieving  judges.  Thirdly,  the  foul  sin  of 
fornication,  wJiich  some  among  them  had  fallen  into.  The  great 
cure  which  hi  useth  to  all  these,  and  more  especially  to  the  last, 
is  the  urging  of  these  great  foundation  truths,  whereof  one  is  in  the 
words  before  my  text,  viz.  the  right  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  the  other, 
in  the  words  of  my  text,  which  contains,  first,  a  denial  of  any  right 
of  propriety  in  themselves.  Secondly,  an  asserting  of  Christ's  pro- 
priety in  them.  Thirdly,  the  prooY  of  this  from  his  purchase, 
which  is  his  title.  Fourthly,  their  duty,  concluded  from  the  for- 
mer premises,  which  is  to  glorify  God,  and  that  with  the  whole 
man,  with  the  spirit,  because  God  is  a  Spirit,  and  loathes  hypocri- 
sy ;  with  the  body,  which  is  particularly  mentioned,  because  it 
seems  they  were  encouraged  to  fornicJftk>n  by  such  conceits,  that 
it  was  but  an  act  of  the  flesh,  and  not  of  the  mind,  and,  therefore, 
as  they  thought,  the  smaller  sin.  The  apostle's  words,  from  last  to 
first,  according  to  the  order  of  intention,  do  express,  first,  man's 
duty  to  glorify  God  with  soul  and  body,  and  not  to  serve  our  lusts. 
Secondly,  the  great  fundamental  obligation  to  this  duty,  God's  do- 
minion or  propriety.  Thirdly,  the  foundation  of  that  dominion, 
Christ's  purchase.  According  to  the  order  of  execution,  from  first 
to  last,  these  three  great  fundamentals  of  our  religion"  lie  thus : 
First,  Christ's  purchase.  Secondly,  God's  propriety  thence  aris- 
ing. Thirdly,  man's  duty— wholly  to  glorify  God,  arising  from 
both.  The  argument  lies  thus :  they  that  are  not  their  own,  but 
wholly  God's,  should  wholly  glorify  God,  and  not  serve  their  lusts ; 
but  you  are  not  your  own,  but  wholly  God's ;  therefore  you  should 
wholly  glorify  God,  and  not  serve  your  lusts.  The  major  is  clear 
by  the  common  light  of  nature.  Every  one  should  have  the  use 
of  their  own.  The  minor  is  proved  thus  :  they  that  are  bought . 
with  a  price,  are  not  their  own,  but  his  that  bought  them ;  but  you 
are  bought  with  a  price  ;  therefore,  &c.  For  the  meaning  of  the 
terms  briefly  ;  «Jou7wv,  -vcstri,  as  the  vulgar  ;  vestri  juris,  as  Beza 


OF     GOD-RE  J-lKKMER.  265 

and  others,  is  most  fitly  expressed  by  our  English,  your  own :  "  ye 
are  bought :  "  a  "synecdoche  generis"  saith  Piscator,  for  "  ye  are 
redeemed  with  a  price."  There  is  no  buying  without  a  price. 
This,  therefore,  is  an  emphatical  pleonasmus,  as  Beza,  Piscator,' 
and  others;  as  to  see  with  the  eyes,  to  hear  with  the  ears.  Or 
else,  "  a  price  "  is  put  for  "  a  great  price,"  as  Calvin,  Peter  Mar- 
tyr, and  Piscator,  rather  think :  and,  therefore,  the  yulgate  adds 
the  epithet  magno,  and  the  Arabic  pretioso,  as  Beza  notes,  as 
agreeing  to  that  of  1  Peter  i.  18.  I  see  not  but  we  may  suppose 
the  apostle  to  respect  both  the  purchase  and  the  greatness  of  the 
price,  as  Grotius  and  some  others  do.  "  Glorify  God,"  that  is, 
by  using  your  bodies  and  souls  wholly  for  him,  and  abstaining  from 
those  lusts  which  do  dishonor  him.  The  vulgate  adds  et  portate, 
q.  d.  bear  God  about  in  your  hearts,  and  let  his  Spirit  dwell  with 
you  instead  of  lust.  But  this  addition  is  contrary  to  all  our  Greek 
copies.  Grotius  thinks  that  some  copies  had  uombv  6i-6i'}  and 
thence  some  unskillful  scribe  did  put  «£«  re :  however,  it  seems 
that  reading  was  very  ancient,  when  not  only  Austin,  but  Cyprian 
and  Tertullian  followed  it,  as  Beza  noteth.  The  last  words,  "  And 
in  your  spirit,  which  are  God's,"  are  out  of  all  the  old  Latin  trans- 
lations, and,  therefore,  it  is  like  out  of  the  Greek,  which  they  used  : 
but  they  are  in  all  the  present  Greek  copies,  except  our  manuscript, 
as  also  in  the  Syriac  and  Arabic  version. 

The  rest  of  the  explication  shall  follow  the  doctrines,  which 
are  these :  40* 

Doct.  1.  [We  are  bought  with  a  price.] 

Doct.  2.  Because  we  are  so  bought,  we  are  not  our  own,  but 
his  that  bought  us. 

Doct.  3.  Because  we  are  not  our  own,  but  wholly  God's,  there- 
fore we  must  not  serve  our  lusts,  but  glorify  him  in  the  body  and 
spirit.  In  these  three  conclusions  is  the  substance  of  the  text ; 
which  I  shall  first  explain,  and  then  make  application  of  them  in 
that  order  as  the  apostle  here  doth. 

The  points  that  need  explication  are  these : — 

First.  In  what  sense  are  we  said  to  be  bought  with  a  price? 
Who  bought  us  ?  And  of  whom  ?  And  from  what  ?  And  with 
what  price? 

Secondly.  How  we  are  God's  own  upon  the  title  of  this  pur- 
chase. 

Thirdly.  How  we  are  not  our  own. 

Fourthly.  What  it  is  to  glorify  God  in  body  and  in  spirit  on  this 
account. 

Fifthly.  Who  they  be  that,  on  this  ground,  are,  or  may  be, 
urged  to  this  duty. 

VOL.  ii.  34 


THE    ABSOLLTK    DOMINION 

1.  For  the  first  of  these,  whether  buying  here  be  taken  properly 
or  metaphorically  I  will  not  now  inquire. 

First.  Mankind,  by  sin,  became'guilty  of  death,  liable  to  God's 
wrath,  and  a  slave  to  Satan,  and  his  own  lusts.  The  sentence  in 
part  was  past,  and  execution  begun :  the  rest  would  have  followed, 
if  not  prevented.  This  is  the  bondage  from  which  we  were 
redeemed, 

Secondly.  He  that  redeemed  us  is  the  Son  of  God — himself 
God  and  man,  and  the  Father  by  the  Son.  "He  purchased  us 
with  his  own  blood  ;  "  Acts  xx.  28. 

Thirdly.  The  price  was  the  whole  humiliation  of  Christ ;  in 
the  first  act  whereof,  his  incarnation,  the  Godhead  was  alone,  which, 
by  humbling  itself,  did  suffer  reputatively.  which  could  not  really. 
In  the  rest,  the  whole  person  was  the  sufferer,  but  still  the  human 
nature  really,  and  the  divine  but  reputatively.  And  why  we  may 
not  add,  as  part  of  the  price,  the  merit  of  that  obedience  wherein 
his  suffering  did  not  consist,  I  yet  see  not.  But  from  whom  were 
we  redeemed  ? 

Answer.  From  Satan,  by  rescue  against  his  will ;  from  God's 
wrath  or  vindictive  justice,  by  his  own  procurement  and  consent. 
He  substituted  for  us  such  a  sacrifice,  by  which  he  could  as  fully 
attain  the  ends  of  his  righteous  government,  in  the  demonstration 
of  his  justice  and  hatred  of  sin,  as  if  the  sinner  had  suffered  him- 
self; and,  in  this  sound  sense,  it  is  far  from  being  an  absurdity,  as 
the  Socinian  dreameth,  for  God  to  satis^&iys  own  justice,  or  to  buy 
us  of  himself,  or  redeem  us  from  himself. 

2.  Next,  let  us  consider  how  we  are  God's  upon  the  title  of 
this  purchase.     By  "  God,"  here  is  meant  both  the  Son,  who,  be- 
ing God,  hath  procured  a  right  in  us  by  his  redemption,  and  also 
the  Father,  who  sent  his  Son,  and  redeemed  us  by  him,  and  to 
whom  it  was  that  the  Son  redeemed  us.     "  Thou  hast  redeemed 
us  to  God  by  thy  blood  ; "  Rev.  v.  9.     In  one  word,  it  is  God  as 
Redeemer,  the  manhood  also  of  the  second   person  included,  that 
hath  purchased  this  right.     Here  you  must  observe  that  God,  as 
Creator,  had  a  plenary  right  of  propriety  and  government,  on  which 
he  founded  the  law  of  works  that  then  was.     This  right  he  hath 
not  lost.     Our  fall  did  lose  our  right  in  him,  but  could  not  destroy 
his  right  in  us.     Because  it  destroyed  our  right,  therefore  the 
promissory  part  of  that  law  was  immediately  thereupon  dissolved, 
or  ceased,  through  our  incapacity,  and  therefore  divines  say  that, 
as  a  covenant,  it  ceased;  but  because  it  destroyed  not  God's  right, 
therefore  the  preceptive  and   penal  parts  of  that  law  do  still  re- 
main.    But  how  remain  ?     In  their  being  ;  but  not  alone,  or  with- 
out remedy  ;  for  the  Son  of  God  became  a  sacrifice  in  our  stead  ; 


OF    OOD-.REDEEMER.  367 

not  that  we  might  absolutely,  immediately,  or,  ipso  facto,  be  fully 
delivered,  or  that  any  man  should,  ab  ipsa  hostia,  from  the  very 
sacrifice  as  made,  have  a  right  to  the  great  benefits  of  personal, 
plenary  reconciliation,  and  remission,  and  everlasting  life;  but  that 
the  necessity  of  perishing  through  the  dissatisfaction  of  justice  for 
the  alone  offenses  against  the  law  of  works  being  removed  from 
mankind,  they  might  all  be  delivered  up  to  him  as  proprietary  and 
rector,  that  he  might. rule  them  as  his  redeemed  ones,  and  make 
for  them  such  new  laws  of  grace,  for  the  conveyances  of  his  ben- 
efits, as  might  demonstrate  the  wisdom  and  mercy  of  our  Redeem- 
er, and  be  most  suitable  to  his  ends.  The  world  is  now  morally 
dead  in  sin,  though  naturally  alive.  Christ  hath  redeemed  them, 
but  will  cure  them  by  the  actual  conveyance  of  the  benefits  of 
redemption,  or  not  at  all.  He  hath  undertaken  to  this  end  him- 
self to  be  their  physician,  to  cure  all  that  will  come  to  him  and 
take  him  so  to  be,  and  trust  him  and  obey  him  in  the  application 
of  his  medicines.  He  hath  erected  an  hospital,  his  church,  to 
this  end,  and  commanded  all  to  come  into  this  ark.  Those  that 
are  far  distant  he  first  commandeth  to  come  nearer,  and  those  that 
are  near  he  inviteth  to  come  in.  Too  many  do  refuse,  and  perish 
in  their  refusal.  He  will  not  suffer  all  to  do  so,  but  mercifully 
boweth  the  wills  of  his  elect,  and,  by  an  insuperable,  powerful 
drawing,  compels  them  to  come  in.  You  may  see,  then,  that  here 
is  a  novumjus,  et  dominii,  et  imperil,  a  new  right  of  propriety  and 
rule,  founded  on  the  ne^Jjottom  of  redemption ;  but  that  this  doth 
not  destroy  the  old,  wmcri  was  founded  on  creation ;  but  it  is  in 
the  very  nature  and  use  of  it  an  emendative  addition.  Redemp- 
tion is  to  mend  the  creature,  not  of  any  defect  that  was  left  in  the 
creation,  but  from  the  ruin  which  came  by  our  defacing  transgres- 
sion. The  law  of  grace  upon  this  redemption  is  superadded  to 
the  law  of  nature  given  on  the  creation  ;  not  to  amend  any  imper- 
fections in  that  law,  but  to  save  the  sinner  from  its  insufferable 
penalty  by  dissolving  its  obligation  of  him  thereto  ;  and  thus,  in  its 
nature  and  use,  it  is  a  remedying  law.  And  so  you  may  see  that 
Christ  is  now  the  owner,  and,  by  right,  the  governor  of  the  whole 
world,  on  the  title  of  redemption,  as  God  before  was,  and  still  is, 
on  the  title  of  creation. 

3.  By  this  you  may  also  perceive  in  what  sense  we  are  not  our 
own.  In  the  strictest  sense,  there  is  no  proprietary,  or  absolute 
Lord,  in  the  world,  but  God.  No  man  can  say  this  is  fully  and 
strictly  mine.  God  gives  us,  indeed,  whatever  we  enjoy ;  but 
his  giving  is  not  as  man's.  We  part  with  our  propriety  in  that 
which  we  give,  but  God  gives  nothing  so.  His  giving  to  us  makes 
it  not  the  less  his  own.  As  a  man  giveth  his  goods  to  his  neighbor 
to  dispose  of  for  his  use,  or  instruments  to  his  servant  to  do  his  work 


26,8  THE    ABSOLUTE    DOMINION 

with,  so  God  giveth  his  benefits  to  us ;  or,  at  the  utmost,  as  you 
give  clothes  to  your  child,  which  are  more  yours  still  than  his, 
and  you  may  take  them  away  at  your  pleasure.  I  confess,  when 
God  hath  told  us  that  he  will  not  take  them  away,  he  is,  as  it  were, 
obliged,  in  fidelity,  to  continue  them,  but  yet  doth  not,  hereby,  let 
go  his  propriety :  and  so  Christ  bids  us  call  no  man  on  earth  fa- 
ther ;  that  is,  our  absolute  lord  or  ruler,  because  we  have  but  one 
such  master,  who  is  in  heaven  ;  Matt,  xxiii.  7 — 10.  So  that  you 
see,  by  this,  what  propriety  is  left  us,  and  what  right  we  have  to 
ourselves  and  our  possessions.  Even  such,  as  a  steward  in  his 
master's  goods,  or  a  servant  in  his  tools,  or  a  child  in  his  coat, 
which  is  a  propriety,  improper,  subordinate,  and  secundum  quid, 
and  will  secure  us  against  the  usurpation  of  another.  One  ser- 
vant may  not  take  his  fellow's  instrument  from  him,  nor  one  child 
his  brother's  coat  from  him,  without  the  parent's  or  master's  con- 
sent. They  have  them  for  their  use,  though  not  the  full  proprie- 
ty. It  may  be  called  a  propriety,  in  respect  to  our  fellow-ser- 
vant, though  it  be  not  properly  so  as  we  stand  in  respect  to  God. 
We  have  right  enough  to  confute  the  leveler,  but  not  to  exempt 
either  us  or  ours  from  the  claim  and  use  of  our  absolute  Lord. 

4.  What  is  it  to  glorify  God  in  body  and  spirit  ?     I  answer,  in 
a  word,  it  is  when,  upon  true  believing  apprehensions  of  his  right 
to  us,  and  of  our  great  obligations  to  him  as  our  Redeemer,  we 
heartily  and  unfeignedly  devote  ourselves  to  him,  and  live  as  a 
people  so  devoted  ;  so  bending  the^chief  jj«ur  care  and  study  how 
to  please  him  in  exact  obedience,  that  tn^giory  of  his  mercy  and 
holiness,  and  of  his  wise  and  righteous  laws,  may  be  seen  in  our 
conversations ;  and  that  the  holy  conformity  of  our  lives  to  these 
laws  may  show  that  there  is  like  conformity  in  our  minds,  and  that 
they  are  written  in  our  hearts ;  when  the  excellency  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion  is  so  apparent  in  the  excellency  of  our  lives,  causing 
us  to  do  that  which  no  others  can  imitate,  that  the  lustre  of  our 
good  works  may  shine  before  men,  and  cause  them  to  glorify  our 
Father  in  heaven.     To  conclude :  when  we  still  respect  God  as 
our  only  absolute  sovereign,  and  Christ  as  our  Redeemer,  and  his 
Spirit  as  our  sanctifier,  and  his  law  as  our  rule ;  that  the  doing  of 
his  will,  and  the  denying  of  our  own,  is  the  daily  work  of  our 
lives,  and  the  promoting  of  his  blessed  ends  is  our  end ;  this  is  the 
glorifying  of  God,  who  hath  redeemed  us. 

5.  The  last  question  is,  Who  they  be  that  are  and  may  be  urg- 
ed to  glorify  God,  on  this  ground,  that  he  hath  bought  them? 
Doubtless  only  those  whom  he  hath  bought ;  but  who  are  those  ? 
It  discourageth  me  to  tell  you,  because,  among  the  godly,  it  is  a 
controversy  ;  but  if  they  will  controvert  points  of  such  great  mo- 
ment, they  cannot  disoblige  or  excuse  us  from  preaching  them. 


* 


OF    UOD-REPEEMER.  « 

Among  the  variety  of  men's  opinions,  it  is  safe  to  speak  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  accordingly  to  believe  that,  "  As, 
by  the  offense  of  one,  judgment  came  upon  all  men  to  condem- 
nation; even  so,  by  the  righteousness  of  one,  the  free  gift  came 
upon  all  men,  to  justification  of  life  ; "  (Rom.  v.  18.)  and  "  That 
he  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all,  and  is  the  only  mediator  between 
God  and  man  ;"  (1  Tim.  ii.  5,  6.)  "  That  he  is  the  propitiation 
for  our  sins  ;  and  not  for  ours  only,  but  also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world  ; "  (I  John  ii.  2.)  "  That  God  is  the  Savior  of  all  men,  es- 
pecially or  those  that  believe;  "  (1  Tim.  iv.  10.)  "That  he  is  the 
Savior  of  the  world  ;"  (John  iv.  42.  1  John  iv.  14,  15.)  "That 
he  tasteth  death  for  every  man ;  "  (Heb.  ii.  9.)  with  many  the  like. 
It  is  sad  to  consider  how  men's  unskillfulness  to  reconcile  God's 
general  grace  with  his  special,  and  to  assign  to  each  its  proper  part, 
hath  made  the  Pelagians,  and  their  successors,  to  deny  the  special 
grace ;  and  too  many  of  late,  no  less  dangerously,  to  deny  the  gen- 
eral grace  ;  and  what  contentions  these  two  erroneous  parties  have 
maintained,  and  still  maintain,  in  the  church,  and  how  few  observe 
or  follow  that  true  and  sober  mean  which  Austin,  the  maul  of  the 
Pelagians,  and  his  scholars,  Prosper  and  Fulgentius,  walked  in ! 
If,  when  our  dark,  confused  heads  are  unable  to  assign  each 
truth  its  place,  and  rightly  to  order  each  wheel  and  pin  in  the  ad- 
mirable fabric  of  God's  revelations,  we  shall,  therefore,  fall  a  wran- 
gling against  them,  and  reject  them ;  we  may  then  be  drawn  to 
blaspheme  the  Trinity,  ^•jftect  Christ's  human  nature,  or  his  di- 
vine ;  and  what  truth  shall  we  not  be  in  danger  to  lose  ?  To  think 
this  general  grace  to  be  inconsistent  with  the  special  is  no  wiser 
than  to  think  the  foundation  inconsistent  with  the  fabric  that  is 
built  thereupon  ;  and  that  the  builders  themselves  should  have  such 
thoughts  is  a  matter  of  compassionate  consideration  to  the  friends 
of  the  church.  Doubtless  Christ  died  not  for  all  alike,  nor  with 
equal  intentions  of  saving  them ;  and  yet  he  hath  borne  the  sins 
of  all  men  on  the  cross,  and  was  a  sacrifice,  propitiation,  and  ran- 
som for  all.  Even  they  that  bring  in  damnable  heresies,  deny  the 
Lord  that  bought  them,  and  bring  on  themselves  swift  destruction  ; 
2  Peter  ii.  1.  "God  sent  not  his  Son  into  the  world  to  condemn 
the  world,  but  that  the  world  through  him  might  be  saved.  He 
that  believeth  on  him  is  not  condemned ;  but  he  that  believeth  not 
is  condemned  already,  because  he  hath  not  believed  in  the  name 
of  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God.  And  this  is  the  condemnation, 
that  light  is  come  into  the  world,  and  men  loved  darkness  rather 
than  light,  because  their  deeds  were  evil;  "  John  iii.  17 — 19.  I 
doubt  not  but  my  text  doth  warrant  me  to  tell  you  all,  that  you 
are  not  your  own,  but  are  bought  with  a  price,  and,  therefore,  must 
glorify  him  that  bought  you ;  and  I  am  very  confident  that  if  any 


270  THE    ABSOLUTE    DOMINION 


• 


one  at  judgment  will  be  the  advocate  of  an  unbeliever,  and  say,  he 
deserves  not  a  sorer  punishment  for  sinning  against  the  Lord  that 
bought  him,  his  plea  will  not  be  taken;  or  if  any  such  would  com- 
fort the  consciences  in  hell,  or  go  about  to  cure  them  of  so  much 
of  their  torment,  by  telling  them  that  they  never  sinned  against 
one  that  redeemed  them,  nor  ever  rejected  the  blood  of  Christ 
shed  for  them,  and,  therefore,  need  not  accuse  themselves  of  any 
such  sin,  those  poor  sinners  would  not  be  able  to  believe  them. 
If  it  be  only  the  elect  with  whom  we  must  thus  argue,  '  You  are 
not  your  own ;  you  are  bought  with  a  price  ;  therefore,  glglifo  God  ; ' 
then  can  we  truly  plead  thus  with  none  till  we  know'^trMn  to  be 
elect,  which  will  not  be  in  this  world.  I  do  not  think  Paul  knew 
them  all  to  be  elect  that  he  wrote  to,  I  mean,  absolutely  chosen  to 
salvation ;  nor  do  I  think  he  would  so  peremptorily  affirm  them  to 
be  bought  with  a  pijce,  who  were  fornicators,  defrauders,  conten- 
tious, drunk  at  tlie*ljord's  supper,  &c.,  and  from  hence  have  ar- 
gued against  their  sins,  if  he  had  taken  this  for  a  privilege  proper 
to  the  elect.  I  had  rather  say  to  scandalous  sinners,  '  You  are 
bought  with  a  price  ;  therefore  glorify  God  ;  '•••'than,  '  You  are  abso- 
lutely elect  to  salvation;  therefore,  glorify  God.'  And  I  believe 
that,  as  it  is  the  sin  of  apostates  to  "  crucify  to  themselves  the 
Son  of  God  afresh,"  (Heb.  vi.  5,  6.)  so  is  it  their  misery,  that 
"  there  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sins,  but  a  certain  fearful 
looking  for  of  judgment,  and  fiery  indignation,  which  shall  devour 
the  adversaries,  because  they  have  trojttMa  under  foot  the  Son  of 
God,  and  counted  the  blood  of  the  covenant,  wherewith  they  were 
sanctified,  an  unholy  thing ;  "  Heb.  x.  26 — 28.  Lastly,  I  judge 
it  also  a  good  argument  to  draw  us  from  offending  others,  and  oc- 
casioning their  sin,  that  "  through  us  our  weak  brother  shall  per- 
ish, for  whom  Christ  died;"  1  Cor.  viii.  11.  So  much  for  ex- 
plication. 

I  would  next  proceed  to  the  corrfirmation  of  the  doctrines  here 
contained,  but  that  they  are  so  clear  in  the  text,  and  in  many 
others,  that  I  think  it  next  to  needless,  and  we  have  now  no  time 
for  needless  work,  and,  therefore,  shall  only  cite  these  two  or  three 
texts,  which  confirm  almost  all  that  I  have  said  together:  (Rom. 
xiv.  9.)  "For  to  this  end  Christ  both  died,  and  rose,  and  revived, 
that  he  might  be  Lord  both  of  the  dead  and  living;"  (2  Cor.  v. 
14,  15.)  "We  thus  judge,  that  if  one  died  for  all,  then  were  all 
dead  ;  and  that  he  died  for  all,  that  they  which  live  should  not 
henceforth  live  unto  themselves,  but  unto  him  which  died  for  them, 
and  rose  again ;  "  (Matt,  xxviii.  18 — 20.)  "  All  power  is  given  me  in 
heaven  and  in  earth.  Go  ye,  therefore,  disciple  all  nations,  baptiz- 
ing them,  &ic.,  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have, 
commanded  you;"  (1  Peter i.  17,18.)  "  If  ye  call  on  the  Father, 


Olr'    GOD-REDEE.MER.  271 

who,  without  respect  of  persons,  judgeth  every  man  according  to  his 
works,  pass  the  time  of  your  sojourning  here  in  fear ;  forasmuch 
as  ye  know  that  ye  were  not  redeemed  with  corruptible  tilings,  as 
silver  and  gold,  from  your  vain  conversation,  but  with  the  precious 
blood  of  Christ,  as  of  a  lamb  without  blemish,  and  without  spot." 
These  texts  speak  to  the  same  purpose  with  that  which  1  have 
in  hand. 

Use.  In  applying,  these  very  useful  truths,  \vould  time  permit, 
I  should  begin  at  the  intellect,  with  a  confutation  of  divers  contrary 
errors,  and  a  collection  of  many  observable  consectaries.  It  would 
go  better  with  all  the  commonwealths  and  princes  on  earth,  if  they 
well  considered  that  the  absolute  propriety  and  sovereignty  of  God- 
Redeemer  is  the  basis  of  all  lawful  societies  and  governments ;  and 
that  no  man  hath  any  absolute  propriety,  but  only  the  use  of  the 
talents  that  God  doth  intrust  him  with ;  that  the  sovereignty  of 
the  creature  is  but  analogical,  secundum  quid ;  Improper,  and  sub- 
ordinate to  God,  the  proper  sovereign ;  that  it  Belongs  to  him  to 
appoint  his  inferior  officers ;  that  there  is  no  power  but  from  God ; 
and  that  he  giveth  none  against  himself;  that  a  theocracy  is 
the  government  that  must  be  desired  and  submitted  to,  whether 
the  subordinate  part  be  monarchical,  aristocratical,  or  democratical ; 
and  the  rejecting  of  this  was  the  Israelites'  sin  in  choosing  them  a 
king ;  that  it  is  still  possible  and  necessary  to  live  under  this  the- 
ocracy, though  the  administration  be  not  by  such  extraordinary 
means  as  among  the  Israelites ;  that  all  human  laws  are  but  by- 
laws, subordinate  to  G^£jk  How  far  his  laws  must  take  place  in 
all  governments.  How  lar  those  laws  of  men  are,  ipso  facto,  null, 
that  are  unquestionably  destructive  of  the  laws  of  God :  how  far 
they  that  are  not  their  own,  may  give  authority  to  others ;  and 
what  aspect  these  principles  have  upon  liberty  in  that  latitude  as  it  is 
taken  by  some  ;  and  upon  the  authority  of  the  multitude,  especial- 
ly in  church  government.  Should  I  stand  on  these  and  other  the 
like  consequents,  which  these  fundamentals  in  hand  might  lead  us 
to  discuss,  I  should  prevent  that  more  seasonable  application  which 
I  intend,  and,  perhaps,  be  thought,  in  some  of  them,  to  meddle 
beyond  my  bounds.  I  will  only  say,  that  God  is  the  first  and  the 
last  in  our  ethics  and  politics,  as  well  as  in  our  physics  ;  that,  as 
there  is  no  creature  which  he  made  not,  so  it  is  no  good  right  of 
property  or  government  which  he,  some  way,  gives  not ;  that  all 
commonwealths,  not  built  on  this  foundation,  are  as  castles  in  the 
air,  or  as  children's  tottering  structures,  which,  in  the  very  fram- 
ing, are  prepared  for  their  ruin,  and,  strictly,  are  no  commonwealths 
at  all ;  and  those  governors,  that  rule  not  more  for  God  than  for 
themselves,  shall  be  dealt  with  as  traitors  to  the  universal  sove- 


THK    ABSOLUTE    DOMINION 


reign.     Thus  far,  at  least,  must  our  politics  be  divine,  unless  we 
will  be  mere  confederate  rebels. 

But  it  is  yet  a  closer  application  which  I  intend.  Though  we 
are  not  our  own,  yet  every  man's  welfare  should  be  so  dear  to  him- 
self, that,  methinks,  every  man  of  you  should  presently  inquire  how 
far  you  are  concerned  in  the  business  which  we  have  in  hand.  I 
will  tell  you  how  far.  The  case  here  describedys  all  our  own. 
We  are  bought  with  a  price,  and,  therefore,  nm  our  own,  and, 
therefore,  must  live  to  him  that  bought  us.  We  must  do  it,  or 
else  we  violate  our  allegiance,  and  are  traitors  to  our  Redeemer. 
We  must  do  it,  or  else  we  shall  perish  as  despisers  of  his  blood. 
It  is  no  matter  of  indifferency,  nor  a  duty  which  may  be  dispensed 
with.  That  God  is  our  owner  by  creation  and  redemption,  and  who 
doth  hitherto  keep  our  souls  in  these  bodies,  by  whose  mere  will 
and  power  you  are  all  here  alive  before  him  this  day,  will  shortly 
call  you  before  his  bar,  where  these  matters  will  be  more  seriously 
and  searchingly  inquired  after.  The  great  question  of  the  day 
will  then  be  this,  Whether  you  have  been  heartily  devoted  to  your 
Redeemer,  and  lived  to  him  ;  or  to  your  carnal  selves.  Upon  the 
resolution  of  this  question  your  everlasting  salvation  or  damnation 
will  depend.  What  think  you,  then  ?  Should  not  this  question 
be  now  put  home  by  every  rational  hearer  to  his  own  heart  ?  But 
I  suppose  some  will  say,  There  is  no  man  that  wholly  lives  to  God, 
for  all  are  sinners  ;  how,  tlTen,  can  our  salvation  depend  so  much 
on  this  ?  I  answer,  in  a  word  :  —  Though  no  man  pay  God  all  that 
he  oweth  him,  yet  no  man  shall  be  sai^d  that  giveth  him  not  the 
preeminence  :  he  will  own  none  as  true  subjects  that  do  not  cor- 
dially own  him  in  his  sovereignty.  Be  it  known  to  you  all,  there 
shall  not  a  man  of  you  enter  into  his  kingdom,  nor  ever  see  his 
face  in  peace,  that  giveth  him  not  the  chiefest  room  in  your  hearts, 
and  maketh  not  his  work  your  chiefest  business.  He  will  be  no 
underling,  or  servant  to  your  flesh.  He  will  be  served  with  the 
best,  if  he  cannot  have  all.  And  in  this  sense  is  it,  that  I  say  the 
question  will  be  put,  in  that  great  day,  by  the  Judge  of  all,  wheth- 
er God  or  our  carnal  selves  were  preferred.  And  whether  we 
lived  to  him  that  bought  us,  or  to  our  flesh.  Beloved  hearers,  I 
will  ask  you  whether  you,  indeed,  believe  that  there  will  be  such 
a  day.  I  will  take  it  for  granted,  while  you  call  yourselves  Chris- 
tians, much  less  will  I  question  whether  you  would  then  be  saved 
or  condemned.  JNature  will  not  suffer  you  to  be  willing  of  such  a 
misery,  though  corruption  make  you  too  willing  of  the  cause. 
But  the  common  stupidity  of  the  world  doth  persuade  me  to  ask 
you  this,  whether  you  think  it  meet  that  men  who  must  be  so 
solemnly  examined  upon  this  point,  and  whose  life  or  death  de- 


OF    GOU-KEDEEMCK.  273 

pends  on  the  decision,  should  not  examine  themselves  on  it  before- 
hand, and  well  consider  what  answer  they  must  then  make  ?  And 
whether  any  pains  can  be  too  grealjn  so  needful  a  work ;  and 
whether  he  that  miscarrieth  to  save  a^ibor,  do  not  madly  betray 
his  soul  unto  perdition  ?  As  if  such  rational  diligence  were  worse 
than  hell,  or  his  present  cainal  ease  were  more  desirable  than  his 
salvation.  Leteus,  then,  rouse  up  ourselves,  brethren,  in  the  fear 
of  God,  and  mKe  this  a  day  of  judgment  to  ourselves.  Let  us 
know  whether  we  are  children  of  life  or  death.  O,  how  can  a 
man  that  is  well  in  his  wits  enjoy  with  any  comfort  the  things  of 
this  world,  before  he  know,  at  least  it)  probability,  what  he  shall 
enjoy  in  the  next!  How  can  men  go  cheerfully  up  and  down 
about  the  business  of  this  life,  before  they  have  faithfully  labored 
to  make  sure  that  it  shall  go  well  with  them  in  the  life  to  come  ! 
That  we  may  now  know  this  without  deceit,  let  us  all,  as  in  the 
presence  of  the  living  God,  lay  bare  ouv  hearts,  examine  them,  and 
judge  them,  by  this  portion  of  his  word,  according  to  the  evidence. 

7.  Whoever  he  be  that  takes  not  himself  for  his  own,  but  lives 
to  his  Redeemer,  he  is  one  that  hath  found  himself  really  undone, 
and  hath  unfeignedly  confessed  the  forfeiture  of  his  salvation  ;  and, 
finding  that  redemption  haih  been  made  by  Christ,  and  that  there 
is  hope  and  life  to  be  had  in  him,  and  none  but  him,  as  he  gladly 
receives  the  tidjngs,  so  he  cheerfully  acknowledgeth  the  right  of 
his  Redeemer,  and  in  a  sober,  deliberate,  and  voluntary  covenant, 
renounceth  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil,  and  resigneth  up 
himself  to  Christ  as  his  d^e.  He  saith,  '  Lord,  I  have  too  long 
served  thine  enemies  and  mine  own  ;  by  cleaving  to  myself,  and 
forsaking  God,  I  have  lost  both  myself  and  God :  wilt  thou  be 
my  Savior,  and  the  physician  of  my  soul,  and  wash  me  with  thy 
blood,  and  repair  the  ruins  of  my  soul  by  thy  Spirit,  and  I  am 
willing  to  be  thine  ;  I  yield  up  myself  to  the  conduct  of  thy  grace, 
to  be  saved  in  thy  way,  and  fitted  for  thy  service,  and  live  to  God, 
from  whom  I  have  revolted.'  This  is  the  case  of  all  that  are 
sincere. 

By  many  Scriptures,  we  might  quickly  confirm  this,  if  it  were 
liable  to  question.  "  If  any  man  come  to  me,  and  hate  not  his 
father,  and  mother,  and  wife,  and  children,  and  brethren  and  sis- 
ters, yea,  and  his  own  life  also,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple ;  and 
whosoever  doth  not  bear  his  cross,  and  come  after  me,  cannot  be 
my  disciple  ;  Luke  xiv.  26,  27.  So  verse  33  :  "  Whosoever  he 
be  of  you  that  forsaketh  not  all  that  he  hath,  he  cannot  be  my  dis- 
ciple." Which  is  expounded,  Matt.  x.  37 :  "  He  that  loveth  father 
or  mother  more  than  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me."  "  If  any  man 
will  come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross, 
and  follow  me.  For  whosoever  will  save  his  life,  shall  lose  it ; 
VOL.  ii.  35 


271  THE    ABSOLUTE    DOMINION 

and  whosoever  will  lose  his  life  for  my  sake,  shall  find  it ;  "  Matt. 
xvi.  24.  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  ?  and  there  is  none 
upon  earth  that  I  desire  bjeides  thee;"  Psalm  Ixxiii.  25 — 27. 
"  The  Lord  is  the  portion  ormine  inheritance,"  &c. ;  Psalm  xvi. 
5.  Moses  refused  honor,  and  chose  "rather  to  suffer  affliction 
with  the  people  of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a 
season,  esteeming  the  reproach  of  Christ  greater  Jtehes  than  the 
treasures  of  Egypt ;  for  he  had  respect  to  the  relwnpense  of  the 
reward  ; "  Heb.  xi.  24 — 26.  I  forbear  citing  more,  the  case  being 
so  evident,  that  God  is  set  highest  in  the  heart  of  every  sound 
believer,  they  being  in  covenant  resigned  to  him  as  his  own.  On 
the  contrary,  most  of  the  unsanctified  are  Christians  but  in  name, 
because  they  were  educated  to  this  profession,  and  it  is  the  com- 
mon religion  of  the  country  where  they  live,  and  they  hear  none 
make  question  of  it,  or  if  they  do,  it  is  to  their  own  disgrace,  the 
name  of  Christ  having  got  this  advantage,  to  be  every  where 
among  us  well  spoken  of,  even  by  those  that  shall  perish  for  neg- 
lecting him  and  his  laws.  These  men  have  resigned  their  names 
to  Christ,  but  reserved  their  hearts  to  flesh-pleasing  vanities.  Or, 
if  under  conviction  and  terror  of  conscience,  they  do  make  any 
resignation  of  their  souls  to  Christ,  it  comes  short  of  the  true  resig- 
nation of  the  sanctified  in  these  particulars. 

1.  It  is  a  firm  and  rooted  belief  of  the  gospel,  which  is  the  cause 
of  sincere  resignation  to  Christ.     They  are  so  fully  persuaded  of 
the  truth  of  those  things  which  Christ  hath  done,  and  promised  to 
do  hereafter,  that  they  will  venture  all  that  they  have  in  this 
world,  and  their  souls,  and  their  everlasting  state  upon  it.     Whereas 
the  belief  of  self-deceivers  is  only  superficial,  staggering,  not  rooted, 
and  will  not  carry  them  to  such  adventures  ;  Matt.  xiii.  21 — 23. 

2.  Sincere  self-resignation  is  accompanied  with  such  a  love  to 
him  that  we  are  devoted  to,  which  overtoppeth  (as  to  the  rational 
part)  all    other  love.     The  s'oul  hath  a  prevailing  complacency 
in  God,  and  closeth  with  him  as  its  chiefest  good ;  Psalm  Ixxiii. 
25 ;  and  Ixiii.  3.     But  the  unsanctified  have  no  such  complacen- 
cy in  him ;  they  would  fain  please  him  by  their  flatteries,  lest  he 
should  do  them  any  hurt ;  but  might  they  enjoy  but  the  pleasures 
of  this  world,  they  could  be  well  content  to  live  without  him. 

3.  Sincere  self-resignation  is  a  departing  from  our  carnal  selves, 
and  all  creatures  as  they  stand  in  competition  with  Christ  for  our 
hearts  ;  and  so  it  containeth  a  crucifying  of  the  flesh,  and  mortifica- 
tion of  all  its  lusts;  Gal.  v.  24;  Rom.  viii.   1 — 14.      There  is 
a  hearty  renouncing  of  former  contradictory  interest  and  delights, 
that  Christ  may  be  set  highest  and  chiefly  delighted  in.     But  self- 
deceivers  are  never  truly  mortified  when  they  seem  to  devote  them- 
selves mo^t  seriously  to  Christ :  there  is  a  contrary  prevailing  in- 


OF    GOD-REDEEMER.  275 

terest  in  their  minds ;  their  fleshly  felicity  is  nearer  to  their  hearts, 
and  this  world  is  never  unfeignedly  renounced. 

4.  Sincere  self-resignation  is  resolvml  upon  deliberation,  and  not 
a  rash,  inconsiderate  promise,  which  W  afterwards  reversed.     The 
illuminated  see  that  perfection  in  God,  that  vanity  in  the  creature, 
that  desirable  sufficiency  in  Christ,  and  emptiness  in  themselves, 
that  they  finofc  resolve  to  cast  themselves  on  him,  and  be  his 
alone ;  and  tho^h  they  cannot  please  him  as  they  would,  they  will 
die  before  they  will  change  their  Master;  but  with  self-deceivers 
it  is  not  thus. 

5.  Sincere  resignation  is  absolute  and  unreserved ;  such  do  not 
capitulate  and  condition  with  Christ,  '  I  will  be  thine  so  far,  and  no 
further,  so  thou  wilt  but  save  my  estate,  or  credit,  or  life.'     But 
self-deceivers  have  ever  such  reserves  in  their  hearts,  though  they 
do  not  express  them,  nor,   perhaps,    themselves  discern   them. 
They  have  secret  limitations,  expressions,  and  conditions  ;  they 
have  ever  a  salve  for  their  worldly  safety  or  felicity,  and  will  rath- 
er venture  upon  a  threatened  misery  which  they  see  not,  though 
everlastingly,  than  upon  a  certain  temporary  misery  which  they 
see.     These  deep  reserves  are  the  soul  of  hypocrisy. 

6.  Sincere  self-resignation  is  fixed  and  habituate :  it  is  not  forced 
by  a  moving  sermon,  or  a  dangerous  sickness,  and  then  forgot- 
ten and  laid  aside  ;  but  it  is  become  a  fixed  habit  in  the  soul.     It 
is  otherwise  with  self-deceivers :  though  they  will  oblige  them- 
selves to  Christ  with  vows,  in  a  time  of  fear  and  danger,  yet  so 
loose  is  the  knot,  that  when  the  danger  seems  over,  their  bonds 
fall  off.     It  is  one  thing  to  be  affrighted,  and  another  to  have  the 
heart  quite  changed  and  renewed.     It  is  one  thing  to  hire  ourselves 
with  a  master  in  our  necessities,  and  yet  serve  ourselves,  or  run 
away,  and  another  thing  to  nail  our  ears  to  his  door,  and  say,  '  I 
love  thee,  and  therefore  will  not  depart.' 

So  much  for  the  first  mark  of  one  that  lives  not  as  his  own,  hut 
as  God's,  to  wit,  sincere  self-resignation.  The  second  is  this. 

2.  As  the  heart  is  thus  devoted  to  God,  so  also  is  the  life,  where 
men  do  truly  take  themselves  for  his.  And  that  will  appear  in 
these  three  particulars  : — 

1.  The  principal  study  and  care  of  such  men  is  how  to  please 
God,  and  promote  his  interest,  and  do  his  work.  This  is  it  that 
they  most  seriously  mind  and  contrive.  Their  own  felicity  they 
seek  in  this  way;  1  Cor.  vii.  32.  30.  Rom.  vi.  11.  13.  16. 
Col.  i.  10.  and  iii.  1—3.  Phil.  i.  20,  21.  24.  It  is  not  so  with  the 
unsanctified:  they  drive  on  another  design.  Their  own  work  is 
principally  minded,  and  their  carnal  interest  preferred  to  Christ's* 
They  live  to  the  flesh,  and  make  orovision  for  it,  to  satisfy  its  de- 
sires; Rom.  xiii.  14. 


THF.    ABSOLUTE    DOMINION 

2.  It  is  the  chiefest  delight  of  a  man  devoted  to  God  to  see 
Christ's  interest  prosper  and  prevail.     It  doth  him  more  good  to 
see  the  church  flourish,  tjw   gospel  succeed,  the  souls  of  men 
brought  in  to  God,   and  all  things  fitted  to  his  blessed  pleasure, 
than  it  would  do  him  to  prosper  himself  in  the  world ;  to  do  good 
to  men's  bodies,  much  more  to  their  souls,  is  more  pleasing  to  him 
than  to  be  honorable  or  rich.     To  give  is  sweeter|fc)  him  than  to 
receive.     His  own  matters  he  respects  as  lower  tnmgs,  that  come 
not  so  near  his  heart  as  God's.     But  with  the  unsanctified  it  is  not 
so:  their  prosperity  and  honors  are  most  of  their  delight,  and  the 
absence  of  them  their  greatest  trouble. 

3.  With  a  man  that  is  truly  devoted  to  God,  the  interest  of 
Christ  doth   bear  down  all  contradicting  interest  in  the  ordinary 
course  of  his  life.     As  his  own  unrighteous  righteousness,  so  his 
own  renounced  carnal  interest  is  loss  and  dung  to  him  in  compar- 
ison of  Christ's ;  Phil.  iii.  8,  9.     He  cannot  take  himself  to  be 
a  loser  by  that  which  is  gain  to  the  souls  of  men,  and  tendeth 
to  promote  the  interest  of  his  Lord.     He  serveth  God  with  the 
first  and  best,  and  lets  his  own  work  stand  by  till  Christ's  be  done, 
or  rather  owneth  none  but  Christ's,  his  own  dishonor  being  lighter 
to  him  than  Christ's,  and  a  ruined  estate  less  grievous  than  a  ruined 
church  ;  therefore  doth  he  first  seek  God's  kingdom  and  its  righte- 
ousness, (Matt.  vi.  33.)  and  chooseth  rather  to  neglect  his  flesh, 
his  gain,  his  friends,  his  life,  than  the  cause  and  work  of  Christ. 
It  is  far  otherwise  with  the  unsanctified :  they  will  contentedly  give 
Christ  the  most  glorious  titles,  and  full-mouthed  commendations, 
(Luke  vi.  46.)  but  they  have  one  that  is  nearer  their  hearts  than 
he :   their  carnal  self  must  sway  the  sceptre.     God  shall  have  all 
that  the  flesh  can  spare :  if  he  will  be  content  to  be  served  with  its 
leavings,  they  will  serve  him  ;  if  not,  they  must  be  excused  ;  they 
can  allow  him  no  more.     The  trying  time  is  the  parting  time, 
when  God  or  the  world  must  needs  be  neglected.     In  such  a  strait, 
the   righteous  are  still  righteous;  Rev.  xxii.  11.     But  the  un- 
steadfast  •  in  the  covenant  do  manifest  their  unsteadfastness,  and 
though  they  will  not  part  with  Christ  professedly,  nor  without  some 
witty  distinctions  and  evasions,  nor  without  great  sorrow,  and  pre- 
tense of  continued  fidelity,  yet  part  they  will,  and  shift  for  them- 
selves, and  hold  that  they  have  as  long  as  they  can  ;  Luke  xviii. 
23.     In  a  word,  the  sanctified  are  heartily  devoted  to  God,  and 
live  to  him ;  and  were  they  incapable  of  serving  or  enjoying  him, 
their  lives  vtfould  afford  them  little  content,  whatever  else  they  did 
possess.     But  the  unsanctified  are  more  strongly  addicted  to  their 
flesh,  and  live  to  their  carnal  selves ;  and  might  they  securely  en- 
joy the  pleasures  of  this  world,  they  could  easily  spare  the  fruition 
of  God,  and  could  be  as  willing  to  be  dispensed  with  for  his  spir- 


OF    GOD-HEDEEMER. 


itual  service,  as  to  perform  it.  And  thus  I  have  given  you  the  true 
description  of  those  that  live  to  their  Redeemer,  as  being  not  their 
own,  and  those  that  live  to  themselves,  as  if  they  were  not  his  that 
bought  them. 

Having  thus  told  you  what  the  word  saith,  it  followeth  that  we 
next  inquire  what  your  hearts  say.  You  hear  what  you  must  be  : 
will  you  now  con^der  what  you  are  ?  Are  all  the  people  that  hear 
me  this  day  devored  in  heart  and  life  to  their  Redeemer  ?  Do 
you  all  live  as  Christ's,  and  not  your  own  ?  If  so.  I  must  needs  say  it 
is  an  extraordinary  assembly,  and  such  as  I  had  never  the  happiness 
to  know.  O  that  it  were  so  indeed  !  that  we  might  rejoice  togeth- 
er, and  magnify  our  Deliverer,  instead  of  reprehending  you,  or  la- 
menting your  unhappiness  !  But,  alas  !  we  are  not  such  strangers 
in  the  world  as  to  be  guilty  of  such  a  groundless  judgment.  Let 
us  inquire  more  particularly  into  the  case. 

1.  Are  those  so  sincerely  devoted  to  Christ?  And  do  they  so 
deny  themselves,  whose  daily  thoughts,  and  care,  and  labor,  is, 
how  they  may  live  in  more  reputation  and  content,  and  may  be 
better  provided  for  the  satisfying  of  their  flesh  ?  If  they  be  low 
and  poor,  and  their  condition  is  displeasing  to  them,  their  greatest 
care  is  to  repair  it  to  their  minds  :  if  they  be  higher,  and  more 
wealthy,  their  business  is  to  keep  it,  or  increase  it,  that  hunt  after 
honor,  and  thirst  after  a  thriving  and  more  plenteous  state  ;  that 
can  stretch  their  consciences  to  the  size  of  all  times,  and  humor 
those  that  they  think  may  advance  them,  and  be  most  humble  ser- 
vants to  those  above  them,  and  contemptuously  neglect  whosoever 
is  below  them  ;  that  will  put  their  hands  to  the  feet  of  those  that 
they  hope  to  rise  by,  and  put  their  feet  on  the  necks  of  their  sub- 
dued adversaries,  and  trample  upon  all  that  stand  in  their  way  ; 
that  applaud  not  men  for  their  honesty,  but  their  worldly  honors  ; 
and  will  magnify  that  man,  while  he  is  capable  of  advancing  them, 
whom  they  would  have  scorned,  if  Providence  had  laid  him  in  the 
dust  ;  that  are  friends  to  all  that  befriend  their  interests  and  designs, 
and  enemies  to  the  most  upright  that  cross  them  in  their  course  ; 
that  love  not  men  so  much  because  they  love  God,  as  because  they 
love  them.  Are  these  devoted  to  God  or  to  themselves  ?  Is  it 
for  God,  or  themselves,  that  men  so  industriously  scramble  for 
honors,  and  places  of  government,  or  of  gain  ?  Will  they  use  their 
offices  or  honors  for  God,  that  hunt  after  them  as  a  prey,  as  if 
they  had  not  burden  enough  already,  nor  talents  enough  to  answer 
for  neglecting  ?  Are  those  men  devoted  to  God,  that  can  tread 
down  his  most  unquestionable  interest  on  earth,  when  it  seems  .to 
be  inconsistent  with  their  own  ?  Let  the  gospel  go  down  ;  let  the 
church  be  broken  in  pieces  ;  let  sound  doctrine  be  despised,  the 
ministers  be  hindered,  or  tried  with  vexations  ;  let  the  souls  of  peo- 


THS    XB80LUTK    DOMINION 

pie  sink  or  swim, — rather  than  they  should  be  hindered  in  the  way 
of  ambition  !  I  shall  leave  it  to  the  trial  of  another  day,  whether  all 
the  public  actions  of  this  age,  with  their  effects,  have  been  for  God  or 
for  self.  This  doth  not  belong  to  my  examination,  but  to  his  that 
will  thoroughly  perform  it  ere  long,  and  search  these  matters  to  the 
quick,  and  open  them  to  the  world.  There  were  never  higher 
pretenses  for  God  in  an  age  than  have  been  in  this :  had  there  been 
but  answerable  intentions  and  performances,  his  affairs  and  our  own 
had  been  in  much  better  case  than  they  are ;  but  enough  of  this. 
Should  we  descend  to  men's  particular  families  and  conversations, 
we  should  find  the  matter  little  better  with  the  most.  Are  they 
all  for  God  that  follow  the  world  so  eagerly,  that  they  cannot  spare 
him  a  serious  thought  ?  An  hour's  time  for  his  worship  in  their 
families,  or  in  secret  ?  That  will  see  that  their  own  work  be  done  ; 
but  for  the  souls  of  those  that  are  committed  to  their  charge,  they 
regard  them  not  ?  Let  them  be  ever  so  ignorant,  they  will  not  in- 
struct them,  nor  cause  them  to  read  the  word,  or  learn  a  catechism  ; 
nor  will  spend  the  Lord's  peculiar  day  in  such  exercises;  and 
it  is  much  if  they  hinder  not  those  that  would.  Is  it  for  God 
that  men  give  up  their  hearts  to  this  world,  so  that  they  cannot 
have  once  a  day,  or  week,  to  think  soberly  what  they  must  do  in 
the  next  ?  Or  how  they  may  be  ready  for  their  great  approaching 
change.  Is  it  for  God  that  men  despise  his  ministers,  reject  his 
word,  abhor  reformation,  scorn  a  church  government,  and  deride 
the  persons  that  are  addicted  to  his  fear,  and  the  families  that  call 
upon  his  name  ?  These  men  will  shortly  understand  a  little  better 
than  now  they  will  do,  whether,  indeed,  they  live  to  God  or  to 
themselves. 

2.  If  you  are  devoted  to  God,  what  do  you  for  him  ?  Is  it  his 
business  that  you  mind  ?  How  much  of  your  time  do  you  spend 
for  him  ?  How  much  of  your  speech  is  for  him  ?  How  much  of 
your  estates  yearly  is  serviceable  to  his  interest  ?  Let  conscience 
speak,  whether  he  have  your  studies  and  affections;  let  your  fami- 
lies be  witnesses  whether  he  have  your  speeches  and  best  endeav- 
ors ;  let  the  church  witness  what  you  have  done  for  it ;  and  the  poor 
witness  what  you  have  done  for  them  ;  and  the  souls  of  ignorant  and 
ungodly  men  what  you  have  done  for  them.  Show  by  the  work 
you  have  done  whom  you  have  lived  to,  God  or  your  carnal  selves. 
If,  indeed,  you  have  lived  to  God,  something  will  be  seen  that  you 
have  done  for  him  ;  nay,  it  is  not  a  something  that  will  serve  the 
turn ;  it  must  be  the  best.  Remember  that  it  is  by  your  works 
that  you  shall  be  judged,  and  not  by  your  pretenses,  professions, 
or  compliments :  your  Judge  already  knows  your  case  ;  he  needs 
no  witnesses ;  he  will  not  be  mocked  with  saying  you  are  for  him : 
show  it,  or  saying  it,  will  not  serve. 


OF    COD-REDEEMER.  279 

Methinks,  now,  the  consciences  of  some  of  you  should  prevent 
me,  and  preach  over  the  sharper  part  of  the  sermon  to  yourselves, 
and  say,  '  I  am  the  man  that  have  lived  to  myself,'  and  so  consider 
of  the  consequence  of  such  a  life  ;  but  I  will  leave  this  to  your  med- 
itation, when  you  go  home,  and  next  proceed  to  the  exhortative 
part  of  application. 

Men,  brethren,  and  fathers,  the  business  that  I  come  hither  upon 
is  to  proclaim  God's  right  to  you,  and  all  that  is  yours,  even  his 
new  right  of  redemption,  supposing  that  of  creation ;  and  to  let 
you  know,  that  you  are  all  bought  with  a  price,  and  therefore  are 
not  your  own,  but  his  that  bought  you,  and  must  accordingly  be 
dedicated  and  live  to  him.  Honorable  and  Worshipful,  and  all 
men,  of  what  degree  soever,  I  do  here,  on  the  behalf  and  in  the 
name  of  Christ,  lay  claim  to  you  all,  to  your  souls  and  bodies,  to 
all  your  faculties,  abilities,  and  interests,  on  the  title  of  redemption  : 
all  is  God's.  Do  you  acknowledge  his  title,  and  consent  unto  his 
claim?  What  say  you  ?  Are  you  his,  or  are  you  not  ?  Dare  you 
deny  it?  If  any  man  dare  be  so  bold,  I  am  here  ready  to  make 
good  the  claim  of  Christ.  If  you  dare  not  deny  it,  we  must  take  it 
as  confessed.  Bear  witness,  all,  that  God  laid  claim  to  you  and  yours, 
and  no  man  durst  deny  his  title.  I  do  next,  therefore,  require  you, 
and  command  you,  in  his  name,  give  him  his  own ;  render  to  God  the 
things  that  are  God's.  Will  you  this  day  renounce  your  carnal 
selves,  and  freely  confess  you  are  not  your  own ;  and  cheerfully 
and  unreservedly  resign  yourselves  to  God,  and  say,  as  Jos.  xxiv. 
15.,  "  As  for  me  and  my  household,  we  will  serve  the  Lord  ?  "  Do 
not  ask  what  God  will  do  with  you,  or  how  he  will  use  you,  or 
dispose  of  you.  Trust  him  for  that  and  obey  his  will.  Fear 
not  evil  from  the  chiefest  good,  unless  it  be  in  neglecting  or  resist- 
ing him.  Be  sure  of  it,  God  will  use  you  better  than  Satan  would, 
or  than  this  world  would,  or  better  than  you  have  used,  or  would 
use  yourselves.  He  will  not  employ  you  in  dishonorable  drudge- 
ries, and  then  dash  you  in  pieces.  He  will  not  seduce  you  with 
swinish  sensualities,  and  keep  you  in  play  with  childish  vanities,  till 
you  drop  into  damnation  before  you  are  aware ;  nor  will  he  lull 
you  asleep  in  presumptuous  security,  till  you  unexpectedly  awake 
in  unquenchable  fire.  You  need  not  fear  such  dealing  as  this  from 
him :  "  His  commandments  are  not  grievous  ; "  1  John  v.  3. 
"  His  yoke  is  easy,  his  burden  is  light,  and  tendeth  to  the  perfect 
rest  of  the  soul ; "  Matt.  xi.  28 — 30.  What  say  you  ?  Will  you 
hereafter  be  his,  unfeignedly  his?  Resolvedly,  unreservedly,  and 
constantly  his?  Or  will  you  not  take  heed,  "  that  you  refuse  not 
him  that  speaketh ;  "  Heb.  xii.  25.  Reject  not,  neglect  not  this 
offer,  lest  you  never  have  another  on  the  like  terms  again.  He  is 
willing  to  pardon  all  that  is  past,  and  put  up  with  all  the  wrongs 


280  THE    ABSOLUTE    DOMINION 

that  you  have  done  him,  so  you  will  but  repent  of  them  ;  and  now 
at  last  be  heartily  and  entirely  his  ;  not  only  in  tongue,  but  in  deed 
and  life.  Well,  I  have  proclaimed  God's  right  to  you  ;  I  have 
offered  you  his  gracious  acceptance:  if  yet  you  demur,  or  sleepily 
neglect  it,  or  obstinately  resist  him,  take  that  you  get  by  it ;  re- 
member you  perish  not  without  warning.  The  confession  of 
Christ's  right,  which  this  day  you  have  been  forced  to,  shall  remain 
as  on  record,  to  the  confusion  of  your  faces ;  and  you  shall  then 
be  forced  to  remember,  though  you  had  rather  forget  it,  what  now 
you  are  forced  to  confess,  though  you  had  rather  you  could  deny 
it.  But  I  am  loath  to  leave  you  to  this  prognostic,  or  to  part  on 
terms  so  sad  to  your  souls,  and  sad  to  me.  I  will  add,  therefore, 
some  reasons  to  persuade  you  to  submit ;  and  though  it  be  not  in 
my  power  to  follow  them  so  to  your  hearts  as  to  make  them  effec- 
tual, yet  I  shall  do  my  part  in  propounding  them,  and  leave  them 
to  God  to  set  them  home,  beseeching  him  that  maketh,  new  mak- 
eth,  openeth,  and  softeneth  hearts  at  his  pleasure,  to  do  these  bless- 
ed works  on  yours,  and  to  persuade  you  within,  while  I  a*m  per- 
suading you  without,  that  I  may  not  lose  my  labor  and  my  hopes, 
nor  you  your  souls,  nor  God  his  due. 

1.  Consider  the  fullness  of  God's  right  to  you:  no  creature  is 
capable  of  the  like.     He  made  you  of  nothing,  and,  therefore,  you 
have  nothing  which  is  not  his.     He  redeemed  you  when  you  were 
fallen  to  worse  than  nothing.     Had  not  Christ  ransomed  you  by 
being  a  sacrifice  for  your  sin,  you  had  been  hopelessly  left  to  ever- 
lasting perdition.     Give  him,  therefore,  his  own,  which  he  hath  so 
dearly  bought ;  1  Pet.  i.  18. 

2.  Consider  that  you  have  no  right  of  propriety  to  yourselves ; 
if  you  have,  how  carne  you  by  it?     Did  you  make  yourselves? 
Did  you  redeem  yourselves  ?     Do  you  maintain  and  preserve  your- 
selves ?     If  you  are  your  own,  tell  God  you  will  not  be  beholden 
to  him  for  his  preservation.  Why  cannot  you  preserve  yourselves 
in  health,  if  you  are  your  own?     Why  cannot  you  recover  your- 
selves from  sickness?     Is  it  yourselves  that  gives  power  to  your 
food   to  nourish  you  ?  to  the  earth  to  bear  you,  and  furnish  you 
with  necessaries  ?  to  the  air  to  cool  and  recreate  your  spirits  ?     If 
you  are  your  own,  save  yourselves  from  sickness  and  death  ;  keep 
back  your  age  ;  deliver  your  souls  from  the  wrath  of  God  ;  answer 
his  pure  justice  for  your  own  sins  ;  never  plead  the  blood  of  a  Re- 
deemer, if  you  are  your  own.     If  you  can  do  these  things,  I  will 
yield  that  you  are  your  own.     But   no  man  can  ransom  his  soul 
from  death  ;  it  cost  a  dearer  price  than  so;  Acts  xx.  28.     You 
are  not  debtors,  therefore,  to  the  flesh,  to  live  after  it,  (Rom.  viii. 
12.)  but  to  him  that  died,  to  subdue  the  flesh  ;  Rom.  vi.  11. 

3.  None  else  can  claim  any  title  to  youy^further  than  under  God 


OF    GOD-REDEEMER.  281 

upon  his  gift.  Men  did  not  create  you  or  redeem  you.  "  Be  not, 
therefore,  the  servants  of  men,"  (1  Cor.  vii.  23  )  unless  it  be  under 
Christ,  and  for  him.  Certainly  Satan  did  not  create  you  or  re- 
deem you  :  what  right,  then,  hath  he,  to  you,  that  he  should  be 
served  ? 

4.  Seeing,  then,  that  you  are  God's,  and  his  alone,  is  it  not  the 
most  heinous  thievery  to  rob  him  of  his  right?     If  they  must  be 
hanged  that  rob  men  of  so  small  a  thing  as  earthly  necessaries, 
wherein  they  have  but  an  improper  derived  propriety,  what  tor- 
ments do  those  deserve  "that  rob  God  of  so  precious  a  creature, 
that  cost  him  so  dear,  and  might  be  so  useful,  and  wherein  he  hath 
so  full  and  unquestionable  propriety  ?    The  greatest,  the  richest,  and 
wisest  men  that  are  trusted  with  most,  are  the  greatest  robbers  on 
earth,  if  they  live  not  to  God,  and  shall  have  the  greatest  pun- 
ishment. 

5.  Is  it  not  incomparably  more  honorable  to  be  God's  than  to  be 
your  ewn;  and  to  live  to  him  than  to  yourselves?     The  object 
and  end  doth  nobilitate  the  act,  and  thereby  the  agent.     It  is  more 
honorable  to  serve  a  prince  than  a  ploughman.      That  man  that 
least  seeks  his  own  honor  or  carnal  interest,  but  most  freely  denieth 
it,  and  most  entirely  seeks  the  honor  of  God,  is  the  most  highly 
honored  with  God  and  good  men,  when  self-seekers  defraud  them- 
selves of  their  hopes.     Most  men  think  vilely,  or  at  least  suspi- 
ciously, of  that  man  that  seeks  for  honor  to  himself;  they  think  if 
the  matter  were  combustible,  he  need  not  to  blow  the  fire  so  hard  ; 
if  he  were  worthy  of  honor,  his  vvorth  would  attract  it  by  a  sweet 
magnetic  power :  so  much  industry,  they  think,  is  the  most  proba- 
ble mark  of  indignity,  and    of  some  consciousness  of  it  in  the 
seeker's  breast.     If  he  attain  some  of  his  ends,  men  are  ready  to 
look  on  his  honor  but  as  alms,  which  he  was  fain  to  beg  for  before 
he  got  it.     And  could  he  make  shift  to  ascend  the  throne,  so  much, 
in  the  eyes  of  the  wisest  men,  would  be  detracted  from  his  honor, 
as  they  did  believe  himself  to  have  a  hand   in  contriving  it,  quod 
sequiturfugio,  &,c.     They  honor  him  more  that  refuseth  a  crown 
when  it  is  offered,  than  him  that  ambitiously  aspireth*  after  it,  or 
rapaciously  apprehendeth  it.     If  they  see  a  man  much  desire  their 
applause,  they  think  he  needeth  it  rather  than  deserveth  it.     Sol- 
omon saith,  "  To  search  their  own  glory  is  not  glory ; "  Prov. 
xxv.  27. 

6.  You  can  never  have  a  better  master  than  God,  nor  yet  a 
sweeter  employment  than  his  service.  There  is  nothing  in  him 
that  may  be  the  least  discouragement  to  you,  nor  in  his  works  that 
should  be  distasteful.  The  reason  why  the  world  thinks  otherwise, 
is  because  of  the  distempered  averseness  of  their  souls.  A  sick 
stomach  is  no  fit  judge  of  the  pleasantness  of  meats.  To  live  to 
VOL.  n.  36 


282  THE    ABSOLUTE    DOMINION 

God,  is  to  live  to  the  truest  and  highest  delights.  His  kingdom  is 
not  in  meats  and  drinks,  but  in  righteousness,  peace,  and  joy  in  the 
Holy  Ghost.  His  servants,  indeed,  are  often  troubled;  but  ask 
them  the  reason,  and  they  will  quickly  tell  you  that  it  is  not  for 
being  his  servants,  or  for  serving  him  too  much  ;  but  for  fear  lest 
they  are  not  his  servants,  or  for  serving  him  no  better.  It  is  not 
in  his  ways,  or  at  least  not  for  them,  that  they  meet  with  their  per- 
plexities, but  in  stepping  out  of  them,  and  wandering  in  their  own. 
Many,  besides  the  servants  of  God,  do  seek  felicity  and  satis- 
faction to  their  minds,  and  some  discover  where  it  lieth  ;  but 
only  they  attain  it,  and  enjoy  it. 

But,  on  the  contrary,  he  hath  an  ill  master  that  is  ruled  by  him- 
self. A  master  that  is  blind,  and  proud,  and  passionate,  that  will 
lead  you  unto  precipices,  and  thence  deject  you ;  that  will  most 
effectually  ruin  you  when  he  thinks  he  is  doing  you  the  greatest 
good ;  whose  work  is  bad,  and  his  wages  no  better ;  that  feedeth 
his  servants  in  plenty  but  as  swine,  and  in  the  day  of  famine  de- 
nieth  them  the  husks.  Whatever  you  may  now  imagine  while 
you  are  distracted  with  sensuality,  I  dare  say,  if  ever  God  bring 
you  to  yourselves,  you  will  consider  that  it  is  better  to  be  in  your 
Father's  house,  where  the  poorest  servant  hath  bread  enough, 
than  to  be  fed  with  dreams  and  pictures,  and  to  perish  with  hunger. 
Reject  not  God  till  you  have  found  a  better  master. 

7.  If  you  will  needs  be  your  own,  and  seek  yourselves,  you 
disengage  God  from  dealing  with  you  as  his  in  a  gracious  sense.     If 
you  will  not  trust  him,  nor  venture  yourselves  upon  his  promise 
and  conduct,  but  will  shift  for  yourselves,  then  look  to  yourselves 
as  well  as  you  can  ;  save  yourselves  in  danger,  cure  your  own  dis- 
eases, quiet  your  own  consciences,  grapple  with  death  in  your  own 
strength,  plead  your  own  cause  in  judgment,  and  save  yourselves 
from  hell  if  you  can  ;  and  when  you  have  done,  go  and  boast  of 
your  own  sufficiency  and  achievements,  and  tell  men  how  little 
you  were  beholden  to  Christ.     Wo  to  you,  if,  upon  these  provo- 
cations, God  should  give  you  over  to  provide  for  yourselves,  and 
leave  you  without  any  other  salvation  than  your  own  power  is  able 
to  effect.     Mark  the  connection  of  this  sin  and  punishment  in  Deut. 
xxxii.  18 — 20.     Of  the  Rock  that  begat  thee  thou  art  unmindful, 
and  hast  forgotten  God  that  formed  thee.     And  when  the   Lord 
saw  it,  he  abhorred  them,  because  of  the  provoking  of  his  sons  and 
of  his  daughters;  and  he  said,  "  I  will  hide  my  face  from  them,  I 
will  see  what  their  end  shall  be."     As  if  he  should  say,  I  will  see 
how  well  they  can  save  themselves,  and  make  them  know  by  ex- 
perience their  own  insufficiency. 

8.  Those  men  that  seek  themselves,  and  live  to  themselves, 
and  not  to  God.  are  unfaithful  and  treacherous  both  to  God  and 


OF    GOD-REDEEMER. 


man.  As  they  neglect  God  in  prosperity,  so  they  do  but  flatter 
him  in  adversity  ;  Psalm  Ixxviii.  34—37.  And  he  that  will 
be  false  to  God,  whose  interest  in  him  is  so  absolute,  is  unlikely 
to  be  true  to  men,  whose  interest  in  him  is  infinitely  less  ;  he 
that  can  shake  off  the  great  obligations  of  creation,  redemption, 
preservation,  and  provision,  which  God  layeth  on  him,  is  unlikely 
to  be  held  by  such  slender  obligations  as  he  receives  from  men.  I 
will  never  trust  that  man  far,  if  I  know  him,  that  is  false  to  his 
Redeemer.  He  that  will  sell  his  God,  his  Savior,  his  soul  and 
heaven  for  a  little  sensuality,  vain  glory,  or  worldly  wealth,  I  shall 
not  wonder  if  he  sell  his  best  friend  for  a  groat.  Self-seeking 
men  will  take  you  for  their  friend  no  longer  than  you  serve  their 
turns  ;  but  if  once  you  need  them,  or  stand  in  their  way,  you  shall 
find  what  they  esteemed  you  for.  He  that  is  in  haste  to  be  rich, 
and  thereupon  respecteth  persons  for  a  piece  of  bread,  that  man 
will  transgress,  saith  Solomon;  Prov.  xxviii.  20,  21. 

9.  Sanctification  consisteth  in  your  hearty  resignation  and  living 
to  God  ;  and,  therefore,  you  are  unsanctified  if  you  are  destitute 
of  this.     "  Without  holiness    none    shall  see   God  ;  "  Heb.    xii. 
14.     And  what  is  holiness  but  our  sincere  dedication  and  devoted- 
ness  to  God  ?     Being  no  longer  common  an,d  unclean,  but  separa- 
ted in  resolution,  affection,  and  conversation,  from  the  world  and 
our  carnal  selves  to  him.     It  is  the  office  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to 
work  you  to  this  ;  and  if  you  resist  and  refuse  it,  you  do  not  sound- 
ly believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  but,  instead  of  believing  in  him,  you 
fight  against  him. 

10.  You  are  verbally  devoted  to  Christ  in  solemn  covenant,  en- 
tered into  in  baptism,  and  frequently  renewed  in  the  Lord's  sup- 
per, and  at  other  seasons.     Did  you  not  there  solemnly,  by  your 
parents,  resign  yourself  to  Christ  as  his  ?     And  renounce  the  flesh, 
the  world,  and  the  devil,  and  promise  to  fight  under  Christ's  ban- 
ner against  them  to  your  lives'  end  ?     O  happy  person  that  per- 
formeth  this  covenant,  and  everlastingly  miserable  are  they   that 
do  not.     Fides  non  recepta,  scd  custodita  vivificat,  saith  Cyprian. 
It  is  not  covenant-making,  without  covenant-keeping,  that  is  like 
to  save  you.     Do  you  stand   to  the  covenant  that  you  made  by 
your  parents  ?     Or  do  you  disclaim  it  ?     If  you  disclaim  it,  you 
renounce  your  part  in  Christ,  and  his  benefits  in  that  covenant 
made  over  to  you.     If  you  stand  to  it,  you  must  perform  your 
promise,  and  live  to  God,  to  whom  you  were  resigned.     To  take 
God's  oath  of  allegiance  so  solemnly,  and  afterward  to  turn  to  his 
enemies  which  we  renounced,  is  a  rebellion  that  shall  not  be  al- 
ways unrevenged. 

11.  God's  absolute  dominion  and  sovereignty  over  us  is  the  very 
foundation  of  all  religion,  even  of  that  little  which  is  found  left 


*H4 


THE    ABSOLUTE    DOMINION 


among  infidels  and  pagans,  much  more  evidently  of  the  saving  re- 
ligion of  Christians.  He  that  dare  say  he  believeth  not  this,  will 
never,  sure,  have  the  face  to  call  himself  a  Christian.  Is  it  not  a 
matter  of  most  sad  consideration,  that  ever  so  many  millions  should 
think  to  be  saved  by  a  doctrine  which  they  believe  not,  or  by  a  reli- 
gion that  never  went  deeper  than  the  brain,  and  is  openly  contra- 
dicted by  the  tenor  of  their  lives  ?  Is  a  true  religion  enough  to 
save  you,  if  you  be  not  true  to  that  religion  ?  How  do  men  make 
shift  to  quiet  their  consciences  in  such  gross  hypocrisy  ?  Is  there 
a  man  to  be  found  in  this  congregation  that  will  not  confess  that  he 
is  rightfully  his  Redeemer's  ?  But  hath  he  indeed  their  hearts, 
their  time,  their  strength,  and  their  interest?  Follow  some  of 
them  from  morning  to  night,  and  you  shall  not  hear  one  serious 
word  for  Christ,  nor  see  any  serious  endeavors  for  his  interest ;  and 
yet  men  will  profess  that  they  are  his.  How  sad  a  case  is  it,  that 
men's  own  confessions  should  condemn  them,  and  that  which  they 
called  their  religion  should  judge  them  to  that  everlasting  misery 
which  they  thought  it  would  have  saved  them  from !  And  ho\v 
glorious  would  the  Christian  religion  appear  if  men  were  true  to  it ; 
if  Christ's  doctrine  had  its  full  impression  on  their  hearts,  and  were 
expressed  in  their  livesj  Is  he  not  an  excellent  person  that  denieth 
himself,  and  doth  all  for  God  ?  that  goeth  on  no  business  but  God's  ? 
that  searcheth  out  God's  interest  in  every  part  of  his  calling  and 
employment ;  and  intendeth  that,  "  whether  he  eat  or  drink,  or 
whatever  he  doth,  doth  all  to  the  glory  of  God ; "  (1  Cor.  x.  31.) 
that  can  say,  as  Paul,  "  I  am  crucified  with  Christ,  nevertheless 
I  live,  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me  ?  "  (Gal.  ii.  20.)  and 
"  What  things  were  gain  to  me,  those  I  counted  loss  for  Christ: 
yea,  doubtless,  and  I  count  all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of 
the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord,  for  whom  I  have  suffered 
the  loss  of  all  things,  and  do  count  them  but  dung,  that  I  may  win 
Christ  ?  "  (Phil.  iii.  7,  8.)  and  "For  me  to  live  is  Christ,  and  to  die 
is  gain  ?  "  Phil.  i.  21.  Perhaps  you  think  that  the  degree  of  these 
examples  is  inimitable  by  us  ;  but  I  am  sure  all  that  will  be  saved 
must  imitate  them  in  the  truth. 

12.  Self-seeking  is  self-losing,  and  delivering  up  yourself,  and 
all  you  have,  to  God,  is  the  only  way  to  save  yourselves  and  to 
secure  all.  The  more  you  are  his,  the  more  you  are  your  own  in- 
deed ;  and  the  more  you  deliver  to  him,  and  expend  for  him,  the 
greater  is  your  gain.  These  paradoxes  are  familiar,  tried  truths  to 
the  true  believer  ;  these  are  his  daily  food  and  exercise,  which  seem 
to  others  such  scorpions,  as  they  dare  not  touch,  or  such  stones  as 
they  are  not  able  to  digest.  He  knoweth  that  self-humbling  is  the 
true  self-exalting,  and  self-exalting  is  the  infallible  way  to  be  brought 
low;  Luke  xiv.  11.  and  xviii.  14.  Matt,  xxiii.  12.  He  be- 


OF    GOD-REDEEMER.  285 

lieveth  that  there  is  a  losing  of  life  which  saves  it,  and  a  saving  of 
it  which  certainly  loseth  it ;  Matt.  x.  39.   and  xvi.  25.     O  that 
I  could  reach  the  hearts  of  self-seekers,  that  spend  their  care  and 
time  for  their  bodies,  and  live  not  unto  God  !     That  I  were  but 
able  to  make  them  see  the  issue  of  their  course,  and  what  it  would 
profit  them  to  "  win  all  the  world  and  lose  their  own  souls."     O, 
all  you  busy  men  of  this  world,  hearken  to  the   proclamation  of 
him  that  bought  you — "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to 
the  waters!     Buy  wine  and   milk  without  money  and   without 
price.     Wherefore  do  you  spend  money  for  that  which  is  not 
bread,  and  your  labor  for  that  which  satisfieth  not?     Hearken  dil- 
igently to  me,  and  eat  ye  that  which  is  good,  and  let  your  soul  de- 
light itself  in  fatness.     Incline  your  ear,  and  corne  unto  me  :  hear, 
and  your  soul  shall  live,  and  I  will  make  an  everlasting  covenant 
with  you  ; "  Isaiah  Iv.  1 — 3.     O,  sirs,  what  a  deal  of  care  and 
labor  do  you  lose  !     How  much  more  gainfully  might  your  lives 
be  improved  ?     Godliness  with  contentment  "  is  the  great  gain ; " 
1  Tim.  vi.  9.     That  which  you  now  think  you  make  your  own, 
will  shortly  prove  to  be  least  your  own  ;  and  that  is  most  lost  which 
you  so  carefully  labor  for.     You  that  are  now  so  idly  busy  in  gath- 
ering together  the  treasure  of  an  ant-hillock,  and  building  chil- 
dren's tottering  piles,  do  you  forget  that  the  foot  of  death  is  coming 
to  spurn  it  all  abroad,  and  tread  down  you  and  it  together  ?     You 
spend  the  day  of  life  and  visitation  in  painting  your  phantasies  with 
the  images  of  felicity,  and  in  dressing  yourselves,  and  feathering 
your  nest  with  that  which  you  impiously  steal  from  God ;  and  do 
you   forget  that  the  night  of  blackness  is  at  hand,  when  God  will 
undress  you  of  your  temporary  contents,  and  deplume  you  of  all 
your  borrowed  bravery  ?     How  easily,  how  speedily,  how  certainly 
will  he  do  it !     Read  over  your  case  in  Luke  xii.  16 — 22.     How 
can  you  make  shift  to  read  such  texts,  and  not  perceive  that  they 
speak  to  you  ?     When  you  are  pulling  down  and  building  up,  and 
contriving  what  to  do  with  your  fruits,  and  saying  to  yourselves, '  I 
have  so  much  now  as  may  serve  me  so  many  years  ;  I  will  take 
mine  ease,  eat,  drink,  and  be  merry  ; '  remember,  then,  the  con- 
clusion ;  but  God  said  unto  him,  "Thou  fool,  this  night  thy  soul 
shall  be  required  of  thee.     Then   whose  shall   these   things  be 
which  thou  hast  provided  ?  "     So  is  he  that  layeth  up  treasure  for 
himself,  and  is  not  rich  towards  God.     '  Are  these  things  yours  or 
mine  ?  (saith  God.)     Whose  are  they  ?     If  they  are  yours,  keep 
them  now  if  you  can:  either  stay  with  them,  or  take  them  with 
you.'     But  God  will  make  you  know  that  they  are  hte,  and  dis- 
robe such  men  as  thieves,  who  are  adorned  with  that  which  is  none 
of  their  own.     '  This  honor  (saith  God)  is  mine ;  thou  hast  sto- 
len it  from  me :  this  wealth  is  mine  ;  this  life,  and  all  is  mine ; ' 


286  THE    ABSOLUTE    DOMINION 

only  thyself  he  will  not  own.  They  shall  require  thy  soul  that 
have  conquered  and  ruled  it.  Though  it  was  his  by  the  right  of 
creation  and  redemption,  yet,  seeing  it  was  not  his  by  a  free  dedi- 
cation, he  will  not  own  it  as  to  everlasting  salvation,  but  say,  "  De- 
part from  me  ;  I  know  you  not,  ye  workers  of  iniquity  ;  "  Matt.  vii. 
23.  O  with  what  hearts,  then,  will  self-seeking  gentlemen  part 
with  their  honors  and  estates,  and  the  earthly-minded  with  their 
beloved  possessions  !  when  he  that  resigned  all.'to  God,  and  de- 
voted himself  and  all  to  his  service,  shall  find  his  consumed  estate 
to  be  increased,  his  neglected  honor  abundantly  repaired,  and  in 
this  life  he  shall  receive  an  hundred  fold,  and  in  the  world  to 
come  eternal  life  ;  Matt.  x.  30.  John  iv.  56.  1  Tim.  vi.  12.  19. 
13.  Lastly  ;  consider,  when  judgment  comes,  inquiry  will  be 
made  whether  you  have  lived  as  your  own,  or  as  his  that  bought 
you.  Then  he  will  require  his  own  with  improvement ;  Luke 
xix.  25.  The  great  business  of  that  day  will  be,  not  so  much 
to  search  after  particular  sins,  or  duties,  which  were  contrary  to 
the  scope  of  heart  and  life,  but  to  know  whether  you  lived  to 
God,  or  to  your  flesh  ;  whether  your  time,  and  care,  and  wealth, 
were  expended  for  Christ  in  his  members  and  interest,  or  for  your 
carnal  selves  ;  Matt.  xxv.  Inasmuch  as  you  did  it  not  to  these, 
you  did  it  not  to  him.  You  that  Christ  hath  given  authority  to, 
shall  then  be  accountable  whether  you  improved  it  to  his  advantage. 
You  that  he  hath  given  honor  to,  must  then  give  account  whether 
you  improved  it  to  his  honor.  In  the  fear  of  God,  sirs,  cast  up 
your  accounts  in  time,  and  bethink  you  what  answer  will  then 
stand  good.  It  will  be  a  doleful  hearing  to  a  guilty  soul,  when 
Christ  shall  say,  '  I  gave  thee  thirty  or  forty  years'  time  ;  thy  flesh 
had  so  much'in  eating  and  drinking,  and  sleeping,  and  laboring,  in 
idleness  and  vain  talking,  and  recreations,  and  other  vanities  ;  but 
where  was  my  part  ?  How  much  was  laid  out  for  the  promotion 
of  my  glory  ?  I  lent  you  so  much  of  the  wealth  of  the  world  ; 
so  much  was  spent  on  your  backs,  and  so  much  on  your  bellies  ; 
so  much  on  costly  toys  or  superfluities  ;  so  much  in  revengeful  suits 
and  contentions ;  and  so  much  was  left  behind  for  your  posterity ; 
but  where  was  my  part  ?  How  much  was  laid  out  to  further  the 
gospel,  and  to  relieve  the  souls  or  the  bodies  of  your  brethren?  I 
gave  thee  a  family,  and  committed  them  to  thy  care  to  govern 
them  for  me,  and  fit  them  for  my  service ;  but  how  didst  thou  per- 
form it  ? '  O,  brethren,  bethink  you  in  time  what  answer  to  make 
to  such  interrogatories  :  your  Judge  hath  told  you  that  your  doom 
must  then  pass  according  as  you  have  improved  your  talents  for 
him ;  and  that  he  that  hideth  his  talent,  though  he  give  God  his 
own,  "  shall  be  cast  into  utter  darkness,  where  is  weeping  and 
gnashing  of  teeth  ;  "  Matt.  xxv.  30.  How  easily  will  Christ,  then, 


OF    GOD-KEDEEMER.  297 

evince  his  right  in  you,  and  convince  you  that  it  was  your  duty  to 
have  lived  unto  him  ?  Do  you  think,  sirs,  that  you  shall  then  have 
the  face  to  say,  '  1  thought,  Lord,  that  I  had  been  made  and  re- 
deemed for  myself?  I  thought  I  had  nothing  to  do  on  earth,  but 
live  in  as  much  plenty  as  I  could,  and  pleasure  to  my  flesh,  and 
serve  thee  on  the  by,  that  thou  mightest  continue  my  prosperity, 
and  save  me  when  I  could  keep  the  world  no  longer  ?  I  knew  not 
that  I  was  thine,' and  should  have  lived  to  thy  glory?'  If  any  of 
you  plead  thus,  what  store  of  arguments  hath  Christ  to  silence 
you  !  He  will  then  convince  you  that  his  title  to  you  was  not 
questionable.  He  will  prove  that  thou  wast  his  by  thy  very  being, 
and  fetch  unanswerable  arguments  from  every  part  and  faculty  :  he 
will  prove  it  from  his  incarnation,  his  life  of  humiliation,  his  bloody 
sweat,  his  crown  of  thorns,  his  cross,  his  grave.  He  that  had  wounds 
to  show  after  his  resurrection,  for  the  convincing  of  a  doubting  disci- 
ple, will  have  such  scars  to  show  then,  as  shall  suffice  to  convince 
a  self-excusing  rebel.  All  these  shall  witness  that  he  was  thy 
rightful  Lord.  He  will  prove  it  also  from  the  discoveries  of  his 
word,  from  the  warnings  of  his  ministers,  from  the  mercies  which 
thou  receivedst  from  him,  that  thou  wast  not  ignorant  of  his  right, 
and  of  thy  duty  ;  or  at  least  not  ignorant  for  want  of  means.  He 
will  prove  it  from  thy  baptismal  covenant  and  renewed  engagements. 
The  congregation  can  witness  that  you  did  promise  to  be  his,  and 
seal  to  it  by  the  reception  of  both  his  sacraments.  And  as  he  will 
easily  prove  his  right,  so  will  he  as  easily  prove  that  you  denied  it 
to  him.  He  will  prove  it  from  your  works,  from  the  course  of 
your  life,  from  the  stream  of  your  thoughts,  from  your  love,  your 
desires,  and  the  rest  of  the  affections  of  your  disclosed  hearts. 

O,  brethren,  what  a  day  will  that  be,  when  Christ  shall  come 
in  person,  with  thousands  of  his  angels,  to  sit  in  judgment  on  the 
rebellious  world,  and  claim  his  due,  which  is  now  denied  him ! 
When  plaintiff  and  defendant,  witnesses  and  jurors,  counsellors  and 
justices,  judges,  and  all  the  princes  on  earth,  shall  stand  equal  be- 
fore the  impartial  Judge,  expecting  to  be  sentenced  to  their  un- 
changeable state!  Then,  if  a  man  should  ask  you,  '  What  think 
you  now,  sir,  of  living  to  God  ?  Is  it  better  to  be  devoted  to  him, 
or  to  the  flesh  ?  Which  now  do  you  take  for  the  better  master  ? 
What  would  you  do  now  if  it  were  all  to  do  again  ?  What  would 
you  then  say  to  such  a  question  ?  How  would  you  answer  it  ? 
Would  you  make  as  light  of  it  as  now  you  do  ? '  O,  sirs,  you  may 
hear  these  things  now  from  your  poor  fellow-creature,  as  proud- 
hearted  gallants,  or  as  self-conceited  deriders,  or  as  besotted  world- 
lings, or  senseless  blocks,  or  secret  infidels,  that  as  those  (Deut. 
xxix.  19.)  do  bless  themselves  in  their  hearts,  and  say,  'We  shall 
have  peace,  though  we  walk  in  the  imagination  of  our  .hearts.' 


THE    ABSOLUTE    DOMINION 


But  then  you  will  hear  them  as  trembling  prisoners.  Read  the 
20th  verse  at  leisure.  Such  a  sight  will  work  when  words  will 
not,  especially  words  not  believed,  nor  considered  of.  When  you 
shall  see  the  God  that  you  disowned,  the  Redeemer  whom  you 
neglected,  the  glory  which  you  forfeited,  by  preferring  the  pleas- 
ures of  the  flesh  before  it,  the  saints  triumphing  whom  you  refus- 
ed to  imitate,  and  a  doleful  eternity  of  misery  to  be  remedilessly 
endured,  then  saints  will  seem  wiser  men  in  your  eyes ;  and  how 
gladly  would  you  then  be  such  !  But  O,  too  late  !  What  a  thing 
is  it,  that  men  who  say  they  believe  such  a  judgment,  and  ever- 
lasting life  and  death,  as  all  Christians  profess  to  do,  can  yet  read, 
and  hear,  and  talk  of  such  things  as  insensibly  as  if  they  were 
dreams  or  fables  !  I  know  it  is  the  nature  of  sin  to  deceive,  and 
of  a  sinful  heart  to  be  too  willing  of  such  deceiving ;  and  it  is  the 
business  of  Satan  by  deceiving  to  destroy,  and  with  the  most  spe- 
cious baits  to  angle  for  souls  ;  and  therefore  I  must  expect  that  those 
of  you  that  are  taken,  and  are  the  nearest  to  the  pit,  should  be  least 
fearful  of  the  danger,  and  most  confident  to  escape,  though  you  are 
conscious  that  you  live  not  to  God,  but  to  yourselves.  But  for  my 
part,  I  have  read  and  considered  what  God  saith  in  his  word,  and  1 
have  found  such  evidence  of  its  certain  truth,  that  I  heartily  wish 
that  I  might  rather  live  on  a  dunghill,  and  be  the  scorn  of  the  world, 
and  spend  my  few  days  in  beggary  and  calamity,  than  that  I  should 
stand  before  the  Lord,  my  Judge,  in  the  case  of  that  man,  whatever 
he  be,  that  is  not  in  heart  and  life  devoted  unto  God,  but  liveth  to 
his  flesh.  For  I  know  that  if  we  live  after  the  flesh,  we  shall  die; 
Rom.  viii.  13.  1  had  rather  lie  here  in  Lazarus's  poverty,  and 
want  the  compassion  and  relief  of  man,  than  to  be  clothed  with 
the  best,  and  fare  deliciously,  and  hereafter  be  denied  a  drop  of 
water  to  cool  the  flames  of  the  wrath  of  God. 

I  confess  this  is  likely  to  seem  but  harsh  and  ungrateful  preach- 
ing to  many  of  you.  Some  pleasant  jingles,  or  witty  sayings,  or 
shreds  of  reading,  and  pretty  cadency  of  neat  expressions,  were 
likelier  to  be  accepted,  and  procure  applause  with  them  who  had 
rather  have  their  ears  and  fantasy  tickled  than  rubbed  so  roughly, 
and  be  roused  from  their  ease  and  pleasing  dreams.  But  shall  I 
preach  for  myself,  while  I  pretend  to  be  preaching  you  from  your- 
selves to  God  ?  Shall  I  seek  myself,  while  I  am  preaching  of  the 
everlasting  misery  of  self-seekers?  God  forbid.  Sirs,  I  know  the 
terrors  of  the  Lord,  (2  Cor.  v.  11.)  I  believe,  and  therefore  speak. 
Were  I  a  Christian  no  deeper  than  the  throat,  I  would  fish  for  my- 
self, and  study  more  to  please  you  than  to  save  you.  I  love  not 
to  make  a  needless  stir  in  men's  consciences,  nor  to  trouble  their 
peace  by  a  doctrine  which  I  do  not  believe  myself.  But  I  believe 
that  our  Judge  is  even  at  the  door,  and  that  we  shall  shortly  see 


liim  coming  in  his  glory,  and  the  host  of  heaven  attending  him  with 
acclamations.  In  the  mean  time,  your  particular  doom  draws  on  ; 
the  fashion  of  all  these  things  passeth  away  :  as  those  seats  will 
anon  be  empty  when  you  are  departed,  so  it  is  but  a  moment  till 
all  your  habitations  shall  change  their  possessors,  and  the  places 
of  your  abode,  and  too  great  delight,  shall  know  you  no  more.  I 
must  needs  speak  to  you  as  to  transient,  itinerant  mortals,  who 
must,  ere  long,  be  carried  on  men's  shoulders  to  the  dust,  and  there 
be  left  by  those  that  must  shortly  follow  you  ;  then  farewell  honors 
and  fleshly  delights ;  farewell  all  the  accommodations  and  contents 
of  this  world.  O  that  you  had  sooner  bid  them  farewell!  Had 
you  lived  to  Christ  as  you  did  to  them,  he  would  not  so  have  turn- 
ed you  off,  nor  have  left  your  dislodged  souls  to  utter  desolation. 

In  a  word,  as  sure  as  the  word  of  God  is  true,  if  you  own  him 
not  now  as  your  Lord  and  Sovereign,  he  will  not  own  you  then  as 
his  chosen  to  salvation.  And  if  now  you  live  not  to  him,  you 
shall  not  then  live  with  him.  "  Be  not  deceived,  God  is  not 
mocked.  For  whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap. 
For  he  that  soweth  to  his  flesh,  shall  of  the  flesh  reap  corruption, 
but  he  that  soweth  to  the  Spirit,  shall  of  the  Spirit  reap  everlasting 
life .;"  Gal.  v.  7,  8.  "  Consider  this,  ye  that  forget  God,  lest  he 
should  tear  you  in  pieces,  and  there  be  none  to  deliver  you;" 
Psalm  1.  22. 

Beloved  hearers,  believe  as  you  pretend  to  believe,  and  then 
live  as  you  do  believe.  If  you  believe  that  you  are  not  your  own, 
but  his  that  made  you,  and  bought  you  with  a  price,  and  that  he 
will  thus  try  you  for  your  lives  and  everlasting  comforts  on  this 
question,  whether  you  have  lived  to  him,  or  to  yourselves,  then 
live  as  men  that  do  indeed  believe  it.  Let  your  religion  be  visible, 
as  well  as  audible,  and  let  those  that  see  your  lives,  and  observe 
the  scope  of  your  endeavors,  see  that  you  believe  it.  But  if 
you  believe  not  these  things,  but  are  infidels  in  your  hearts,  and 
think  you  shall  feel  neither  pain  nor  pleasure  when  this  life  is 
ended,  but  that  man  dieth  as  the  beast,  then  I  cannot  wonder  if 
you  live  as  you  believe.  He  that  thinks  he  shall  die  like  a  dog, 
is  like  enough  to  live  like  a  dog,  even  in  his  filthiness,  and  in 
snarling  for  the  bones  of  Worldly  vanities,  which  the  children  do 
contemn. 

Having  spoken  thus  much  by  way  of  exhortation,  I  shall  add  a 
few  words  for  your  more  particular  direction,  that  you  may  see  to 
what  my  exhortation  doth  tend,  and  it  may  not  be  lost. 

1.  Be  sure  that  you  look  to  the  uprightness  of  your  heart,  in 
this  great  business  of  devoting  yourselves  to  God ;  especially  see, 

1.  That  you  discern,  and  soundly  believe,  that  excellency  in 
God  which  is  not  in  the  creature,  and  that  perfect  felicity  in  his 
VOL.  ii.  37 


200  THK    ABSOLUTE    DOMINION 

love,  and  in  the  promised  glory,  which  will  easily  pay  for  all  your 
losses. 

2.  And  that  upon  a  deliberate  comparing  him  with  the  pleasures 
of  this  world,  you  do  resolvedly  renounce  them,  and  dedicate  your- 
selves to  him. 

3.  And  especially  that  you  search  carefully  lest  any  reserve 
should  lurk  in  your  hearts,  and  you  should  not  deliver  up  your- 
selves to  him  absolutely,  for  life  and  death,  for  better  and  worse, 
but  should  still  retain  some  hopes  of  an  earthly  felicity,  and  not 
take  the  unseen  felicity  for  your  portion.    "  It  is  the  lot  of  the  wick- 
ed to  have  their  portion  in  this  life;"     Psalm  xvii.  14.     And  let 
me  here  warn  you  of  one  delusion,  by  which  many  thousands  have 
perished,  and  cheated  themselves  out  of  their  everlasting  hopes. 
They  think  that  it  is  only  some  grosser  disgraceful  sins,  as  swear- 
ing, drunkenness,  whoredom,  injustice,  &tc.,  that  will  prove  men's 
perdition,  and  because  they  are  not  guilty  of  these,  they  are  secure, 
when,  as  it  is  the  predominancy  of  the  interest  of  the  flesh  against 
the  interest  of  God  in  their  hearts  and  lives,  that  is  the  certain 
evidence  of  a  state  of  damnation,  winch  way  soever  it  be  that  this 
is  expressed.     Many  a  civil  gentleman  hath  his  heart  more  addict- 
ed to  his  worldly  interest,  and  less  to  God,  than  some  whoremongers 
and  drunkards.     If  you  live  with  good  reputation  for  civility,  yea, 
for  extraordinary  ingenuity,  yea,  for  religious  zeal,  and  no  disgrace- 
ful vice  is  perceived  in  your  lives,  yet  if  your  hearts  be  on  these 
things  which  you  possess,  and  you  love  your  present  enjoyments 
better  than  God,  and  the  glory  that  he  hath  promised,  your  case 
is  as  dangerous  as  the  publicans'  and  harlots.'     You  may  spend 
your  days  in  better  reputation,  but  you  will  end  them  in  as  certain 
desolation  as  they.     The  question  is  only  whether  God  have  your 
hearts  and  lives,  and  not  whether  you  denied  them  to  him  with  a 
plausible  civility.     Nay,  it  is  merely  for  their  carnal  selves  to  pre- 
serve their  reputation,  that  some  men  do  forbear  those  grosser 
crimes,  when  yet  God  hath  as  little  of  them  as  of  the  more  visible 
profane.     "  Love  not  the  world,  nor  the  things  that  are  in  the 
world.     If  any  man  love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in 
him  ;"   1  John  ii.  15. 

2.  If  you  are  wholly  God's,  live  wholly  to  him  ;  at  least  do  not 
stint  him,  and  grudge  him  your  service.  It  is  grown  the- com- 
mon conceit  of  the  world,  that  a  life  of  absolute  dedication  to 
God  is  more  ado  than  needs.  '  What  needs  all  this  ado  ? '  say 
they.  'Cannot  you  be  saved  with  less  ado  than  this?'  I  will 
now  demand  of  these  men  but  an  answer  to  these  few  sober 
questions  : — 

1.  Do  you  fear  giving  more  to  God  than  his  due  ?  Is  not  all 
his  own?  And  how  can  you  give  him  more  than  all? 


OF    fOD-REDEKMF.R.  291 

2.  He  is  not  so  backward  in  giving  to  you,  that  cm'es  you  noth- 
ing; but  gives  you  plenty,  variety,  and  continuance  of  all  the  good 
you  enjoy ;  and  do  you  think  you  well  requite  him  ? 

3.  Christ  said  not  of  his  life  and  precious  blood,  it  is  too  much  ; 
and  will  you  say  of  your  poor,  unprofitable  service,  it  is  too  much  ? 

4.  Whom  will  you  give  that  to  which   you  spare  from  God  ? 
That  time,  and  study,  and  love,  and  labor  ?     To  any  that  hath 
more  right  to  it,  or  better  deserves  it,  or  will  better  reward  you 
than  he  will  do  ? 

5.  Are  you  afraid  of  being  losers  by  him  ?     Have  you  cause  for 
such  fears  ?     Is  he  unfaithful  or  unable  to  perform  his  promises  ? 
Will  you  repent  when  you  come  to  heaven  that  you  did  too  much 
to  get  it  ?     Will  not  that  blessedness  pay  you  to  the  full  ? 

6.  What  if  you  had  no  wages  but  your  work  ?     Is  it  not  better 
to  live  to  God  than  to  man  ?     Is  not  purity  better  than  impurity  ? 
If  feasting  be  grievous,  it  is  because  you  are  sick.     If  the  mire  be 
your  pleasure,  it  is  because  you  are  swine,  and  not  because  the 
condition  is  desirable. 

7.  Will  it  comfort  you  more  in  the  reckoning  and  review  to 
have  laid  out  yourselves  for  God,  or  for  the  world  ?     Will  you  then 
wish  that  you  had  done  less  for  heaven,  or  for  earth  ?     Sirs,  these 
questions  are  easily  answered,  if  you  are  but  willing  to  consider 
them. 

8.  Doth  it  beseem  those  to  be  afraid  of  giving  God  too  much, 
that  are  such  bankrupts  as  we  are,  and  are  sure  that  we  shall  not 
give  him  the  twentieth  part  of  his  due,  if  we  do  the  best  we  can, 
and  when  the  best,  that  are  scorned  by  the  world  for  their  forward- 
ness, do  abhor  themselves  for  their  backwardness  ?     Yea,  could  we 
do  all,  we  are  but  unprofitable  servants,  and  should  do  but  our 
duty  ;  Luke  xvii.  10.     Alas  !   how  little  cause  have  we  to   fear 
lest  we  should  give  God  too  much  of  our  hearts,  or  of  our  lives ! 

3.  If  you  are  not  your  own,  remember  that  nothing  else  is  your 
own.     What  can  be  more  your  own  than  yourselves? 

1 .  Your  parts  and  abilities  of  mind  or  body  are  not  your  own  ; 
use  them,  therefore,  for  him  that  owneth  them. 

2.  Your  authority  and   dignities  are  not  your  own ;  see,  there- 
fore, that  you  make  the  best  of  them  for  him  that  lent  them  you. 

3.  Your  children  themselves  are  not  your  own  ;  design  them  for 
the  utmost  of  his  service  that  trusts  you  with  them ;  educate  them 
in  that  way  as  they  may  be  most  serviceable  to  God.     It  is  the 
great  wickedness  of  too  many  of  our  gentry,  that  they  prepare  their 
posterity  only  to  live  plenteously,  and  in  credit  in  the  world,  but  not 
to  be  serviceable  to  God  or  the  commonwealth.     Design  them, 
all  that  are  capable,  to  magistracy  or   ministry,  or  some  useful 
way  of  life.     And  whatever  be  their   employment,  endeavor  to 


THE    ABSOLUTE    DOMINION 

possess  thenf  with  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  that  they  may  devote 
themselves  to  him.  Think  not  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  a  work 
too  low  for  the  sons  of  the  noblest  person  in  the  land.  Jt  would 
be  an  excellent  furtherance  to  the  work  of  the  gospel  if  noblemen 
and  gentlemen  would  addict  those  sons  to  the  ministry  that  are  fit 
for  it,  and  can  be  spared  from  the  magistracy.  They  might 
have  more  respect  from  their  people,  and  easier  rule  them,  and 
might  better  win  them  with  bounty  than  poor  men  can  do.  They 
need  not  to  contend  with  them  for  tithes  or  maintenance. 

4.  If  you  are  not  your  own,  your  whole  families  are  not  your 
own.     Use  them,  therefore,  as  families  that  are  dedicated  to  God. 

5.  If  you  are  not  your  own,  then  your  wealth  is  not  your  own. 
Honor  God,  therefore,  with  your  substance,  and  with    the  first- 
fruits  of  your  increase;  Prov.  iii.  9.     Do  you  ask  how?     Are 
there  no  poor  people  that  want  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  for 
want  of  means,  or  other  furtherance  ?     Are  there  no  godly  scholars 
that  want  means  to  maintain  them  at  the  universities,  to  fit  them 
for  this  work  ?     Are  there  no  poor  neighbors  about  you  that  are 
ignorant,  that  if  you  buy  them  Bibles  and  catechisms,  and  hire  them 
to  learn  them,  might  come  to  knowledge  and  to  life?     Are  there 
no  poor  children  that  you  might  put  apprentices  to  godly  masters, 
where  soul  and  body  might  both  have  helps?     The  poor  you  have 
always  with  you.     It  is  not  for  want  of  objects  for  your  charity  :  if 
you  hide  your  talents,  or  consume  them  on  yourselves,  the  time  is 
coming  when  it  would  do  you  more  good  to  have  laid  them  out  to 
your  Master's  use  than  in  pampering  your  flesh. 

Some  grudge  that  God  should  have  the  tenths,  that  is,  that  they 
should  be  consecrated  to  the  maintenance  of  his  service.  But 
little  do  these  consider  that  all  is  his,  and  must  all  be  accounted 
for.  Some  question  whether  now  there  be  such  a  sin  as  sacrilege 
in  being,  but  little  do  they  consider  that  every  sin  is  a  kind  of  sacri- 
lege. When  you  dedicated  yourself  to  God,  you  dedicated  all  you 
had,  and  it  was  God's  before  ;  do  not  take  it  from  him  again.  Re- 
member the  halving  of  Ananias,  and  give  God  all. 

Obj.  But  must  we  not  provide  for  our  families  ? 

Answ.  Yea,  because  God  requires  it,  and,  in  so  doing,  you  ren- 
der it  to  him.  That  is  given  to  him  which  is  expended  in  obedi- 
ence to  him,  so  be  it  you  still  prefer  his  most  eminent  interest. 

Lastly,  if  you  are  not  your  own,  then  must  not  your  works  be 
principally  for  yourselves,  but  for  him  that  owneth  you.  As  the 
scope  of  your  lives  must  be  to  the  honor  of  your  Lord,  so  be  sure 
that  you  hourly  renew  these  intentions.  When  you  set  your  foot 
out  of  your  doors,  ask  whether  your  business  you  go  upon  be  for  God. 
When  you  go  to  your  rest,  examine  yourselves  what  you  have  done 
that  day  for  God  ;  especially  let  no  opportunity  overslipyou  wherein 


OF    GOD-REDEEMEH.  293 

you  may  do  him  extraordinary  service.  You  must  so  perform  the 
very  labors  of  your  callings,  that  they  may  be  ultimately  for  God : 
so  love  your  dearest  friends  and  enjoyments,  that  it  be  God  that  is 
principally  loved  in  them. 

More  particularly  as  to  the  business  of  the  day,  what  need  I  say 
more  than  in  a  word  to  apply  this  general  doctrine  to  your  special 
works  ? 

1 .  If  the  honorable  judges  and  the  justices  will  remember  that 
they  are  God's,  and  not  their  own,  what  a  rule  and  stay  will  it  be 
to  them  for  their  work  !     What  an  answer  will  it  afford  them  against 
all  solicitations  from  carnal  self,  or  importunate  friends !   viz.  I  am 
not  mine  own,  nor  come  I  hither  to  do  mine  own  work  ;  I  cannot 
therefore  dispose  of  myself  or  it,  but  must  do  as  he  that  owns  me 
doth  command  me.     How  would  this  also  incite  them  to  promote 
Christ's  interest  with  their  utmost  power,  and  faithfully  to  own  the 
causes  which  he  owneth  ! 

2.  If  all  counsellors,  and  solicitors  of  causes,  did  truly   take 
themselves  for  God's,  and  not  their  own,  they  durst  not  plead  for 
nor  defend    a  cause   they  knew  which    God   disowneth.     They 
would  remember  that  what  they  do  against  the  innocent,  or  speak 
against  a  righteous  cause,  is  done  and  said  against  their  Lord,  from 
whom  they  may  expect,  ere  long,  to  hear,  '  Inasmuch  as  you  said 
or  did  this  against  the  least  of  these,  you  said  or  did  it  against  me.' 
God  is  the  great  patron  of  innocency,  and  the  pleader  of  every 
righteous  cause  ;  and  he  that  will  be  so  bold  as  to  plead  against 
him,  had  need  of  a  large  fee  to  save  him  harmless.     Say  not  it  is 
your  calling  which  you  must  live  by,  unless  you,  that  once  listed 
yourselves  in  your  baptism  under  Christ,  will  now  take  pay,  and 
make  it  your  profession  to  fight  against  him.     The  emptier  your 
purses  are  of  gain  so  gotten,  the  richer  you  are  ;  or  at  least  the  full- 
er they  are,  you  are  so  much  the  poorer.     As  we  that  are  minis- 
ters do  find  by  experience,  that  it  was  not  without  provocation 
from  us  that  God  of  late  hath   let  loose  so  many  hands,  and  pens, 
and  tongues  against  us,  though  our  calling  is  more  evidently  owned 
by  God,  than  any  one  in  the  world  besides,  so  I  doubt  not  but  you 
may  find,  upon  due  examination,  that  the  late  contempt  which  hath 
been  cast  upon  your  profession  is  a  reproof  of  your  guilt  from  God, 
who  did  permit  it.     Had  lawyers  and  divines  less  lived  to  them- 
selves, and  more  to  God,  we  might  have  escaped,  if  not  the  scourge 
of  reproachful  tongues,  yet  at  least  the  lashes  of  conscience.     To 
deal  freely  with  you,  gentlemen,  it  is  a  matter  that  they  who  are 
strangers  to  your  profession  can  scarce  put  any  fair  construction 
upon,  that  the  worst  cause,  for  a  little  money,  should  find  an  advo- 
cate among  you.     This  driveth  the  slanders  by  upon  this  harsh 


294  THE    ABSOLUTE    DOMINION 

dilemma,  to  think  that  either  your  understandings  or  your  con- 
sciences are  very  bad.  If,  indeed,  you  so  little  know  a  good  cause 
from  a  bad,  then  it  must  needs  tempt  men  to  think  you  very  un- 
skillful in  your  profession.  The  seldom  and  smaller  differences  of 
divines,  in  a  more  sublime  and  mysterious  profession,  is  yet  a  dis- 
covery so  far  of  their  ignorance,  and  is  imputed  to  their  dis- 
grace. But  when  almost  every  cause,  even  the  worst  that  comes 
to  the  bar,  shall  have  some  of  you  for  it,  and  some  against  it,  and 
in  the  most  palpable  cases  you  are  some  on  one  side,  and  some  on 
the  other,  the  strange  difference  of  your  judgments  doth  seem  to 
betray  their  weakness.  But  if  you  know  the  causes  to  be  bad 
which  you  defend,  and  to  be  good  which  you  oppose,  it  more  evi- 
dently betrays  a  deplorable  conscience.  I  speak  not  of  your  inno- 
cent or  excusable  mistakes  in  cases  of  great  difficulty  ;  nor  yet  of 
excusing  a  cause  bad  in  the  main  from  unjust  aggravations :  but 
when  money  will  hire  you  to  plead  for  injustice  against  your  own 
knowledge,  and  to  use  your  wits  to  defraud  the  righteous,  and  spoil 
his  cause,  or  vex  him  with  delays,  for  the  advantage  of  your  own 
unrighteous  client,  I  would  not  have  your  conscience  for  all  your 
gains,  nor  your  account  to  make  for  all  the  world.  It  is  sad,  that 
any  known  unrighteous  cause  should  -have  a  professed  Christian, 
in  the  face  of  a  Christian  judicature,  to  defend  it,  and  Satan  should 
plead  by  the  tongues  of  men  so  deeply  engaged  to  Christ :  but  it  is 
incomparably  more  sad  that  almost  every  unjust  cause  should  find 
a  patron ;  and  no  contentious,  malicious  person  should  be  more 
ready  to  do  wrong,  than  some  lawyers  to  defend  him,  or  a  (dear- 
bought)  fee !  Did  you  honestly  obey  God,  and  speak  not  a  word 
against  your  judgment,  but  leave  every  unjust  man  to  defend  his 
own  cause,  what  peace  would  it  bring  to  your  consciences  ;  what 
honor  to  your  now  reproached  profession  ;  what  relief  to  the  op- 
pressed ;  and  what  an  excellent  cure  to  the  troublesome  conten- 
tions of  proud  or  malicious  men  ! 

3.  To  your  juries  and  witnesses  1  shall  say  but  this :   You  also 
are  not  your  own  ;  and  he  that  owneth  you  hath  told  you,  "  That 
he  will  not  hold  him  guiltless  that  taketh  his  name  in  vain."     It  is 
much  into  your  hands  that  the   law  hath  committed  the  cause  of 
the  just :  should  you  betray  it  by  perjury  and  false  witnesses,  while 
there  is  a  conscience  in  your  guilty  breast,  and  a  God  in  heaven, 
you  shall  not  want  a  witness  of  your  sin,  or  a  revenger  of  the  op- 
pressed, if  the  blood  of  Christ  on  your  sound  repentance  do  not 
rescue  you. 

4.  If  plaintiff  and  defendant  did  well  consider  that  they  are  not 
their  own,  they  would  not  be  too  prone  to  quarrels,  but  would  lose 
their  right,  when  God,  the  chief  proprietor,  did  reauire  it.     Why 


OF    GOD-REDEEMER.  295 

do  you  not  rather  take  wrong,  and  suffer  yourselves  to  be  defraud- 
ed, than  to  wrong  and  defraud,  and  that  your  brethren  ?  1  Cor. 
vi.  7—9. 

To  conclude :  I  earnestly  entreat  you  all,  that  have  heard  me 
this  day,  that,  when  you  go  home,  you  will  betake  yourselves  to  a 
sober  consideration  of  the  claim  that  God  hath  laid  to  you,  and  the 
right  he  hath  in  you,  and  all  that  you  have ;  and  resolve,  without 
any  further  delay,  to  give  him  his  own ;  and  give  it  not  to  his  ene- 
mies and  yours.  When  you  see  the  judgment  set  and  the  prison- 
ers waiting  to  receive  their  sentence,  remember  with  what  incon- 
ceivable glory  and  terror  your  Judge  will  shortly  come  to  demand 
his  due ;  and  what  an  inquiry  must  be  made  into  the  tenor  of  your 
lives !  As  you  see  the  eclipsed  sun  withdraw  its  light,*  so  remem- 
ber how  before  this  dreadful  final  judgment,  the  sun  and  moon, 
and  the  whole  frame  of  nature,  shall  be  dissolved !  And 
how  God  will  withdraw  the  light  of  his  countenance  from  those 
that  have  neglected  him  in  the  day  of  their  visitation !  As  ever 
you  would  be  his,  then  see  that  you  be  his  now  ;  own  him  as  your 
absolute  Lord,  if  you  expect  he  should  own  you  then  as  his  peo- 
ple. Woe  to  you  that  ever  you  were  born  !  if  you  put  God  then 
to  distrain  you  for  his  due,  and  to  take  that  up  in  your  punish- 
ment, which  you  denied  to  give  him  in  voluntary  obedience.  You 
would  all  be  his  in  the  time  of  your  extremity ;  then  you  cry  to  him 
as  your  God  for  deliverance.  Hear  him  now,  if  you  would  then 
be  heard :  live  to  him  now,  and  live  with  him  forever.  A  Popish 
priest  can  j ..  rsuade  multitudes  of  men  and  women  to  renounce  the 
very  possession  of  worldly  goods,  and  the  exercise  of  their  out- 
ward callings,  in  a  mistaken  devotedness  to  God.  May  not  I,  then, 
hope  to  prevail  with  you  to  devote  yourselves,  with  the  fruit  of 
your  callings  and  possessions,  to  his  unquestionable  service  ?  Will 
the  Lord  of  mercy  but  fasten  these  persuasions  upon  your  hearts, 
and  cause  them  to  prevail,  what  a  happy  day  will  this  prove  to  us ! 
God  will  have  his  own,  the  church  will  have  your  utmost  help,  the 
souls  of  those  about  you  will  have  the  fruit  of  your  diligence  and 
good  examples,  the  commonwealth  will  have  the  fruit  of  your  fidel- 
ity, the  poor  will  have  the  benefit  of  your  charity,,  I  shall  have  the 
desired  end  of  my  labor,  and  yourselves  will  have  the  great  and 
everlasting  gain. 

*  This  sermon  was  preached  at  the  time  of  the  eclipse. 


CHRISTIAN  READER, 

WHEN  I  had  resolved,  at  the  desire  of  the  Honorable 
Judge  of  Assize,  to  publish  the  foregoing  sermon,  I  remembered  that, 
about  six  years  before,  I  had  preached  another  on  the  like  occasion, 
on  a  subject  so  like,  and  to  so  like  a  purpose,  that  I  conceived  it 
not  unfit  to  be  annexed  to  the  former.  1  have  endeavored  to  show 
you,  in  both  these  sermons,  that  Christ  may  be  preached  without 
Antinomianism ;  that  terror  may  be  preached  without  unwarrant- 
able preaching  the  law ;  that  the  gospel  is  not  a  mere  promise,  and 
that  the  law  is  not  so  terrible  as  it  is  to  the  rebellious ;  as  also  what 
that  superstructure  is,  which  is  built  on  the  foundation  of  general 
redemption  rightly  understood ;  and  how  ill  we  can  preach  Christ's 
dominion  in  his  universal  propriety  and  sovereignty,  or  yet  per- 
suade men  to  sanctification  and  subjection,  without  this  foundation. 
I  have  labored  to  fit  all,  or  almost  all,  for  matter  and  manner,  to 
the  capacity  of  the  vulgar.  And  though,  for  the  matter,  it  is  as 
necessary  to  the  greatest,  yet  it  is  for  the  vulgar,  principally,  that 
I  publish  it ;  and  had  rather  it  might  be  numbered  with  those  books 
which  are  carried  up  and  down  the  country  from  door  to  door  in 
pedlers'  packs,  than  with  those  that  lie  on  booksellers'  stalls,  or 
are  set  up  in  the  libraries  of  learned  divines.  And  to  the  same  use 
would  I  design  the  most  of  my  published  labors,  should  God  af- 
ford me  time  and  ability,  and  contentious  brethren  give  me  leave. 

RICHARD  BAXTER. 
August  7,  1654. 


A   SERMON 


ABSOLUTE  SOVEREIGNTY  OF  CHRIST; 


NECESSITY    OF    MAN'S   SUBJECTION,    DEPENDENCE, 
AND  CHIEFEST   LOVE   TO   HIM. 

PREACHED  BEFORE  THE  JUDGES  OF  ASSIZE  AT  WORCESTER. 


PSALM  ii.  10,  11,  12. 

BE  WISE  NOW,  THEREFORE,  O  YE  KINGS  ;  BE  INSTRUCTED,  YE  JUDGES 
OF  THE  EARTH.  SERVE  THE  LORD  WITH  FEAR,  AND  REJOICE  WITH 
TREMBLING,  &.C. 

To  waste  this  precious  hour  in  an  invective  against  injustice  and 
its  associates,  is  none  of  ray  purpose ;  they  are  sins  so  directly 
against  the  principles  in  nature,  so  well  known,  I  believe,  to  you 
all,  and  so  commonly  preached  against  upon  these  occasions,  that, 
upon  the  penalty  of  forfeiting  the  credit  of  my  discretion,  I  am 
bound  to  make  choice  of  a  more  necessary  subject.  What !  Have 
we  need  to  spend  our  time  and  studies  to  persuade  Christians  from 
bribery,  perjury,  and  oppression  ;  and  from  licking  up  the  vomit 
which  pagans  have  cast  out  ?  And  that  in  an  age  of  blood  and 
desolation,  when  God  is  taking  the  proudest  oppressors  by  the 
throats,  and  raising  monuments  of  justice  upon  the  ruins  of  the  un- 
just ?  And  I  would  fain  believe  that  no  corrupt  lawyers  do  attend 
your  judicatures,  and  that  Jezebel's  witnesses  dwell  not  in  our 
country,  nor  yet  a  jury  that  fear  not  an  oath.  I  have  therefore 
chosen  another  subject,  which,  being  of  the  greatest  moment,  can 
never  be  unseasonable ;  even  to  proclaim  him  who  is  constituted 
the  King  and  Judge  of  all,  to  acquaint  you  with  his  pleasure,  and 
to  demand  your  subjection.  "; 

The  chief  scope  of  the  Psalm  is,  to  foretell  the  extent  and  prev- 
alency  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  admonishing  his  enemies  to  sub- 
mit to  his  government,  deriding  the  vanity  of  their  opposing  pro- 
VOL.  ii  38 


298  THK    ABSOLUTE 

jects  and  fury,  and  fore\yarning  them  of  their  ruin  if  they  come 
not  in. 

The  verses  which  I  have  read  are  the  application  of  ihe  forego- 
ing prediction,  by  a  serious  admonition  to  the  proudest  offenders  : 
they  contain,  1.  The  persons  admonished,  "kings  and  judges." 
2.  Their  duty  :  •  1.  In  general  to  God,  "  serve  him  ; "  with  the  ad- 
juncts annexed  :  1.  Rejoicing.  2.  Fear  and  trembling.  2.  More 
especially  their  duty  to  the  Son,  "kiss  him."  0.  The  motives  to 
this  duty.  1.  Principally  and  directly  expressed,  "  lest  he  be 
angry,"  which  anger  is  set  forth  by  the  effect,  "and  ye  perish  ; " 
which  perishing  is  aggravated,  1.  From  the  suddenness  and  un- 
expectedness, "in  the  way."  2.  From  the  dreadfulness,  "kind- 
led." 1.  It  is  fire,  and  will  kindle  and  burn.  2.  A  little  of  it  will 
produce  this  sad  effect.  3.  It  will  be  woe  to  those  that  do  not  es- 
cape it ;  which  woe  is  set  forth  by  the  contrary  happiness  of  those  that 
by  submission  do  escape.  2.  The  motives  subservient  and  implied 
are  in  the  monitory  words,  "  be  wise,  be  learned,"  </.  d.  else  you  will 
show  and  prove  yourselves  men  of  ignorance  and  madness,  unlearn- 
ed and  unwise. 

Some  questions  here  we  should  answer  for  explication  of  the 
terms :  as, 

1.  Whether  the  Lord,  in  verse  11,  and  the  Son,  in  verse  12,  be 
both  meant  of  Christ  the  Second  Person  ? 

2.  Whether  the  anger  here  mentioned  be  the  anger  of  the  Fa- 
ther or  the  Son,  "  lest  he  be  angry  ? "     I  might  spend  much  time 
here  to  little  purpose,  in  showing  you  the  different  judgment  of 
divines  of  these,  when  in  the  issue  there  is  no  great  difference, 
whichever  way  we  take  them. 

3.  What  is  meant  by  "kissing  the  Son?''     I  answer,  Accord- 
ing to  its  threefold  object,  it  hath  a  threefold  duty  contained  in  it. 

1 .  We  kiss  the  feet  in  token  of  subjection  :  so  must  we  kiss  the  Son. 

2.  We  kiss  the  hand  in  token  of  dependence  ;  so  must  we  kiss 
the  hand  of  Christ ;  that  is,  resign  ourselves  to  him,  and  expect  all 
our  happiness  and  receivings  from  him. 

3.  We  kiss  the  mouth  in  token  of  love  and  friendship ;  and  so 
also  must  we  kiss  the  Son. 

4.  What  is  meant  by  "  perishing    in  the  way  ?  "     I  answer, 
(omitting  the  variety  of  interpretations,)  It  is  their  sudden  unex- 
pected perishing  in  the  heat  of  their  rage,  and  in  pursuit  of  their 
designs  against  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

I  know  no  other  terms  of  any  great  difficulty  here. 
Many  observations  might  be  hence  raised  :  as, 

1.  Serving  the  Lord   is  the  great  work  and  business  that  the 
world  hath  to  do. 

2.  This  service  should  be  accompanied  with  rejoicing. 


SOVEREIGNTY    OK    CHRIST. 

3.  So  should  ii  also  with  fear  and  trembling;. 

4.  There  is  no  such  opposition  between  spiritual  joy  and  fear, 
but  that  they  may  and  must  consist  together. 

5.  Scripture  useth   familiar  expressions  concerning  man's  com- 
munion with  Christ,  such  as  this,  "  kiss  the  Son." 

6.  There  is  anger  in  God,  or  that  which  we  cannot  conceive 
better  of  than  under  the  notion  of  anger. 

7.  There  is  a  way  to  kindle  this  anger ;  it  is  man  that  kin- 
dleth  it. 

8.  The  way  to  kindle  it  chiefly  is  not  kissing  the  Son. 

9.  The  kindling  of  it  will  be  the  perishing  of  the  sinner. 

10.  The  enemies  of  Christ  shall   perish  suddenly  and  unex- 
pectedly. 

11.  A  little  of  God's  anger  will  utterly  undo  them. 

12.  They  are  blessed  men  that  escape  it,  and  miserable  that 
must  feel  it. 

13.  It  is  therefore  notorious  folly  to  neglect  Christ,  and  stand 
out. 

14.  Kings,  judges,  and  rulers  of  the  earth,  are  the   first  men 
that  Christ  summons  in,  and  the  chief  in  the  calamity  if  they 
stand  out. 

But  I  will  draw  the  scope  of  the  text,  into  this  one  doctrine ;  in 
the  handling  whereof  I  shall  spend  the  time  allotted  me. 

Doct.  No  power  or  privilege  can  save  that  man  from  the  fear- 
ful, sudden,  consuming  wrath  of  God,  that  doth  not  unfeignedly 
love,  depend  upon,  and  subject  himself  unto  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. 

If  they  be  the  greatest  kings  and  judges,  yet  if  they  do  not  kiss 
the  mouth,  the  hand,  the  feet  of  Christ,  his  w*th  will  be  kindled, 
and  they  will  perish  in  the  way  of  their  rebellion  and  neglect. 

In  handling  this  point,  I  shall  observe  this  order  : — 

1.  I  will  show  you  what   this  love,  dependence,  and  subjec- 
tion are. 

2.  What  wrath  it  is  that  will  thus  kindle  and  consume  them. 

3.  Why  this  kissing  the  Son  is  the  only  way  to  escape  it. 

4.  Why  no  power  or  privilege  else  can  procure  their  escape. 

5.  The  application. 

For  the  first  I  shall  only  give  you  a  naked  description,  wishing 
that  I  had  time  for  a  fuller  explication. 

1 .  Subjection  to  Christ  is,  the  acknowledging  of  his  absolute 
sovereignty,  both  as  he  is  God,  Creator,  and  as  Redeemer  over  all 
the  world,  and  particularly  ourselves ;  and  a  hearty  consent  to  this 
his  sovereignty ;  especially  that  he  be  our  Lord,  and  his  laws  our 
rule,  and  a  delivering  up  ourselves  to  him  to  be  governed  accord- 
ingly. 


300  THK     ABSOLCTK 

2.  This  dependence  on  Christ  is,  when  acknowledging  the  suf- 
ficiency of  his  satisfaction,  and  his  power  and  willingness  to  save 
all  that  receive  him,  manifested  in  his  free,  universal  offer  in  the 
gospel,  we  do  heartily  accept   him  for  our  only  Savior,  and,  ac- 
cordingly, renouncing  all   other,  do  wait  upon  him  believingly  for 
the  benefits  of  his  sufferings  and  office,  and  the  performance  of  his 
faithful  covenant  to  us,  in   restoring  us   to  all  the  blessings  which 
we  lost,  and  advancing  us  to  a  far  greater  everlasting  glory. 

3.  This  affection  to  Christ  is,  when,  in  the  knowledge  and  sense 
of  his  love  to  us,  both  common  and  especial,  and  of  his  own  ex- 
cellency, and  the  blessedness  of  enjoying  him,  and  the  Father  and 
Life  by  him,  our  hearts  do  choose  him,  and  the  Father  by  him,  as 
the  only  happiness,  and  accordingly  love  him  above  all  things  in 
the  world. 

As  this  threefold  description  containeth  the  sum  of  the  gospel, 
so  hath  it  nothing  but  what  is  of  necessity  to  sound  Christianity. 
If  any  one  of  these  three  be  not  found  in  thy  heart,  either  have 
I  little  skill  in  divinity,  or  thou  hast  no  true  Christianity,  nor  canst 
be  saved  in  that  condition. 

Object.  But  do  not  the  Scriptures  make  believing  the  condi- 
tion of  the  covenant  ?  But  here  is  a  great  deal  more  than  be- 
heving. 

Ans.  Sometimes  faith  is  taken  in  a  narrower  sense,  and  then  it 
is  not  made  the  sole  condition  of  the  new  covenant ;  but  re- 
pentance, and  forgiving  others,  are  joined  with  it,  as  conditions  of 
our  forgiveness ;  and  obedience  and  perseverance,  as  conditions 
of  our  continued  justification  and  salvation.  But  when  faith  is 
made  the  sole  condition  of  the  covenant,  then  it  comprehendeth 
essentially,  (not  only  supposeth  as  precedent  or  concomitant,)  if 
not  all  three,  yet  at  least  the  two  first  of  the  afore-described  quali- 
fications, viz.  dependence  and  subjection,  which,  if  it  were  well 
understood,  would  much  free  the  common  sort  of  Christians  from 
their  soul-destroying  mistakes,  and  the  body  of  divinity  from  a  mul- 
titude of  common  errors,  and  our  religion  from  much  of  that  re- 
proach of  Solifidianism  which  is  cast  upon  it  by  the  Papists. 

2.  I  must  be  as  brief  in  opening  the  "second  thing,  viz.  What 
wrath  it  is  that  will  thus  kindle  and  consume  them.  What  wrath 
is  in  God  we  need  not  here  trouble  ourselves  to  inquire,  but  only 
what  is  intimated  in  the  threats  or  curses  of  the  covenants.  As 
there  are  two  covenants,  so  each  hath  his  proper  penalty  for  its 
violation. 

1.  Then,  till  men  do  come  in  and  submit  to  Christ,  they  lie  un- 
der the  wrath  of  God  for  all  their  sins,  as  they  are  against  the  cove- 
nant of  works,  or  they  are  liable  to  the  curse  of  that  covenant : 
Christ's  death  hath  taken  away  the  curse  of  that  covenant ;  not 


SOVEREIGNTY    OF    CHRIST.  30 1 

absolutely  from  any  man,  but  conditionally,  which  becomes  abso- 
lute when  the  condition  is  performed.  The  elect  themselves  are 
not  by  nature  under  the  covenant  of  grace,  but  remain  under  the 
curse  of  the  first  covenant  till  they  come  in  to  Christ. 

2.  Whosoever  rejecteth  or  neglecteth  his  grace,  and  so  finally 
breaketh  the  new  covenant,  must  also  bear  the  curse  or  penalty 
thereof,  besides  all  the  former,  which  is  a  far  greater  curse,  even 
as  the  blessings  of  this  covenant  are  far  greater  than  those  of  the 
first.     It  was  a  heavy  punishment  to  be  cast  out  of  Paradise,  and 
from  the  presence  and  favor  of  God,  and  to  be  cursed  by  him,  and 
subjected  to  eternal  death,  and  all  creatures  below  cursed  for  our 
sakes,  to  bear  all  those  curses  and  plagues  threatened  in  Deut. 
xxvii.  and  xxviii.,  and  to  have  the  wrath  of  God  smoke  against  us, 
&c.,  as  Deut.  xxix.  20.     "  But  of  how  much  sorer  punishment 
shall  he  be  thought  worthy  that  doth  tread  under  foot  the  blood  of 
this  covenant,  and  do  despite  to  the  Spirit  of  grace?"  Heb.  x.  28, 
29.     It  is  true,  that  for  all  other  sins  the  wrath  of  God  cornet! i 
upon  the  children  of  disobedience,  (or  unpersuadableness,)  that  is, 
on  them  that  will  not  be  persuaded  to  obey  the  Lord  Christ ;  Eph. 
v.  6.     But  it  is  on  no  other  with  us  ;  for  this  is  the  condemnation, 
"  that  light  is  come  into  the  world,  and  men  love  darkness  rather 
than  light ;  "  John  i.  19. 

3.  Why  is  this  kissing  the   Son,  that  is,  loving,  depending  on, 
and  submitting  to  him,  the  only  way  to  escape  these  curses  ? 

Ans.  I.  The  most  proper  and  primary  reason  which  can  be 
given,  is,  the  will  of  the  Great  Lawgiver,  who,  having  absolute 
sovereignty  over  us,  might  dispose  of  us  as  he  please,  and  make  us 
such  laws  and  conditions  as  seem  best  to  his  wisdom,  upon  which 
our  justification  and  salvation  should  depend :  he  hath  resolved  that 
this  shall  be  the  only  condition  and  way ;  and  that,  as  no  man 
shall  be  justified  by  a  mere  Christ,  or  his  death  abstracted  from 
faith,  (that  is,  of  age  and  use  of  reason,)  so  this  faith  shall  be  the 
condition  upon  which  they  shall  be  justified ;  or,  as  a  Christ  neg- 
lected shall  save  no  man,  so  the  accepting  or  receiving  of  him 
shall  justify  and  save  them,  as  the  condition  of  the  covenant  perform- 
ed, under  which  notion  it  is  that  faith  justifieth. 

2.  Yet  other  improper  or  subordinate  reasons  (which  receive 
their  life  from  the  former,  and  without  it  would  be  no  reasons)  may 
be  given:  as,  1.  from  the  equity  ;  and,  2.  from  the  suitableness 
and  conveniency. 

1 .  It  is  but  equal  that  he  who  hath  bought  us,  and  that  so 
clearly,  and  from  a  state  so  deplorable  and  desperate  as  we  were 
in,  should  be  acknowledged  and  accepted  for  our  Savior  and  our 
Lord  ;  and  that  we,  who  are  not  our  own,  "  but  are  bought  with  a 
price,  should  glorify  him  with  our  bodies  and  souls,  which  are 


• 

302  '    THE    ABSOLUTE 

his  ;"  (1  Cor.  vi.  20.  and  vii.  23.)  especially  when,  for  that  end,  he 
both  died  and  rose  again,  that  he  might  rule,  or  be  Lord  over,  both 
quick  and  dead  ;  Rom.  iv.  9.  If  one  of  you  should  buy  a  man 
from  the  galleys  or  gallows,  with  the  price  of  your  whole  estate, 
or  the  life  of  your  only  son,  would  you  not  expect  that  he  should 
be  at  your  disposal  ?  That  he  should  love  you,  depend  on  you, 
and  be  subject  to  you  ? 

2.  And  as  salvation  by  free  grace  through  Christ  is  a  way  most 
suitable  to  God's  honor,  and  to  our  own  necessitous  and  low  condi- 
tion, so,  in  subordination  thereto,  the  way  of  believing  is  most  rational- 
ly conducible  to  the  same  ends.  As  we  could  not  have  had  a  fitter 
way  to  the  Father  than  by  Christ,  so  neither  could  there  be  a 
more  fit  way  to  Christ,  or  means  to  partake  of  him,  than  by  faith  ; 
for  though  I  c.annot  call  it  the  instrumental  cause  of  our  justifica- 
tion, either  active  or  passive,  yet  is  this  faith  or  acceptation  of 
Christ  for  our  Savior  and  King,  which  is  here  called  "  kissing  the 
Son,"  the  fairest  condition  that  we  could  reasonably  expect,  and 
the  most  apparently  tending  to  the  honor  of  our  Redeemer ;  ap- 
plying and  appropriating  to.  ourselves  the  person,  righteousness, 
and  benefits  procured  and  offered,  but  not  the  least  of  the  honor 
of  the  work.  All  we  do  is  but  to  accept  what  Christ  hath  pro- 
cured, and  that  must  be  by  the  special  assistance  of  his  Spirit  too. 

4.  The  fourth  thing  I  promised  is  to  show  you  why  no  other 
privilege  or  power  in  the  world  can  save  him  that  doth  not  kiss  the 
Son.  It  may  here  suffice  that  I  have  showed  you  God's  deter- 
mination to  the  contrary.  But  further  consider,  (if  any  should 
hope  to  escape  by  their  dignities,  titles,  friends,  strength,  or  any 
other  endowments  or  virtuous  qualifications,)  1 .  What  is  their  task. 
2.  What  is  their  power  to  perform  it. 

1.  They  must  resist  the  irresistible  will  of  God.  They  must 
do  that  which  heaven  or  earth,  men  or  devils,  were  never  able  yet 
to  do.  They  have  resisted  his  law^s  and  his  love,  but  they  could 
never  resist  his  purpose  or  his  power.  The  power  that  under- 
taketh  to  save  an  enemy  or  neglecter  of  Christ,  must  first  over- 
come the  power  of  the  Almighty,  and  conquer  him  that  doth  com- 
mand the  world.  And  who  hath  the  strength  that  is  sufficient  for 
this  ?  Sinner,  before  thou  venture  thy  soul  upon  such  a  mad  con- 
ceit, or  think  to  be  saved  whether  God  will  or  not,  try  first  thy 
skill  and  strength  in  some  inferior  attempt :  bid  the  sun  or  moon 
stand  still  in  the  firmament ;  invert  the  several  seasons  of  the  year ; 
bid  the  snow  and  frost  to  come  in  summer,  and  the  flowers  and 
fruits  to  spring  in  winter ;  command  the  streams  to  turn  their 
course,  or  the  tide  its  times,  or  the  winds  their  motion.  If  these 
will  obey  thee,  and  thy  word  can  prevail  with  them  against  the 
law  of  their  Creator,  then  mayest  thou  proceed  with  the  greater 


SOVEREIGNTY    OF    CHRIST.   <  303 

confidence  and  courage,  and  have  some  hope  to  save  the  neglecters 
of  Christ.  Or,  try  first  whether  thou  canst  save  thy  present  life 
against  the  course  of  nature  and  will  of  God  :  call  back  thine  age 
and  years  that  are  past ;  command  thy  pains  and  sickness  to  be 
gone  ;  chide  back  this  bold  approaching  death.  Will  they  not 
obey  thee  ?  Canst  thou  do  none  of  these  ?  How  then  canst  thou 
expect  the  saving  of  thy  soul  against  the  determinate  will  and  way 
of  God  ?  Where  dwelleth  that  man,  or  what  was  his  name,  that 
did  neglect  Christ,  and  yet  escape  damnation  ?  Who  hath  harden- 
ed himself  against  him  and  hath  prospered?  Job  ix.  4.  And  dost 
thou  think,  then,  to  be  first  ?  Thou  mayest,  perhaps,  knock  bold- 
ly at  the  gate  of  heaven,  and  plead  thy  greatness,  thy  virtues,  thy 
alms-deeds,  and  formal  devotion ;  but  thou  shall  receive  a  more 
woful  answer  than  thou  dost  expect.  Jesus  we  know,  and  obedi- 
ential  faith  in  him  we  know,  but  who  are  ye? 

2.  He  that  will  save  the  soul,  that  loveth  not,  dependeth  not 
on,  and  subjecteth  not  himself  to  Christ,  must  first  make  false  the 
word  of  God,  and  make  the  true  and  faithful  God  a  liar.  This  is 
another  part  of  his  task :  God  hath  given  it  under  his  hand  for 
truth,  that  "  he  thai  believeth  not  is  condemned  already ;  "  (John 
iii.  18.)  that  "  he  shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth 
on  him ;"  (John  iii.  36.)  that  they  who  are  invited  to  Christ,  and 
make  light  of  it,  or  make  excuses,  "  shall  never  taste  of  his  sup- 
per;" (Luke  xiv.  24.  Matt.  xxii.  5.  8.)  thai  "it  shall  be  easier 
for  Sodom  in  the  day  of  judgment,  than  for  that  city  which  re- 
fuseth  the  offers  of  the  gospel;"  (Mail.  x.  15.)  that  whosoever 
would  not  have  Christ  to  reign  over  them  "shall  be  brought  forth 
at  last  and  destroyed  before  him  as  his  enemies ;"  (Lukexix.  27.) 
that  "  they  shall  all  be  damned  that  believe  not  the  truth,  bul  have 
pleasure  in  unrighteousness;"  2  Thess.  ii.  12,  &c.  And  hath 
the  Almighty  said  that  thus  it  shall  be  ?  Who,  then,  is  he  that 
dare  say  it  shall  not  be  ?  Is  this  the  concluded  decree  of  Heaven  ? 
What  power  or  policy  is  able  to  reverse  il  ?  Halh  God  said  it, 
and  will  he  nol  do  it  ? 

Thus  you  see  his  task  that  will  undertake  to  save  one  neglecter 
of  Christ. 

2.  Let  us  now  consider  what  power  that  is  which  must  perform 
it.  If  it  be  done,  it  must  be  either,  1.  By  wisdom;  or,  2.  By 
strength  ;  whereas,  the  chiefesl  of  men,  even  the  kings  and  judges 
of  the  earth,  are  both  ignorant  and  impotent. 

I .  Ignorant.  Though  judges  are  learned  in  the  repute  of  the 
world,  alas  !  poor  crawling,  breathing  dust !  do  you  know  the 
secrets  of  your  Maker's  counsel  ?  And  are  you  able  to  overreach 
them,  and  frustrate  his  designs  ?  Doth  this  book  know  what  is 


304  THE    ABSOLUTE 

- 

written  in  it  ?  Can  the  seat  you  sit  on  overtop  your  counsels  ? 
More  likely  than  for  you  to  overtop  the  Lord.  Silly  worms  !  you 
know  not  what  God  is,  nor  know  you  any  one  of  his  revealed 
thoughts,  no  more  than  that  pillar  doth  know  your  thoughts.  You 
know  not  what  you  are  yourselves,  nor  see  any  further  than  the 
superficies  of  your  skin.  What  is  thy  soul ;  and  whence  didst 
thou  receive  it  ?  Dost  thou  know  its  form ;  or  didst  thou  fed  it 
enter  ?  Which  part  didst  thou  feel  it  first  possess  ?  Thou  canst 
call  it  a  spirit,  but  knowest  thou  what  a  spirit  is ;  or  rather  only 
what  it  is  not  ?  Thou  knowest  not  that  whereby  thou  knowest ; 
and  how  was  thy  body  formed  in  the  womb  ?  What  was  it  an 
hundred  years  ago?  What  is  that  vital  heat  and  moisture?  What 
causeth  that  order  and  diversity  of  its  parts  ?  When  will  the  most 
expert  anatomists  and  physicians  be  agreed?  Why,  there  are 
mysteries  in  the  smallest  worm,  which  thou  canst  not  reach ;  nor 
couldst  thou  resolve  the  doubts  arising  about  an  ant  or  atom,  much 
less  about  the  sun,  or  fire,  or  air,  or  wind,  &,c. ;  and  canst  thou 
not  know  thyself,  nor  the  smallest  part  of  thyself,  nor  the 
smallest  creature ;  and  yet  canst  thou  overreach  the  everlasting 
counsels  ? 

2.  And  is  thy  might  and  power  any  greater  than  thy  policy  ? 
Why,  what  are  the  kings  and  rulers  of  the  earth  but  lumps  of 
clay,  that  can  speak  and  go ;  moving  shadows,  the  flowers  of  a 
day,  a  corruptible  seed,  blown  up  to  that  swelled  consistence  in 
which  it  appears,  as  children  blow  their  bubbles  of  soap,  somewhat 
invisible  condensate ;  which,  that  it  may  become  visible,  is  become 
more  gross,  and  so  more  vile,  and  will  shortly  be  almost  all  turned 
into  invisible  again ;  and  that  little  dust  which  corruption  leaves 
by  the  force  of  fire,  may  be  dissipated  yet  more;  and  then  where 
is  this  specious  part  of  the  man  ?  Surely  now  that  body,  which  is 
so  much  esteemed,  is  but  a  loathsome  lump  of  corruptible  flesh, 
covered  with  a  smooth  skin,  and  kept  a  little  while  from  stinking 
by  the  presence  of  the  soul,  and  must  shortly  be  cast  out  of  sight 
into  a  grave,  as  unfit  for  the  sight  or  smell  of  the  living,  and  there 
be  consumed  with  rottenness  and  worms.  These  are  the  kings  and 
rulers  of  the  earth;  this  is  the  power  .that  must  conquer  heaven, 
and  save  them  that  rebel  against  Christ  the  Lord.  They  that 
cannot  live  a  month  without  repairing  their  consuming  bodies  by 
food,  one  part  whereof  doth  turn  to  their  vital  blood  and  spirits, 
and  the  other  to  loathsome  insufferable  excrements,  so  near  is  the 
kin  between  their  best  and  worst,  judge  all  you  that  have  common 
reason,  whether  he  that  cannot  keep  himself  alive  an  hour,  and 
shortly  will  not  be-  able  to  stir  a  finger,  to  remove  the  worms  that 
feed  upon  his  heart,  be  able  tp  resist  the  strength  of  Christ,  and 


SOYKHEiGNTY    Of    CHRIST.  305 

save  the  soul,  that  God  hath  said  and  sworn  shall  not  De  saved. 
Ah  !  poor  souls,  that  have  no  better  saviors.  And  well  may  Christ, 
his  truth,  and  cause,  prevail  that  have  no  stronger  enemies. 

Use  1.  You  have  here  a  text  that  will  fully  inform  you  how 
you  are  like  to  speed  at  the  bar  of  Christ ;  who  shall  die  and  who 
shall  live.  The  great  assize  is  near  at  hand;  the  feet  of  our  Judge 
are  even  at  the  door.  Go  thy  way,  unbelieving  sinner,  when  thou 
hast  had  all  the  pleasure  that  sin  will  afford  thee  ;  lie  down  in  the 
dust  and  sleep  awhile,  the  rousing  voice  shall  quickly  awake  thee, 
and  thine  eyes  shall  see  that  dreadful  day.  O  blessed  day  !  O 
doleful  day  !  Blessed  to  the  saints,  doleful  to  the  wicked.  O  the 
rejoicing  !  O  the  lamenting  that  there  will  be  !  The  triumphant 
shoutings  of  joyful  saints;  the  hideous,  roaring  cries  of  the  ungodly, 
when  each  man  hath , newly  received  his  doom,  and  there  is  noth- 
ing but  eternal  glory  and  eternal  fire.  Beloved  hearers,  every 
man  of  you  shall  shortly  there  appear,  and  wait  as  the  trembling 
prisoner  at  the  bar,  to  hear  what  doom  must  pass  upon  you.  Do 
you  not  believe  this  ?  I  hope  you  do  believe  it.  Why,  what  would 
you  give  now  to  know,  for  certain,  how  it  shall  go  with  you  ?  Why, 
here  is  the  book  by  which  you  must  be  judged,  and  here  is  the 
sum  of  it  in  my  text,  and  the  grounds  upon  which  the  Judge  will 
then  proceed.  Will  you  but  go  along  with  me,  and  answer  the 
questions  which  hence  I  shall  put  to  you,  and  search  and  judge 
yourselves  by  them  as  you  go,  you  may  know  what  doom  you  may 
then  expect ;  only  deal  faithfully,  and  search  thoroughly,  for  self- 
flattery  will  not  prevent  your  sorrow. 

And  here  you  must  know  that  it  is  the  kiss  of  the  heart,  and  not 
of  the  lips,  which  we  must  here  inquire  after.  The  question  will 
not  be  at  the  great  day,  who  hath  spoken  Christ  fair  ;  or  who  hath 
called  themselves  by  the  name  of  Christians ;  or  who  hath  said  the 
Creed  or  the  Lord's  Prayer  oftenest ;  or  cried,  Lord,  Lord  ;  or 
come  to  church  ;  or  carried  a  Bible  ;  or  who  hath  held  this  opinion, 
or  who  that.  It  would  make  a  man's  heart  ache  to  think  how 
zealously  men  will  honor  the  shadow  of  Christ,  and  bow  at  his 
name,  and  reverence  the  image  of  the  cross  which  he  died  on,  and 
the  names  and  relics  of  the  saints  that  died  for  him,  and  yet  do  ut- 
terly neglect  the  Lord  himself,  and  cannot  endure  to  be  governed 
by  him,  and  resist  his  Spirit,  and  scorn  his  strict  and  holy  ways, 
and  despitefully  hate  them  that  most  love  and  obey  him,  and  yet 
believe  themselves  to  be  real  Christians.  For  God's  sake,  sirs, 
do  not  so  delude  your  immortal  souls,  as  to  think  your  baptism, 
and  your  outward  devotion,  and  your  good  meanings,  as  you  call 
them,  and  your  righteous  dealing  with  men,  will  serve  the  turn  to 
prove  you  Christians.  Alas !  this  is  but,  with  Judas,  to  kiss  the 
mouth  of  Christ,  and  indeed  to  fetch  your  death  from  those  blessed 
VOL.  ii.  39 


•'200  THJ 

lips,  from  whence  the  saints  do  fetch  their  life.  I  will  show  you 
some  surer  signs  than  these. 

1 .  And,  first,  let  me  a  little  inquire  into  your  subjection  to 
Christ.  Do  you  remember  the  time  when  you  were  the  servants 
of  sin,  and  when  Satan  led  you  captive  at  his  will,  and  the  prince 
of  darkness  ruled  in  your  souls,  and  all  within  you  was  in  a  carnal 
peace?  Do  you  remember  when  the  Spirit  in  the  word  came 
powerfully  upon  your  hearts,  and  bound  Satan,  and  cast  him  out, 
and  answered  all  your  reasonings,  and  conquered  all  your  carnal 
wisdom,  and  brought  you  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the 
power  of  Satan  to  God?  Acts  xxvi.  18.  Or,  at  least,  are  you 
sure  that  now  you  live  not  under  the  same  lord  and  laws  as  the 
ungodly  do  ?  Hath  Christ  now  the  only  sovereignty  in  your 
souls  ?  Is  his  word  thy  law,  which  thou  darest  not  pass  ?  Doth  it 
bind  thy  thoughts,  and  rule  thy  tongue,  and  command  thyself,  and 
all  thou  hast  ?  Hast  thou  laid  all  down  at  the  feet  of  Christ,  and 
resigned  thyself  and  all  to  his  will,  and  devoted  all  to  his  disposal 
and  service  ?  If  custom  bid  thee  curse  and  swear,  and  Christ  for- 
bid thee,  which  dost  thou  obey  ?  If  thy  appetite  bid  thee  take 
thy  cups,  or  fare  deliciously  every  day  ;  if  thy  company  bid  thee 
play  the  good  fellow,  or  scorn  the  godly  ;  if  thy  covetousness  bid 
thee  love  the  world,  and  Christ  forbid  thee,  which  dost  thou  obey  ? 
If  Christ  bid  thee  be  holy,  and  walk  precisely,  and  be  violent  for 
heaven,  and  strive  to  enter  in,  and  the  world  and  the  flesh  be  ene- 
mies to  all  this,  and  cry  it  down  as  tedious  folly,  which  dost  thou 
obey  ?  Dost  thou  daily  and  spiritually  worship  him  in  private,  and 
in  thy  family,  and  teach  thy  children  and  servants  to  fear  the 
Lord  ?  I  entreat  you,  sirs,  deal  truly  in  answering  these  ques- 
tions :  never  man  was  saved  by  the  bare  title  of  a  Christian.  If  you 
are  not  subject  to  Christ,  you  are  not  Christians,  no  more  than  a 
picture  or  a  carcass  is  a  man  ;  and  your  salvation  will  be  such  as 
your  Christianity  is.  Subjection  is  an  essential  part  of  thy  faith, 
and  obedience  is  its  fruit.  In  short,  then,  dost  thou  make  him  thy 
fear,  and  tremble  at  his  word  ?  Dare  thou  run  upon  fire  or  water, 
sword  or  cannon,  rather  than  willfully  run  upon  his  displeasure? 
Wouldest  thou  rather  displease  thy  dearest  friend,  the  greatest 
prince,  or  thine  own  flesh,  than  wittingly  provoke  him  ?  When 
Christ  speaks  against  thy  sweetest  sin,  thy  nature,  or  custom,  or 
credit,  or  life,  against  thy  rooted  opinions,  or  thy  corrupt  tradi- 
tions, art  thou  willing  to  submit  to  all  that  he  revealeth  ?  Dost 
thou  say,  "Speak,  Lord,  for  thy  servant  heareth?  Lord,  what 
wouldest  thou  have  me  to  do  ?  I  am  ready  to  do  thy  will,  O 
God." 

Beloved  hearers,  this  is  the  frame  of  every  servant  of  Christ, 
and  this  is  the  acknowledging  and  accepting  him  for  your  Lord. 


CHRIST.  .'107 

I  beseech  you  cozen  not  your  souls  with  shows  and  formalities.  If 
ever  you  be  saved  without  this  subjection,  it  must  be  without  Christ's 
merits  or  mercy.  It  must  be  in  a  way  that  Scripture  revealeth 
not;  nay,  it  must  be  in  despite  of  God ;  his  truth  must  be  falsified, 
and  his  power  must  be  mastered,  before  the  disobedient  can  be 
saved  from  his  wrath. 

2.  Examine,  also,  your  dependence  on  Christ,  whether  you  kiss 
his  hand  as  well  as  his  feet.     Do  you  understand  that  you  are  all 
by  nature  condemned  men,  and  liable  to  the  everlasting  wrath  of 
God ;  that  Christ  hath  interposed  and  paid  this  debt,  and  bought 
us  as  his  own  by  the  satisfaction  of  that  justice  ;  that  all  things  are 
now  delivered  into  his  hands,  (John  xiii.  3.)  and  he  is  made  head 
overall  things  to  his  church?  Eph.  i.  21,  22.     Dost  thou  take 
him  for  thy   only  Savior,  and  believe  the  history  of  his  life  and 
passion,  the  truth  of  his  divine  and  human  nature,  his  resurrection, 
his  office,  and  his  approaching  judgment  ?     Dost  thou  see  that  all 
thy  supposed  righteousness  is  but  vanity  and  sin,  and  that  thyself 
art  unable  to  make  the  least  satisfaction  to  the  law  by  thy  works 
or  sufferings,  and  if  his  blood  do  not  wash  thee,  and  his  righteous- 
ness justify  thee,  thou  must  certainly  be  damned  yet,  and  perish 
forever?     Dost  thou,  therefore,  cast  thyself  into  his  arms,  and  ven- 
ture thy  everlasting  state  upon  him,  and  trust  him  with  thy  soul,  and 
fetch  all  thy  help  and  healing  from  him  ?  When  sin  is  remembered, 
and  thy  conscience  troubled,  and  the  forethoughts  of  judgment  do 
amaze  thy  soul,  dost  thou  then  fetch  thy  comfort  from  the  views 
of  his  blood,  and  the  thoughts  of  the  freeness  and  fullness  of  his 
satisfaction,  his  love,  and  gospel  offers  and  promises  ?     Dost  thou 
so  build  upon  his  promise  of  a  happiness  hereafter,  that  thou  canst 
let  go  all  thy  happiness  here,  and  drink  of  his  cup,  and  be  bap- 
tized with  his  baptism,  and  lose  thy  life  upon  his  promise  that  thou 
shalt  save  it  ?     Canst  thou  part  with  goods  and  friends,  and  all 
that  thou  hast,  in   hope  of  a  promised  glory  which   thou  never 
sawest  ?     If  thou    canst  thus  drink   with    him    of  the  brook   in 
the  way,  thou  shalt  also  with  him  lift  up  the  head ;  Psalm  ex.  7. 
Dost  thou  perceive  a  Mediator  as  well  as  a  God  in  all  thy  mer- 
cies, both  special  and  common,  and  taste  his  blood  in  all  that  thou 
receives!,  and  wait  upon  his  hand  for  thy  future  supplies  ?     Why, 
this  is  kissing  the  hand  of  Christ,  and  depending  upon  him.     O, 
how  contrary  is  the  case  of  the  world,  whose  confidence  is  like  the 
Samaritan's  worship  :  they  trust  God,  and  their  wits,  and  labors, 
Christ  and  their  supposed  merits ;  I  would  I  might  not  say  Christ 
and  deceit,  and  wicked  contrivances.     O  blasphemous  !  joining  of 
heaven  and  hell  to  make  up  one  foundation  of  their  trust ! 

3.  Examine  a  little  also  your  love  to  Christ.     Do  you  thus 
kiss  the  Son  ?    Do  your  souls  cleave  to  him,  and  embrace  him  with 


TFIF.    ABSOLUTE 

the  strongest  of  your  affections  ?  Sirs,  though  there  is  nothing 
that  the  blind  world  is  more  confident  in  than  this,  that  they  love 
Christ  with  all  their  hearts,  yet  is  there  nothing  wherein  they  are 
more  false  and  faulty.  I  beseech  you,  therefore,  deal  truly  in 
answering  here.  Are  your  hearts  set  upon  the  Lord  Jesus  ?  Do 
you  love  him  above  all  things  in  this  world?  Do  you  stick  at 
your  answer  ?  Do  you  not  know?  Sure,  then,  at  best  you  love 
him  but  little,  or  else  you  could  not  choose  but  know  it.  Love  is 
a  stirring  and  sensible  affection :  you  know  what  it  is  to  love  a 
friend.  Feel  by  this  pulse  whether  you  live  or  die.  Doth  it 
beat  more  strongly  toward  Christ  than  to  any  thing  else  ?  Never 
question  man  the  necessity  of  this ;  he  hath  concluded,  '  If  thou 
love  any  thing  more  than  him,  thou  art  not  worthy  of  him,  nor 
canst  be  his  disciple.'  Are  thy  thoughts  of  Christ  thy  freest  and 
thy  sweetest  thoughts  ?  Are  thy  speeches  of  him  thy  sweetest 
speeches  ?  When  thou  awakest,  art  thou  still  with  him ;  and 
is  he  next  thy  heart?  When  thou  walkest  abroad,  dost  thou 
take  him  in  thy  thoughts  ?  Canst  thou  say,  and  lie  not,  that  thou 
wast  ever  deeply  in  love  with  him,  that  thou  dost  love  him  but  as 
heartily  as  thou  dost  thy  friend,  and  art  as  loath  to  displease  him, 
and  as  glad  of  his  presence,  and  as  much  troubled  at  his  strange- 
ness or  absence  ?  Hath  thy  minister  or  godly  acquaintance  ever 
heard  thee  bemoaning  thy  soul  for  want  of  Christ,  or  inquiring 
what  thou  shouldest  do  to  attain  him  ?  or  thy  family  heard  thee 
commending  his  excellency,  and  laboring  to  kindle  their  affections 
towards  him  ?  Why,  love  will  not  be  hid  :  when  it  hath  its  desire, 
it  will  be  rejoicing,  and  when  it  wants  it,  it  will  be  complaining. 
Or,  at  least,  can  thy  conscience  witness  thy  longings,  thy  groans, 
thy  prayers  for  a  Christ?  Wilt  then  stand  to  the  testimony  of 
these  witnesses  ?  Do  you  love  his  weak,  his  poor,  despised  mem- 
bers ?  Do  you  visit  them,  clothe  them,  feed  them  to  your  power  ? 
Not  only  in  a  common  natural  compassion  to  them  as  they  are 
your  neighbors,  but  do  you  love  or  relieve  a  prophet  in  the  name 
of  a  prophet,  or  a  disciple  in  the  name  of  a  disciple  ?  Matt.  x.  40. 
42.  Shall  all  these  decide  the  question? 

Beloved  hearers,  I  profess  to  you  all,  in  the  name  of  our  Lord, 
that  it  is  not  your  bold  and  confident  affirming  that  you  love 
Christ,  which  will  serve  your  turn  when  Christ  shall  judge  :  he 
will  search  deep,  and  judge  according  to  the  truth  in  the  inward 
parts.  How  many  thousands  will  then  perish  as  his  utter  ene- 
mies, that  verily  thought  themselves  his  friends  !  How  easily 
now  might  they  find  their  mistake  if  they  would  but  be  at  the 
pains  to  examine  themselves  !  O  try,  try,  sirs,  before  God  try  you ; 
judge  yourselves  before  Christ  judge  you.  It  would  grieve  a 
man's  heart  that  knows  what  it  is  to  love  Christ,  to  believe,  to  be 


SOVEREIGNTY    OF    CHRIST.  ,'J09 

subject  to  him,  to  see  how  rare  these  are  in  the  world,  and  yet 
how  confident  and  careless  most  men  are.  It  may  be  that  you 
may  think  much  that  I  so  question  your  love ;  yet  Christ,  that 
knew  all  things,  questioned  Peter's  love  to  him.  and  that  three 
times,  till  it  grieved  Peter.  I  am  a  stranger  to  the  most  of  you, 
and  therefore  know  not  your  conditions  or  inclinations.  Yet 
judge  me  not  censorious  if  I  fear  the  worst,  and  if  I  measure  you 
by  the  rest  of  the  world  ;  and  then  I  may  confidently  and  sadly  con- 
clude that  Christ  hath  few  loving  subjects  among  you.  If  we  could 
hear  your  oaths  and  vain  speeches  turned  to  heavenly,  soul-edify- 
ing discourse,  and  your  covetousness  to  conscionableness,  and  see 
that  the  word  of  Christ  were  your  law,  and  that  you  laid  out  your 
endeavors  for  heaven  in  good  earnest,  then  we  should  say,  '  These 
people  are  the  loving  subjects  of  Christ.'  But  when  men  are  ene- 
mies to  Christ's  doctrine,  and  ways,  and  worship,  and  had  rather 
live  .after  the  flesh,  and  the  world,  and  the  traditions  of  their 
fathers,  and  are  notorious  for  profaneness,  superstition,  and  enmity 
to  reformation,  who  can  choose  but  condole  your  case  ?  And  if 
your  obstinacy  will  not  endure  us  to  help  you,  yet  you  shall  give 
us  leave,  whether  you  will  or  no,  to  lament  you. 

Use  2.  But  it  is  time  that  I  turn  my  speech  to  exhortation  ;  and 

0  that  you  would  encourage  me  with  your  resolutions  to  obey ! 
My  business  here  to-day  is  as  his  herald  and  ambassador,  to  pro- 
claim the  Lord  Jesus  your  King  and  Savior,  and  to  know  whether 
you  will  heartily  acknowledge  and  take  him  so  to  be  or  not.    And 
to  persuade  you  to  take  so  fair  an  offer  while  you  may  have  it,  and 
to  kiss  the  Son  lest  his  wrath  be  kindled.     This  is  my  business 
here,  in  which  if  I  had  not  some  hope  to  speed,  the  Lord  knows 

1  would  not  have  been   here  to-day.     YoU  will  say,  '  This  is  a 
common  errand  ;  do  you  think  we  never  heard  of  Christ  before  ? ' 
I  confess  it  is  common,  blessed  be  God  for  it,  (and  long  may  it  so 
continue  and  increase,  and  let  it  be  as  constant  and  durable  to  us  as 
the  sun  in  the  firmament ;  and  the  Lord  grant  that  England's  sins 
or  enemies  may  never  bereave  them  of  the  blessing  of  the  gospel, 
and  then  it  will  be  a  happier  land  than  yet  ever  was  any  on  the  face 
of  the  earth;)   but  is  it  as  common  to  receive  Christ  in  love  and 
obedience  ?     I   would  it  were.     I  know  the  name  of  Christ  is 
common.     The  swearer  doth  swear  by  it,  the  beggar  begs  by  it, 
the  charmer  puts  it  into  his  charms,  and  the  jester  into  his  jests, 
and  every  Papist  and  ignorant  Protestant  doth  mutter  it  ofttimes 
over  in  his  prayers.     But  who  trembleth  at  it  ?  or  triumpheth   in 
it  ?     Who  maketh  it  his  fear  and  his  joy  ?     And  give  up  their 
souls  and  lives  to  be  governed   by  Christ  ?     I  do  here  solemnly 
proclaim  to  you  that  the  Lord  Jesus  will  not  be  put  off  with  your 
compliments  :  he  cares  not  for  your  mere  name  of  Christianity, 


310      -JL.  THE    ABSOLUTK 

uor  your  cap,  nor  your  knee.  If  thy  heart  be  not  set  upon  him, 
thou  art  none  of  his.  His  word  must  be  your  law,  and  you  must 
depend  on  him  alone  for  soul  and  body,  or  never  look  for  mercy  at 
his  hands.  He  is  the  Author  of  eternal  salvation  to  them  only  that 
obey  him ;  Heb.  v.  9. 

What  say  you,  then,  sirs,  in  answer  to  my  message  ?  And  what 
course  do  you  resolve  upon  ?  Shall  Christ  be  your  love,  and  your 
Lord,  or  not  ?  Will  you  kiss  the  Son,  or  will  you  slight  him  still  ? 
Methinks  you  should  easily  be  resolved,  and  say,  '  Away  with 
pleasure,  and  credit,  and  worldly  gain;  away  with  these  bewitch- 
ing delights  and  companions ;  Christ  hath  bought  my  heart,  and 
he  shall  have  it ;  he  is  my  Lord,  and  I  will  be  ruled  by  him.' 
Hearers,  I  hope  God  hath  kept  you  alive  till  now  to  show  you 
mercy,  and  brought  some  sinners  hither  to-day  to  prevail  with 
their  hearts  ;  and  my  hope  is  somewhat  strengthened  by  God's 
disposal  of  my  own  spirit.  I  was  strongly  tempted  to  have  preach- 
ed this  sermon  in  the  enticing  words  of  human  wisdom,  tending  to 
a  proud  ostentation  of  parts ;  but  Christ  hath  assisted  me  to  con- 
quer the  temptation,  and  commanded  me  to  preach  him  in  plain- 
ness, and  evidence  of  the  Spirit.  I  come  not  to  persuade  you  to 
opinions  or  factions,  to  be  for  this  side  or  for  that,  but  to  be  with 
all  your  hearts  for  Christ,  as  ever  you  look  that  Christ  should  be 
for  you  ;  to  love  him  as  he  that  hath  bought  you  from  eternal 
wrath,  and  died  to  save  you  from  everlasting  burnings ;  to  lay  hold 
on  him  with  most  earnest,  affectionate  apprehension,  as  a  man  that 
is  ready  to  drown  would  do  upon  a  bough,  or  upon  the  hand  of 
his  friend  that  would  pull  him  to  the  shore  ;  to  wait  for  the  law 
of  thy  direction  from  him,  and  do  nothing  till  thou  hast  asked 
counsel  at  his  word,  and  know  his  mind,  whether  thou  shouldest 
do  it  or  no,  till  thou  feel  thy  conscience  bound  by  his  law,  that 
thou  canst  not  stir  till  he  give  thee  leave  ;  that  the  commands  of 
parents  and  princes  may  stoop  to  his,  much  more  the  commands 
of  custom  and  company,  of  credit  or  pleasure,  of  the  world  or  flesh: 
these  are  the  things  that  I  exhort  you  to ;  and  I  must  tell  you  that 
Christ  doth  flatly  expect  them  at  your  hands. 

I  will  here  back  these  exhortations  with  some  persuading  con- 
siderations. Think  of  what  I  say,  and  weigh  it  as  we  go.  If  I 
speak  not  truth  and  reason,  then  reject  it  with  disdain,  and  spare 
not ;  but  if  it  be,  and  thy  conscience  tell  thee  so,  take  heed  then 
how  thou  dost  neglect  or  reject  it,  lest  thou  be  found  a  fighter 
against  the  Spirit,  and  lest  the  curse  of  God  do  seize  upon  that 
heart  that  would  not  yield  to  truth  and  reason. 

And  I  will  draw  these  considerations  only  from  my  text : 

1.  Thou  art  else  a  rebel  against  thy  sovereign  Lord.  This  I 
gather  from  the  command  in  my  text;  and,  indeed,  the  scope  of 


J 


SOVEREIGNTY    OF    CHRIST.  4*         311 


the  whole  psalm.  God  hath  given  thee  into  the  hands  of  his  Son, 
and  made  him  Lord  and  King  of  all,  and  commanded  all  men  to 
accept  him,  and  submit  unto  him.  Who  can  show  such  title  to 
the  sovereignty  ?  such  right  to  rule  thee  as  Christ  can  do  ?  He  is 
thy  Maker,  and  so  is  not  Satan  ;  he  dearly  bought  thee,  and  so 
did  not  the  world  ;  "Thou  wast  not  redeemed  with  silver,  and 
gold,  and  corruptible  things;"  1  Peter  i.  18.  I  make  this  chal- 
lenge here  in  the  behalf  of  Christ ;  let  any  thing  in  the  world  step 
forth  and  show  a  better  title  to  thee,  to  thy  heart,  and  to  thy  life, 
than  Christ  doth  show,  and  let  them  take  thy  heart,  and  take  the 
rule.  But  why  do  I  speak  thus?  I  know  thou  wilt  confess 
it ;  and  yet  wilt  thou  not  yield  him  thy  chiefest  love  and  obedi- 
ence. Out  of  thy  own  mouth  then  art  thou  condemned,  and  thou 
proclaimest  thyself  a  knowing  and  willful  rebel. 

2.  To  deny  thy  affections  and  subjection  to  Christ  is  the  most 
barbarous  unkindness  that  a  sinner  can  be  guilty  of.  Did  he  pity 
thee  in  thy  lost  estate,  and  take  thee  up  when  thou  layest  wound- 
ed in  the  way,  and  make  thee  a  plaster  of  the  blood  of  his  heart  ? 
And  is  this  thy  requital  ?  Did  he  come  down  from  heaven  to 
earth,  to  seek  thee  when  thou  wast  lost,  and  take  upon  him  all  thy 
debt,  and  put  himself  into  the  prison  of  the  world  and  flesh  ?  Hath 
he  paid  for  thy  folly,  and  borne  that  wrath  of  God  which  thou  must 
have  suffered  forever?  And  doth  he  not  now  deserve  to  be  en- 
tertained with  most  affectionate  respect  ?  But  with  a  few  cold 
thoughts  instead  of  hearty  love ;  and  with  a  few  formal  words  in- 
stead of  worship  ?  What  hurt  had  it  been  to  him  if  thou  hadst 
perished  ?  What  would  he  have  lost  by  it  if  thou  hadst  lain  in 
hell  ?  Would  not  justice  have  been  glorified  upon  a  disobedient 
wretch  ?  Might  not  he  have  said  to  his  Father,  '  What  are  these 
worms  and  sinners  to  me  ?  must  I  smart  for  their  folly  ?  must  I  suf- 
fer when  they  have  sinned  ?  must  I  debase  myself  to  become  man 
because  they  would  have  exalted  themselves  to  become  as  God  ? 
If  they  will  needs  undo  themselves,  what  is  it  to  me  ?  If  they  will 
cast  themselves  into  the  flames  of  hell,  must  I  go  thither  to  fetch 
them  out  ? '  Thus  Christ  might  have  put  off  the  suffering  and  the 
shame,  and  let  it  fall  and  lie  where  it  was  due ;  but  he  did  not ; 
his  compassion  would  not  suffer  him  to  see  us  suffer ;  justice  must 
be  satisfied,  the  threat  must  be  fulfilled  ;  Christ  seeth  that  we  can- 
not overcome  it,  but  he  can  ;  therefore,  he  comes  down  into  flesh  ; 
he  lives  on  earth ;  he  fasteth ;  he  weepeth  ;  he  is  weary ;  he  is  tempt- 
ed ;  he  hath  not  a  place  to  put  his  head ;  he  is  hated ;  he  is  spit 
upon  ;  he  is  clothed  as  a  fool,  and  made  a  scorn  ;  he  sweateth  blood ; 
he  is  crucified  with  thieves'  he  bears  the  burden  that  would  have 
sunk  all  us  to  hell ;  and  must  he,  after  all  this,  be  neglected  and 
forgotten,  and  his  laws  that  should  rule  us  be  laid  aside,  and  be 
. 

- 


312  THE    ABSOLUTE 

accounted  too  strict  and  precise  for  us  to  live  by  ?  O  let  the 
heavens  blush,  and  the  earth  be  ashamed,  at  this  barbarous  ingrat- 
itude !  How  can  such  a  people  show  their  faces  at  his  coming,  or 
look  him  in  the  face  when  he  shall  judge  them  for  this !  Would 
you  use  a  friend  thus  ?  No,  nor  an  enemy.  Methinks  you  should 
rather  wonder  with  yourselves  that  ever  Christ  should  give  you 
leave  to  love  him,  and  say,  Will  the  Lord  endure  such  a  wretch  to 
kiss  him  ?  Will  he  suffer  himself  to  be  embraced  by  those  arms 
which  have  been  defiled  so  oft  by  the  embracements  of  sin  ?  Will 
he  so  highly  honor  me  as  to  be  his  subject  and  his  servant,  and  to  be 
guided  by  such  a  blessed  and  perfect  law  ?  And  doth  he  require 
no  harder  conditions  than  these  for  my  salvation  ?  Take,  then,  my 
heart,  Lord,  it  is  thine ;  and  O  that  it  were  better  worth  thy  hav- 
ing ;  or  take  it  and  make  it  better :  the  spear  hath  opened  me  a 
passage  to  thy  heart ;  let  the  Spirit  open  thee  a  passage  into  mine ; 
deservedly  may  those  gates  be  fuel  for  hell,  that  would  not  open 
to  let  in  the  King  of  Glory. 

3.  To  deny  thy  affection  and  subjection  to  the  Son  is  the  great- 
est folly  and  madness  in  the  world.  Why  doth  he  require  this  so 
earnestly  at  thy  hands  ?  Is  it  for  thy  hurt,  or  for  thy  good  ?  Would 
he  make  a  prey  of  thee  for  his  own  advantage  ?  Is  it  not  any  need 
that  he  hath  of  thee  or  of  thy  service,  or  because  thou  hast  need 
of  him  for  thy  direction  and  salvation  ?  Would  he  steal  away  thy 
heart,  as  the  world  doth,  to  delude  it?  Would  he  draw  thee,  as 
Satan  doth,  to  serve  him  that  he  may  torment  thee  ?  If  so,  it  were 
no  wonder  that  thou  art  so  hardly  drawn  to  him ;  but  thou  know- 
est,  sure,  that  Christ  hath  none  of  these  ends. 

The  truth  is  this :  His  dying  on  the  cross  is  but  part  of  the  work 
that  is  necessary  to  thy  salvation  :  this  was  but  the  paying  of  the 
debt :  he  must  give  thee,  moreover,  a  peculiar  interest,  and  make 
that  to  be  absolutely  thine,  which  was  thine  but  conditionally  :  he 
must  take  off  thy  rags,  and  wash  thy  sores,  and  qualify  thy  soul 
for  thy  prepared  glory,  and  bring  thee  out  of  the  prison  of  sin  and 
death,  and  present  thee  to  his  Father  blameless  and  undefiled,  and 
estate  thee  in  greater  dignity  than  thou  fell  from  :  and  all  this  must 
he  do  by  drawing  thee  to  himself,  and  laying  himself  upon  thee  as 
the  prophet  upon  the  child,  and  closing  thy  heart  with  his  heart, 
and  thy  will  with  his  will,  and  thy  thoughts  and  ways  with  the  rule 
of  his  word  ;  and  is  this  against  thee  or  for  thee  ?  Is  there  any 
hurt  to  thee  in  all  this  ?  I  dare  challenge  earth  and  hell,  and  all 
the  enemies  of  Christ  in  both,  to  show  the  least  hurt  that  ever  he 
caused  to  the  soul  of  a  believer,  or  the  least  wrong  to  the  soul 
of  any. 

And  must  he  then  have  such  a  stir  to  do  thee  good  ?  Must  he 
so  beseech  thee  to  be  happy,  and  follow  thee  with  entreaties  ?  And 


POVKREIGNTY    OF    CHRIST.  313 

yet  art  thou  like  a  stock,  that  neither  hears  nor  feels  ?  Nay,  dost 
thou  not  murmur  and  strive  against  him,  as  if  he  were  about  to  do 
thee  a  mischief,  and  would  rather  cut  thy  throat  than  cure  thee, 
and  were  going  to  destroy  thee,  and  not  to  save  thee  ?  I  appeal 
to  any  that  hath  not  renounced  his  reason,  whether  this  be  not  no- 
torious, brutish  unreasonableness  ;  and  whether  thou  be  not  like 
a  beast,  that  must  be  cast  or  held  while  you  dress  his  sores,  than 
to  a  man  that  should  help  on  his  own  recovery.  Foolish  sinner ! 
It  is  thy  sin  that  hurts  thee,  and  not  thy  Savior :  why  dost  thou  not 
rather  strive  against  that  ?  It  is  the  devil  that  would  destroy  thee ; 
and  thou  dost  not  grudge  at  thy  obedience  to  him.  Be  judge  thy- 
self whether  this  be  wise  or  equal  dealing. 

Sinner,  I  beseech  thee,  in  the  behalf  of  thy  poor  soul,  if  thou 
have  such  a  mind  to  renounce  thy  Savior,  do  it  not  till  thou  hast 
found  a  better  master :  say  as  Peter,  "  Whither  shall  we  go,  Lord  ? 
thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life  : "  and  when  thou  knowest  once 
where  to  be  better,  then  go  thy  way ;  part  with  Christ,  and  spare 
not.  If  thy  merry  company,  or  thy  honor,  or  thy  wealth,  or  all 
the  friends  and  delights  in  the  world,  will  do  that  for  thee  which 
Christ  hath  done,  and  which,  at  last,  he  will  do,  if  thou  stick  to 
him,  then  take  them  for  thy  gods,  and  let  Christ  go.  In  the  mean 
time,  let  me  prevail  with  thee,  as  thou  art  a  man  of  reason,  sell 
not  thy  Savior  till  thou  know  for  what ;  sell  not  thy  soul  till  thou 
know  why ;  sell  not  thy  hopes  of  heaven  for  nothing.  God  forbid 
that  thy  willful  folly  should  bring  thee  to  hell,  and  there  thou 
shouldst  lie  roaring  and  crying  out  forever,  '  This  is  the  reward  of 
my  neglecting  Christ ;  he  would  have  led  me  to  glory,  and  I  would 
not  follow  him ;  I  sold  heaven  for  a  few  merry  hours,  for  a  little 
honor,  and  ease,  and  delight,  to  my  flesh :  here  I  lie  in  torment, 
because  I  would  not  be  ruled  by  Christ,  but  chose  my  lusts  and 
pleasures  before  him.'  Sinner,  do  not  think  I  speak  harshly  or 
uncharitably  to  call  this  neglect  of  Christ  thy  folly ;  as  true  as 
thou  livest  and  hearest  me  this  day,  except  thy  timely  submission 
do  prevent  it,  which  God  grant  it  may,  thou  wilt,  one  of  these 
days,  befool  thyself  a  thousand  times  more  than  I  now  befool  thee, 
and  call  thyself  mad,  and  a  thousand  times  mad,  when  thou  think- 
est  how  fair  thou  wast  for  heaven,  and  how  ready  Christ  was  to 
have  been  thy  Savior  and  thy  Lord,  and  how  light  thou  madest 
of  his  offers :  either  this  will  prove  true,  to  thy  cost,  or  else  am  I 
a  false  prophet,  and  a  cursed  deceiver.  Be  wise,  therefore,  be 
learned,  and  kiss  the  Son. 

The  former  considerations  were  drawn  from  the  aggravations  of 
the  sin :  the  following  are  drawn  from  the  aggravations  of  the  pun- 
ishment, and  from  the  words  of  the  text  too : — 

I.  God  will  be  angry  if  you  kiss  not  the  Son.  His  wrath  is  as 
VOL.  n.  40 


314  THE    ABSOLUTE 

fire,  and  this  neglect  of  Christ  is  the  way  to  kindle  it.  If  thou  art 
not  a  believer,  thou  art  condemned  already  ;  but  this  will  bring 
upon  thee  double  condemnation.  Believe  it  for  a  truth,  all  thy 
sins,  as  they  are  against  the  covenant  of  works,  even  the  most 
heinous  of  them,  are  not  so  provoking  and  destroying  as  thy 
slighting  of  Christ.  O,  what  will  the  Father  say  to  such  an  un- 
worthy wretch !  '  Must  I  send  my  Son  from  my  bosom  to  suffer 
for  thee  ?  Must  he  groan  when  thou  shouldest  groan,  and  bleed 
when  thou  shouldest  bleed,  and  die  when  thou  shouldest  die  ?  And 
canst  thou  not  now  be  persuaded  to  embrace  him,  and  obey  him  ? 
Must  the  world  be  courted  whilst  he  stands  by?  Must  he  have 
the  naked  title  of  thy  Lord  and  Savior,  while  thy  fleshly  pleasures 
and  profits  have  thy  heart  ?  What  wrath  can  be  too  great,  what 
hell  too  hot,  for  such  an  ungrateful,  unworthy  wretch  !  Must  I  pre- 
pare thee  a  portion  of  the  blood  of  my  Son,  and  wilt  thou  not  be 
persuaded  now  to  drink  it  ?  Must  I  be  at  so  much  cost  to  save 
thee,  and  wilt  thou  not  obey  that  thou  mayest  be  saved  ?  Go 
seize  upon  him,  justice ;  let  my  wrath  consume  thee  ;  let  hell  de- 
vour thee ;  let  thy  own  conscience  forever  torment  thee ;  seeing 
thou  hast  chosen  death,  thou  shall  have  it ;  and,  as  thou  hast  re- 
jected heaven,  thou  shall  never  see  it,  "but  my  wralh  shall  abide 
upon  thee  forever;"  John  iii.  36.  Woe  to  thee,  sinner,  if  this  be 
once  thy  sentence  !  Thou  wert  betler  have  all  ihe  world  angry 
wilh  ihee,  and  bound  in  an  oalh  againsl  ihee,  as  the  Jews  against 
Paul,  than  that  one  drop  of  his  anger  should  light  upon  thee ;  thou 
wert  better  have  heaven  and  earth  to  fall  upon  thee,  than  one  de- 
gree of  God's  displeasure. 

2.  As  this  wrath  is  of  fire,  so  it  is  a  consuming  fire,  and  causeth 
the  sinner  utterly  lo  perish.  All  this  is  plain  in  the  text ;  not 
that  the  being  of  the  soul  will  cease ;  such  a  perishing  the  sinner 
would  be  glad  of;  a  happy  man  would  he  think  himself,  if  he 
might  die  as  the  brutes,  and  be  no  more :  but  such  wishes  are 
vain.  It  is  but  a  glimpse  of  his  own  condition,  which  he  shall  see 
in  the  great  combustion  of  the  world  :  when  he  seeth  ihe  heaven 
and  earth  on  fire,  he  seelh  bul  ihe  picture  of  his  approaching  woe  ; 
but,  alas  !  it  is  he  that  must  feel  the  devouring  fire.  The  world 
will  be  but  refined  or  consumed  by  its  fire ;  but  there  must  he 
burn,  and  burn  forever,  and  yet  be  neither  consumed  nor  refined. 
The  earth  will  not  feel  the  flames  that  burn  it,  but  his  soul  and 
body  must  feel  it  with  a  witness :  little  know  his  friends,  that  are 
honorably  interring  bis  corpse,  what  his  miserable  soul  is  seeing 
and  feeling :  here  endeth  the  story  of  his  prosperity  and  delights, 
and  now  begins  the  tragedy  that  will  never  end :  oh !  how  his 
merry  days  are  vanished  as  a  dream,  and  his  jovial  life  as  a 
tale  that  is  told ;  his  witty  jests,  his  pleasant  sports,  his  cards  and 


SOVEHKICNTK     Of     CHKJsjT.  •    • 

dice,  iiis  merry  company  and  wanton  dalliance,  his  cups  and  quearu, 
yea,  his  hopes  of  heaven  and  confident  conceits  of  escaping  this 
wrath,  are  all  perished  with  him  in  the  way  :  as  the  wax  melteth 
before  the  fire,  as  the  chaff  is  scattered  before  the  wind,  as  the 
stubble  consumeth  before  the  flames,  as  the  flowers  do  wither 
before  the  scorching  sun  ;  so  are  all  his  sinful  pleasures  withered, 
consumed,  scattered  and  melted.  And  is  not  the  hearty  embra- 
cing of  Christ,  and  subjection  to  him,  a  cheap  prevention  of  all  this  ? 
O  !  who  among  you  can  dwell  with  the  devouring  fire  ?  "  Who 
can  dwell  with  the  everlasting  burnings?"  Isaiah  xxxiii.  14. 
This  God  hath  said  he  will  surely  do :  if  you  are  able  to  gainsay 
and  resist  him,  try  your  strength ;  read  his  challenge — "  Who 
would  set  the  briers  and  thorns  against  me  in  battle  ?  I  would  go 
through  them,  I  would  burn  them  together ; "  Isaiah  xxvii.  4. 
3.  This  perishing  will  be  sudden  and  unexpected,  in  the  way 
of  their  sin  and  resistance  of  Christ,  in  the  way  of  their  fleshly 
delights  and  hopes  ;  "  They  shall  perish  in  the  way ; "  1  Thes. 
v.  3.  Matt.  xxiv.  30.  As  fire  doth  terribly  break  out  in  the 
night,  when  men  are  sleeping,  and  consumeth  the  fruit  of  their  long 
labors,  so  will  this  fire  break  forth  upon  their  souls ;  and  how 
near  may  it  be  when  you  little  think  on  it !  A  hundred  to  one 
but  some  of  us  present  shall  within  a  few  months  be  in  another 
world  ;  and  what  world  it  will  be  you  may  easily  conceive  if  you 
do  not  embrace  and  obey  the  Son.  How  many  have  been  smitten, 
with  Herod,  in  the  midst  of  their  vain  glory !  How  many,  like 
Ahab,  have  been  wounded  in  fight,  and  dunged  the  earth  with  their 
flesh  and  blood,  who  left  the  Lord's  people  to  be  fed  with  bread 
and  water  of  affliction,  in  confidence  of  their  own  return  to  peace ! 
How  many  have  been  swallowed  up,  like  Pharaoh  and  his  host, 
in  their  rash  and  malicious  pursuit  of  the  godly !  Little  thinks 
many  an  ignorant,  careless  soul,  what  a  change  of  his  condition  he 
shall  shortly  find.  Those  thousands  of  souls  that  are  now  in  misery 
did  as  little  think  of  that  doleful  state  while  they  were  merrily 
pleasing  the  flesh  on  earth,  and  forgetting  Christ  and  their  eternal 
state,  as  you  do  now ;  they  could  as  contemptuously  jeer  the 
preacher  as  you,  and  verily  believed  that  all  this  talk  was  but 
words,  and  wind,  and  empty  threats,  and  ventured  their  souls  as 
boldly  upon  their  carnal  hopes.  Little  thought  Sodom  of  the 
devouring  fire  when  they  were  furiously  assaulting  the  door  of  their 
righteous  reprover.  As  little  do  the  raging  enemies  of  godliness 
among  us  think  of  the  deplorable  state  which  they  are  hastening 
to.  They  will  cry  out  themselves  then, '  Little  did  I  think  to  see 
this  day,  or  feel  these  torments  ! '  Why,  thou  wouldest  not  think 
of  it,  or  else  thou  mightest ;  God  told  thee  in  Scripture,  and  min- 
isters in  their  preaching,  but  thou  wouldest  not  believe  till  it  was 
too  late. 


•JIG  THK    ABSOI-rTK 

4.  A  little  of  God's  wrath  will  bring  down  all  this  upon  those 
that  embrace  not  and  obey  not  the  Son.     If  his  wrath  be  kindled, 
yea.  but  a  little,  &,c.     As  his  mercy  being  the  mercy  of  an  infinite 
God,  a  little  of  it  will  sweeten  a  world  of  crosses ;  so  therefore  will 
a  little  of  his  wrath  consume  a  world  of  pleasures ;  one  spark  fell 
among  the  Bethshemites,  and  consumed  fifty  thousand  and  seventy 
men,  but  for  looking  into  the  ark,  till  the  people  cry  out,  "  Who 
can   stand  before   this  holy   Lord  God?"     1    Sam.  vi.    19,20. 
How,  then,  will  the  neglecters  of  Christ  stand  before  him  !     Sirs, 
methinks  we  should  not  hear  of  this  as  strangers  or  unbelievers. 
There  did  but  one  spark  fall  upon  England,  and  what  a  combustion 
hath  it  cast  this  kingdom   into !     How  many  houses  and  towns 
hath  it  consumed !     How  many  thousands  of  people  hath  it  em- 
poverished  !     How  many  children  hath  it  left  fatherless  !    And  how 
many  thousand   bodies   hath    it   bereaved  of  their  souls !     And 
though  there  are  as  many  hearty  prayers  and  tears  poured  forth 
to  quench   it  as  most  kingdoms  on  earth  have  had,  yet  is  the  fire 
kindled    afresh,  and   threateneth  a  more  terrible  desolation  than 
before,  as  if  it  would  turn  us  all  to  ashes.     One  spark  fell  upon 
Germany,  another  upon  Ireland ;  and  what  it  hath  done  there  I 
need  not  tell  you.     If  a  little  of  this  wrath  do  but  seize  upon  thy 
body,  what  cries,  and  groans,  and  lamentations  doth  it  raise  !     If 
it  be  on  one  member,  yea,  but  a  tooth,  how  dost  thou  roar  with 
intolerable  pain,  and  wouldest  not  take  the  world  to  live  forever 
in  that  condition !     If  it  seize  upon  the  conscience,  what  torments 
doth  it  cause,  as  if  the  man  were  already  in  hell !     He  thinketh 
every  thing  he  seeth  is  against  him  ;  he  feareth  every  bit  he  eateth 
should  be  his  bane.     If  he  sleep,  he  dreams  of  death  and  judg- 
ment ;  when  he  awaketh,  his  conscience  and  horror  awake  with 
him  :  he  is  weary  of  living,  and  fearful  of  dying  :  even  the  thoughts 
of  heaven   are  terrible  to  him,  because  he  thinks  it  is  not  for  him. 
O !  what  a  pitiful  sight  it  is  to  see  a  man  under  the  wrath  of  God ! 
And  are  these  little  sparks  so  intolerable  hot?     What,  then,  do 
you  think  are  the  everlasting  flames?     Beloved  hearers,  if  God 
had  not  spoke  this,  I  durst  not  have  spoke  it :  the  desire  of  my 
soul  is,  that  you  may  never  feel  it,  or  else  I  should  never  have 
chosen  so  unpleasing  a  subject,  but  that  I  hope  the  foreknowing 
may  help  you  to   prevent  it ;  but  let  me  tell  you  from  God,  that, 
as  sure  as  the  heaven  is  over  your  head,  and  the  earth  under  your 
feet,  except  the  Son  of  God  be  nearer  thy  heart,  and  dearer  to  thy 
heart  than  friends,  or  goods,  or  pleasures,  or  life,  or  any  thing  in 
this  world,  this  burning  wrath  will  never  be  prevented ;     Matt.  x. 
37.     Luke  xiv.  46. 

5.  When  this  wrath  of  God  is  thoroughly  kindled,  the  world 
will  discern  the  blessed  from  the  wretched.     "  Then  blessed  are 
they  that  trust  in  him."     It  is  the  property  of  the  wicked  to  be 


SOVEREIUNTV    OK     t  HH1ST.  317 

wise  too  late.  Those  that  now  they  esteem  but  precise  fools,  will 
then  be  acknowledged  blessed  men.  Bear  with  their  scorns, 
Christians,  in  the  meantime ;  they  will  very  shortly  wish  themselves 
in  your  stead,  and  would  give  all  that  erer  they  were  masters  of, 
that  they  had  sought  and  loved  Christ  as  earnestly  as  you,  and 
had  a  little  of  your  oil  when  they  find  their  lamps  are  out ;  Matt. 
xxv.  8. 

And  now,  hearers,  what  is  your  resolution  ?  Perhaps  you  have 
been  enemies  to  Christ,  under  the  name  of  Christians :  will  you 
still  be  so  ?  Have  you  not  loathed  this  busy,  diligent  serving  of 
him,  and  hated  them  that  most  carefully  seek  him,  more  than  the 
vilest  drunkard  or  blasphemer?  Have  not  his  word,  and  service, 
and  Sabbaths,  been  a  burden  to  you  ?  Have  not  multitudes  ven- 
tured their  lives  against  his  ordinances  and  government?  Nay,  is 
it  not  almost  the  common  voice  of  the  nation  in  effect — '  Give  us 
our  sports,  and  liberty  of  sinning ;  give  us  our  readers,  and  singing 
men,  and  drunken  preachers  ;  give  us  our  holydays  and  ceremonies, 
and  the  customs  of  our  forefathers :  away  with  these  precise  fellows  ; 
they  are  an  eye-sore  to  us :  these  precise  preachers  shall  not  con- 
trol us  ;  this  precise  Scripture  shall  be  no  law  to  us ; '  and,  conse- 
quently, this  Christ  shall  not  rule  over  us  ? 

How  long  hath  England  rebelled  against  his  government !  Mr. 
Udal  told  them,  in  the  days  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  '  that  if  they 
would  not  set  up  the  discipline  of  Christ  in  the  church,  Christ 
would  set  it  up  himself  in  a  way  that  would  make  their  hearts  to 
ache.'  I  think  their  hearts  have  ached  by  this  time  ;  and  as  they 
judged  him  to  the  gallows  for  his  prediction,  so  hath  Christ  exe- 
cuted them  by  thousands  for  their  rebellion  against  him  ;  and  yet 
they  are  as  unwilling  of  his  government  as  ever.  The  kings  of 
the  earth  are  afraid  lest  Christ's  government  should  unking  them ; 
the  rulers  are  jealous  lest  it  will  depose  them  from  their  dignities ; 
even  the  reformers  that  have  ventured  all  to  set  it  up,  are  jealous 
lest  it  will  encroach  upon  their  power  and  privileges ;  kings  are 
afraid  of  it,  and  think  themselves  but  half  kings,  where  Christ 
doth  set  up  his  word  and  discipline ;  parliaments  are  afraid  of  it, 
lest  it  should  usurp  their  authority ;  lawyers  are  afraid  of  it,  lest  it 
should  take  away  their  gains,  and  the  laws  of  Christ  should  over- 
top the  laws  of  the  land  ;  the  people  are  afraid  of  it,  lest  it  will 
compel  them  to  subjection  to  that  law  and  way  which  their  souls 
abhor :  indeed,  if  men  may  be  their  own  judges,  then  Christ  hath 
no  enemies  in  England  at  all ;  we  are  his  friends,  and  all  good 
Christians.  It  is  precisians  and  rebels  that  men  hate,  and  not 
Christ :  it  is  not  the  government  of  Christ  that  we  are  afraid  of, 
•  but  the  domineering  of  aspiring,  ambitious  presbyters,  (viz.  that 
generation  of  godly,  learned,  humble  ministers,  who  have  done 


318  THE    ABSOUJTK 

more  than  ever  did  any  before  them  to  make  themselves  incapable 
of  preferment  or  domineering;)  and  when  men  disobey  and  dis- 
regard pur  doctrine,  it  is  not  Christ,  but  the  preacher,  that  they 
despise  and  disobey.  And  if  the  Jews  might  so  have  been  their 
own  judges,  it  was  not^  the  Son  of  God  whom  they  crucified,  but 
an  enemy  to  Caesar,  and  a  blasphemer  that  works  by  the  devil. 
It  was  not  Paul,  a  saint,  that  they  persecuted,  but  one  that  they 
found  to  bo  a  pestilent  fellow,  and  a  mover  of  sedition  amongst  the 
people.  But  were  there  no  seditious  persons  but  apostles  and 
Christians ;  nor  no  troublers  of  Israel  but  Elias ;  nor  no  enemies 
to  Caesar  but  Christ  and  his  friends  ?  O  !  God  will  shortly  take 
off  the  veil  of  hypocrisy  from  the  actions  of  the  world,  and  make 
them  confess  that  it  was  Christ  they  resisted,  and  that  it  was  his 
holy  ways  and  word  that  did  kindle  their  fury ;  else  would  they 
as  soon  have  fallen  upon  the  ungodly  rabble,  as  they  did  upon  the 
most  zealous  and  conscionable  Christians;  and,  however  you  man- 
gle and  deform  them  with  your  false  accusations  and  reproach,  he 
will  then  know  and  own  his  people  and  his  cause,  and  will  say  to 
the  world,  '  In  despising  them  you  despised  me ;  and,  inasmuch  as 
you  did  it  to  one  of  these  little  ones,  you  did  it  unto  me.'  As  Dr. 
Stoughton  saith,  '  If  you  strike  a  schismatic,  and  God  find  a  saint 
lie  a-bleeding,  and  you  to  answer  it,  I  would  not  be  in  your  coat 
for  more  than  you  got  by  it.'  Hath  the  world  ever  gained  by 
resisting  Christ  ?  Doth  it  make  the  crown  sit  faster  on  the  heads 
of  kings  ?  Or,  must  they  not  rather  do  to  Christ  as  King  John  to 
his  supposed  vicar,  resign  their  crowns  to  him,  and  take  them  from 
him  again  as  his  tributaries,  before  they  can  hold  them  by  a  certain 
tenure  ?  Read  over  but  this  psalm,  and  judge  :  "  Herod  must  kill 
the  child  Jesus  to  secure  his  crown :  the  Jews  must  kill  him  lest 
the  Romans  should  come  and  take  away  their  place  and  nation ; " 
John  xi.  48.  And  did  this  means  secure  them ;  or  did  it  bring 
upon  them  the  destruction  which  they  thought  to  avoid  ? 

Or  have  the  people  been  greater  gainers  by  this  than  by  their 
kings  ?  What  hath  England  got  by  resisting  his  gospel  and  gov- 
ernment, by  hating  his  servants,  and  by  scorning  his  holy  ways  ? 
What  have  you  got  by  it  in  this  city  ?  What  say  you  ?  Have 
you  yet  done  with  your  enmity  and  resistance  ?  Have  you  enough  ; 
or  would  you  yet  have  more  ?  If  you  have  not  done  with  Christ, 
he  hath  not  done  with  you  ;  you  may  try  again,  and  follow  on  as 
far  as  Pharaoh  if  you  will,  but  if  you  be  not  losers  in  the  latter' 
end,  I  have  lost  my  judgment ;  and  if  you  return  in  peace,  God 
hath  not  spoken  by  me  ;  1  Kings  xxii.  28. 

Sirs,  I  am  loath  to  leave  you  till  the  bargain  be  made.  What 
say  you?  Do  you  heartily  consent  that  Christ  shall  be  your 
Sovereign,  his  word  your  law,  his  people  your  companions,  his 


SOVEREIGNTY    OF    CHRIST.  319 

worship  your  recreation,  his  merits  your  refuge,  his  glory  your  end, 
and  himself  the  desire  and  delight  of  your  souls  ?  The  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  now,  waiteth  upon  you  for  your  resolution  and  answer ;  thou 
wilt  very  snortly  wait  upon  him  for  thy  doom :  as  ever  thou  would- 
est  then  have  him  speak  life  to  thy  soul,  do  thou  now  resolve  upon 
the  way  of  life.  Remember  thou  art  almost  at  death  and  judg- 
ment. What  wouldest  thou  resolve  if  thou  knewest  that  it  were 
to-morrow  ?  If  thou  didst  but  see  what  others  do  now  suffer  for 
neglecting  him,  that  doth  now  offer  thee  his  grace,  what  wouldest 
thou  then  resolve  to  do  ?  Sirs,  it  stirreth  my  heart  to  look  upon 
you,  (as  Xerxes  upon  his  army,)  and  to  think  that  it  is  not  an 
hundred  years  till  every  soul  of  you  shall  be  in  heaven  or  in  hell ; 
and  it  may  be  not  an  hundred  hours  till  some  of  your  souls  must 
take  their  leave  of  your  bodies :  when  it  comes  to  that,  then  you 
will  cry, '  Away  with  the  world,  away  with  my  pleasures ;  nothing 
can  comfort  me  now  but  Christ ;'  why,  then,  will  you  not  be  of 
the  same  mind  now  ?  When  the  world  cries,  '  Away  with  this 
holiness,  and  praying,  and  talking  of  heaven  !  Give  us  our  sports, 
and  our  profits,  and  the  customs  of  our  forefathers,'  that  is,  "  Away 
with  Christ,  and  give  us  Barabbas,"  then  do  ye  cry,  '  Away  with 
all  these,  and  give  us  Christ.' 

O,  if  it  might  stand  with  the  will  of  God  that  I  might  choose 
what  effect  this  sermon  should  have  upon  your  hearts,  verily,  it 
should  be  nothing  that  should  hurt  you  in  the  least ;  but  this  it 
should  be,  it  should  now  be  to  fasten  upon  your  souls,  and  pierce 
into  your  consciences,  as  an  arrow  that  is  drawn  out  of  the  quiver 
of  God  ;  it  should  follow  thee  home  to  thy  house,  and  bring  thee 
down  on  thy  knees  in  secret,  and  make  thee  there  lament  thy 
case,  and  cry  out  in  the  bitterness  of  thy  spirit,  '  Lord,  I  am  the 
sinner  that  have  neglected  thee  ;  I  have  tasted  more  sweetness  in 
the  world  than  in  thy  blood,  and  taken  more  pleasure  in  my  earth- 
ly labors  and  delights  than  I  have  done  in  praying  to  thee,  or 
meditating  on  thee ;  I  have  complimented  with  thee  by  a  cold 
profession,  but  my  heart  was  never  set  upon  thee.'  And  here 
should  it  make  thee  lie  in  tears  and  prayers,  and  follow  Christ 
with  thy  cries  and  complaints,  till  he  should  take  thee  up  from  the 
dust,  and  assure  thee  of  his  pardon,  and  change  thy  heart,  and 
close  it  with  his  own.  If  thou  wert  the  dearest  friend  that  I  have 
in  the  world,  this  is  the  success  that  I  would  wish  this  sermon  with 
thy  soul,  that  it  might  be  as  a  voice  still  sounding  in  thine  ears, 
that  when  thou  art  next  in  thy  sinful  company  or  delight,  thou 
mightest,  as  it  were,  hear  this  voice  in  thy  conscience,  '  Is  this 
thine  obedience  to  him  that  bought  thee  ? '  That  when  thou  art 
next  forgetting  Christ,  and  neglecting  his  worship  in  secret,  or  in 
thy  family,  or  public,  thou  mightest  see  this  sentence,  as  it  were. 


THE    ABSOLUTE 

written  upon  thy  wall,  "  Kiss  the  Son,  lest  he  be  angry,  and  thou 
perish."  That  thou  mightest  see  it,  as  it  were,  written  upon  the 
tester  of  thy  bed,  as  often  as  thou  liest  down  in  an  unregenerate 
state ;  and  that  it  may  keep  thine  eyes  waking,  and  thy  soul  dis- 
quieted, and  give  thee  no  rest,  till  thou  hadst  rest  in  Christ.  In  a 
word,  if  it  were  but  as  much  in  my  hands  as  it  is  in  yours,  what 
should  become  of  this  sermon ;  I  hope  it  would  be  the  best  sermon 
to  thee  that  ever  thou  heardest :  it  should  lay  thee  at  the  feet  of 
Christ,  and  leave  thee  in  his  arms.  O  that  I  did  but  know 
what  arguments  would  persuade  you,  and  what  words  would  work 
thy  heart  hereto!  If  I  were  sure  it  would  prevail,  I  would  come 
down  from  the  pulpit,  and  go  from  man  to  man,  upon  my  knees, 
with  this  request  and  advice  in  my  text :  O !  "  kiss  the  Son,  lest 
he  be  angry,  and  you  perish." 

But  if  thy  hardened  heart  make  light  of  all,  and  thou  go  on  still 
in  thy  careless  neglect  of  Christ,  and  yet  wilt  not  believe  but  thou 
art  his  friend  and  servant,  I  do  here,  from  the  word,  and  in  the 
name  of  Christ,  pass  this  sentence  upon  thy  soul :  Thou  shalt  go 
hence,  and  perhaps  linger  out  in  thy  security  a  few  days  more, 
and  then  be  called  by  death  to  judgment,  where  thou  shalt  be 
doomed  to  this  everlasting  fiery  wrath.  Make  as  light  of  it  as 
thou  wilt,  feel  it  thou  shalt ;  put  it  off  and  escape  if  thou  canst ; 
and  when  thou  hast  done,  go  boast  that  thou  hast  conquered  Christ. 
In  the  meantime  I  require  this  congregation  to  bear  witness  that 
thou  hadst  warning. 

This  to  all  in  general :  my  text  yet  directeth  me  to  speak  more 
particularly  to  the  rulers  and  judges  of  the  earth. 

Honorable  and  reverend  judges,  worshipful  magistrates,  if  you 
were  all  kings  and  emperors,  all  is  one  to  Christ,  you  were  but 
high  and  mighty  dust  and  ashes ;  Christ  sendeth  his  summons  first 
to  you  ;  he  knows  the  leaders'  interest  in  the  vulgar ;  you  are  the 
commanders  in  the  host  of  God,  and  must  do  him  more  service 
than  the  common  soldiers :  if  one  of  you  should  neglect  him,  and 
stand  out  against  him,  he  will  begin  with  you  in  the  sight  of  the 
rest,  and  make  your  greatness  a  stepping-stone  to  the  honor  of 
his  justice,  that  the  lowest  may  understand  what  they  have  to  do 
when  they  see  the  greatest  cannot  save  themselves. 

Shall  I  say  you  are  wiser  than  the  people,  and  therefore  that 
this  admonition  is  needless  to  you  ?  No,  then  I  should  accuse  the 
Spirit  in  my  text :  the  cedars  of  the  earth  have  always  hardly 
stooped  to  Christ,  which  hath  made  so  many  of  them  rooted  up. 
Your  honors  are  an  impediment  to  that  self-abasing  which  he 
expecteth  :  your  dignities  will  more  tend  to  blind  you  than  to  illu- 
minate. There  are  few  of  any  sort,  but  fewest  of  the  great,  and 
wise,  and  mighty,  that  ape  called :  yet  a  man  would  think  that 


SOVEREIGNTY    OF    CHRIST. 


among  those  that  have  held  out,  in  these  trying  times,  there  should 
be  no  need  of  these  suspicions  :  but  hath  there  not  been  always  a 
succession  of  sinners,  even  of  those  that  have  beheld  the  ruin  of 
their  predecessors  ?  Who  would  have  thought  that  a  generation 
that  had  seen  the  wonders  in  Egypt,  and  had  passed  through  the 
sea,  and  been  maintained  in  a  wilderness  with  constant  miracles, 
should  yet  be  so  vile  idolaters,  or  murmuring  unbelievers,  that 
only  two  of  them  should  enter  into  rest  ?  The  best  of  saints  have 
need  of  self-suspicion  and  vigilancy.  My  advice  to  you,  therefore, 
is  this,  learn  wisdom  by  the  examples  that  your  eyes  have  seen  : 
''Them  that  honor  God,  he  will  honor;  and  they  that  despise 
him,  shall  be  lightly  esteemed  ;"  1  Sam.  ii.  30. 

More  particularly,  let  me  advise  you,  as  your  duty  to  the  Son, 
1.  That  you  take  your  commission  and  office  as  from  him.  I 
think  it  a  doctrine  more  common  than  true,  that  ministers  only  are 
under  Christ  the  Mediator,  and  magistrates  are  only  under  God  as 
Creator.  Christ  is  now  Lord  of  all,  and  you  are  his  servants  :  as 
there  is  no  power  but  from  God,  so  none  from  God  but  by  Christ. 
Look  upon  yourselves  as  his  vicegerents  ;  therefore  do  riot  that 
which  beseemeth  not  a  vicegerent  of  Christ.  Remember  that  as 
you  see  to  the  execution  of  the  laws  of  the  land,  so  will  Christ  see 
that  his  laws  be  obeyed  by  you,  or  executed  on  you.  Remember, 
when  you  sit  and  judge  offenders,  that  you  represent  him  that  will 
judge  you  and  all  the  world.  And  O,  how  lively  a  resemblance 
have  you  to  raise  your  apprehension  !  Think  with  yourselves, 
'  Thus  shall  men  tremble  before  his  bar  ;  thus  shall  they  wait  to 
hear  their  doom  ;  '  and  be  sure  that  your  judgment  be  such  as 
may  most  lively  represent  the  judgment  of  Christ,  that  the  just 
may  depart  from  your  bar  with  joy,  and  the  unjust  with  sadness. 
Let  your  justice  be  most  severe  where  Christ  is  most  severe  ;  and 
so  far  as  you  can  exercise  your  clemency,  let  it  be  about  those 
offenses  which  our  Jaws  are  more  rigorous  against  than  the  laws 
of  God.  Be  sure  yet  that  you  understand  the  extent  of  your  com- 
nvssion,  that  you  are  not  the  sole  officers  of  Jesus  Christ;  you  are 
under  him  as  he  is  head  over  all  ;  ministers  are  under  him  as  he 
is  head  to  his  clmrch  ;  Eph.  i.  22.  Ministers  are  as  truly  the 
magistrates'  teachers,  as  magistrates  are  their  governors  ;  yea,  by 
as  high  and  undoubted  authority  must  they  oversee,  govern,  and 
command  ministerially,  as  their  Lord's  ambassadors,  both  kings  and 
parliaments  to  do  whatsoever  is  written  in  this  Bible,  as  you  may 
command  them  to  obey  the  laws  of  the  land  ;  yea,  and  as  strict  a 
bond  lieth  on  you  to  obey  them  so  far  as  they  speak  according  to 
this  word,  and  keep  within  the  bounds  of  their  calling,  as  doth  on 
them  to  obey  you  in  yours  ;  Heb.  xiii.  7.  17.  Deal  not  with 
them  so  dissemblingly  as  to  call  them  your  pastors,  teachers,  over- 

VOL.    II.  41 


322  THE    ABSOLUTE 

seers,  and  rulers,  (as  Scripture  bids  you,)  and  yet  to  learn  of  them 
but  what  you  list,  or  to  deny  them  leave  to  teach  or  advise  you, 
further  than  they  receive  particular  warrant  and  direction  from 
yourselves.  Should  our  assembly  limit  all  their  ministerial  advice 
to  the  warrant  and  direction  of  parliament,  and  not  extend  it  to 
the  warrant  and  directions  of  Christ,  would  they  not  become  the 
servants  and  pleasers  of  men  ?  If  you  do  not  your  best  to  set  up 
all  the  government  of  Christ,  even  that  in  and  proper  to  his  church, 
as  well  as  that  which  is  over  them,  and  for  them,  men  may  well 
think  it  is  your  own  seats,  and  not  Christ's,  that  you  would  advance. 
I  would  all  the  magistrates  in  England  did  well  consider  that 
Christ  hath  been  teaching  them  this  seven  years,  that  their  own 
peace  or  honors  shall  not  be  set  up  before  his  gospel  and  govern- 
ment ;  and  that  they  do  but  tire  themselves  in  vain  in  such  at- 
tempts ;  then  they  would  learn  to  read  my  text  with  the  vulgar, 
Apprehendite  disciplinam.  And  if  the  decisive  power  of  the  min- 
istry be  doubtful,  yet  at  least  they  would  set  up  their  nunciative 
in  its  vigor.  Christ  will  rule  England  either  as  subjects  or  as 
rebels  ;  and  all  that  kings  and  states  do  gain  by  opposing  his  rule 
will  not  add  one  cubit  to  the  stature  of  their  greatness.  Yet  do  I 
not  understand,  by  the  government  of  Christ,  a  rigid  conformity  to 
the  model  of  this  or  that  party,  or  faction,  with  a  violent  extirpa- 
tion of  every  dissenter.  It  is  the  ignorant  part  of  divines,  (alas ! 
such  there  are,)  who,  with  the  simple  fellow  in  Erasmus,  do  ex- 
pound Paul's  hcereticum  hominem  devita,  i.  e.  de  vita  tolle.  It  is 
the  essentials,  and  not  the  accidentals  of  discipline  that  I  speak  of: 
and  if  some  disengaged  standers-by  be  not  mistaken,  who  have  the 
advantage  by  standing  out  of  the  dust  of  contention,  each  party 
hath  some  of  these  essentials,  and  the  worst  is  nearer  the  truth 
than  his  adversary  is  aware  of:  and  were  not  the  crowd  and  noise 
so  great  that  there  is  no  hope  of  being  heard,  one  would  think  it 
should  be  possible  to  reconcile  them  all.  However,  shall  the 
work  be  undone  while  each  party  striveth  to  have  the  doing  of  it  ? 
I  was  afraid  when  I  read  the  beginning  and  end  of  this  controversy 
in  France.  Tne  learned  Ramus  pleadeth  for  popular  church 
government  in  the  synods ;  they  rejected  it  as  an  unwarrantable 
novelty;  the  contention  grew  sharp,  till  the  Parisian  massacre 
silenced  the  difference.  And  must  our  differences  have  so  sharp 
a  cure  ?  Will  nothing  unite  disjoined  Christians  but  their  own 
blood  ?  God  forbid.  But  in  the  mean  time,  while  we  quarrel, 
the  work  standeth  still.  Some  would  have  all  the  workers  of  ini- 
quity now  taken  out  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  forgetting  that  the 
angels  must  take  them  out  at  last ;  Matt.  xiii.  Some  ministers 
think  as  Myconius  did,  when  he  was  called  to  the  ministry,  by  a 
vision  leading  him  into  a  cornfield,  and  bidding  him  reap :  he 


SOVEREIGNTY    OF    CHRIST. 


thought  he  must  put  in  his  sickle  at  the  bottom,  till  he  wu*  told 
'  Domino  meo  non  opus  est  stramine,  modo  aristae  in  horrea  colli- 
gantur.'  '  My  master  needeth  not  straw  ;  gather  but  the  ears, 
and  it  shall  suffice.' 

Once  more  :  I  know  I  speak  not  to  the  parliament  that  should 
remedy  it,  but  yet  that  you  may  be  helpful  in  your  places  to  ad- 
vance this  work  of  Christ,  let  me  tell  you  what  is  the  thing  in 
England  that  cries  for  reformation  next  our  sins  ;  even  the  fewness 
of  overseers  in  great  congregations,  which  maketh  the  greatest  part 
of  pastoral  work  to  lie  undone,  and  none  to  watch  over  the  people 
in  private,  because  they  are  scarce  sufficient  for  the  public  work. 
It  is  pity  that  Musculus,  that  may  be  head  of  a  society  of  students 
if  he  will  continue  a  Papist,  must  weave  and  dig  for  his  living  if  he 
will  be  a  Protestant.  It  is  pity  that  even  Luther's  wife  and  chil- 
dren must  wander  destitute  of  maintenance  when  he  is  dead,  when 
.flEsop,  the  stage-player,  can  leave  his  son  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  pounds  ;  and  Roscius  have  thirty  pounds  a-day  for  the 
same  trade;  and  Aristotle  be  allowed  eight  hundred  talents  to 
further  his  search  into  the  secrets  of  nature.  But  am  I  pleading 
that  ministers  may  have  more  maintenance  ?  No  ;  be  it  just  or 
unjust,  it  is  none  of  my  errand.  But  O  that  the  church  had  more 
ministers,  which,  though  at  the  present  they  cannot  have  for  want 
of  men,  yet  hereafter  they  might  have  if  it  were  not  for  want  of 
maintenance.  Alas  !  then,  what  pity  is  it  that  every  reformation 
should  diminish  the  churches'  patrimony  !  If  the  men  have  offend- 
ed, or  if  the  office  of  bishops  or  deans  be  unwarrantable,  yet  what 
have  the  revenues  done  ?  Is  it  not  pity  that  one  troop  of  an  hun- 
dred men  shall  have  seven  commanding  officers  allowed  them, 
besides  others,  and  ten  thousand,  or  forty  thousand,  shall  have  but 
one  or  two  overseers  allowed  them  for  their  souls,  when  the  min- 
isterial work  is  more  laborious,  and  of  greater  concernment  than 
the  work  of  those  commanders?  I  tell  you  again,  the  great  thing 
that  cries  for  reformation  in  England,  next  to  sin,  is  the  paucity  of 
ministers  in  great  congregations.  I  tell  you  this,  that  you  may 
know  which  way  to  improve  your  several  interests  for  the  advance- 
ment of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  in  England. 

To  you,  lawyers  and  jurors,  my  advice  is  this,  —  ';  Kiss  the  Son.?> 
Remember  the  judgment  is  Christ's  :  every  cause  of  truth  and 
innocency  doth  he  own,  and  will  call  it  his  cause.  Woe,  therefore, 
to  him  that  shall  oppose  it  !  Remember  every  time  you  take  a 
fee  to  plead  against  a  cause  that  you  know  to  be  just,  you  take  a 
fee  against  a  cause  of  Christ.  Will  you  be  of  counsel  against  him 
that  is  your  Counsellor  and  King  ?  Dare  you  plead  against  him 
that  you  expect  should  plead  for  you  ?  or  desire  judgment,  as  the 
Jews,  against  your  Lord  and  Judge  ?  Hath  he  not  told  you  that 


'•&4  THE    ABSOLUTE    SOVEREIGNTY    OF    CHRIST. 

lie  will  say,  "  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  to  one  of  these  little  ones,  ye 
did  it  unto  me  ? "  Remember,  therefore,  when  a  fee  is  offered 
you  against  the  innocent,  that  it  is  a  fee  against  Christ ;  and 
Judas's  gain  will  be  loss  in  the  end,  and  will  be  too  hot  to  hold 
long :  you  will  be  glad  to  bring  it  back,  and  glad  if  you  could  be 
well  short  of  it,  and  cry,  '  I  have  sinned  in  betraying  the  cause  of 
the  innocent.'  Say  not  it  is  our  calling  that  we  must  live  upon. 
If  any  man  of  you  dare  upon  such  grounds  plead  a  cause  against 
his  conscience,  if  his  conscience  do  not  plead  it  again  more  sharply 
against  him,  say  I  am  a  false  prophet.  If  any,  therefore,  shall  say 
of  you,  as  the  cardinals  of  Luther,  '  Cur  homini  os  non  obstruitis 
auro,  et  argento,'  let  the  same  answer  serve  turn, '  Hem  pecuniam, 
non  curat,'  &c.  If  any  honorable  or  worshipful  friend  must  be 
pleasured,  inquire  first  whether  he  be  a  better  friend  than  Christ. 
Tell  him  the  cause  is  Christ's,  and  you  cannot  befriend  him,  except 
he  procure  you  a  dispensation  from  him.  When  Pompey  saw  his 
soldiers  ready  to  fly,  he  lay  down  in  the  passage,  and  told  them 
they  should  tread  upon  him  then ;  which  stopped  their  flight. 
So  suppose,  every  time  you  are  drawn  in  to  oppose  a  just  cause, 
that  you  saw  Christ  saying,  '  Thou  must  trample  upon  me,  if  thou 
do  this.'  As  Luther  to  Melancthon, '  Ne  causa  fidei  sit  sine  fide,' 
so  say  I  to  you  all,  '  Ne  causa  justifies  sit  sine  justitid.'  When 
you  begin  to  be  cold  in  a  good  cause,  suppose  you  saw  Christ 
showing  you  his  scars,  as  the  soldier  did  to  Caesar  when  he  desired 
him  to  plead  his  cause ;  '  See  here,  I  have  done  more  than  plead 
for  you.'  We  have  had  those  that  have  had  a  tongue  for  a  fee  or 
a  friend,  but  none  for  Christ ;  but  God  hath  now,  therefore,  shut 
their  mouths,  and  we  may  say  of  them,  as  Granius  by  his  bad 
lawyer,  when  he  heard  him  grown  hoarse,  '  If  they  had  not  lost 
their  voices,  we  had  lost  our  cause.'  To  conclude,  remember,  all 
of  you,  that  there  is  an  appeal  from  these  earthly  judgments ;  these 
causes  must  all  be  heard  again,  your  witnesses  re-examined,  your 
oaths,  pleadings,  and  sentences  reviewed,  and  then,  as  Lampridius 
saith  of  Alexander  Severus,  that  he  would  vomit  choler  if  he  saw 
a  corrupt  judge,  so  will  Christ  vomit  wrath,  and  vomit  you  out  in 
wrath  from  his  presence,  if  corrupt.  Therefore,  "  kiss  the  Son, 
lest  he  be  angry,  and  you  perish,"  &c.  I  am  sensible  how  I  have 
encroached  on  your  great  affairs.  Melancthon  was  wont  to  tell  of 
a  priest  that  begun  his  sermon  thus,  '  Scio  quod  vos  non  libenter 
auditis,  et  ego  non  libenter  concionor,  non  diu  igitur  vos  teneam.' 
But  I  may  say  contrary.  I  am  persuaded  that  you  hear  with  a 
good  will,  and  I  am  certain  that  I  preach  willingly,  and  therefore 
I  was  bold  to  hold  you  the  longer. 


f 

wl* 


SERMON   OF   REPENTANCE, 


PREACHED   BEFORE   THE 


HONORABLE  HOUSE  OF  COMMONS, 


ASSEMBLED  IN  PARLIAMENT 

AT  WESTMINSTER, 

. 

AT  THEIR  LATE  SOLEMN  FAST  FOT  THE  SETTLING 
OF  THESE  NATIONS, 


APRIL  30,  1660. 


•  Tuesday,  May  1, 1660. 

ORDERED, 

That  the  thanks  of  this  House  be  given  to  Mr.  BAXTER,  for 
his  great  pains  in  carrying  on  the  work  of  preaching  and  prayer,  be- 
fore the  House,  at  Saint  Magaret's,  Westminster,  yesterday,  being 
set  apart  by  this  House,  for  a  day  of  fasting  and  humiliation  ;  and 
that  he  be  desired  to  print  his  Sermon,  and  is  to  have  the  same 
privilege  in  printing  the  same  that  others  have  had  in  the  like  kind, 
and  that  Mr.  Swinfin  do  give  him  notice  thereof. 

W.  JESSOP, 

Clerk  of  the  Commons'  House  of  Parliament. 


HONORABLE  THE  HOUSE  OF  COMMONS, 


ASSKMBLED    IN    PARLIAMENT. 


. 

As  your  order  for  my  preaching  persuadeth  me  you  meant  at- 
tentively to  hear,  so  your  order  for  my  publishing  this  Sermo&per- 
suadeth  me  that  you  will  vouchsafe  considerately  to  read  it ;  (for 
you  would  not  command  me  to  publish  only  for  others  that  which 
was  prepared  for,  and  suited  to,  yourselves ;)  which  second  favor 
if  I  may  obtain,  especially  of  those  that  need  most  to  hear  the 
doctrine  of  repentance,  1  shall  hope  that  the  authority  of  the 
heavenly  Majesty,  the  great  concernment  o£  the  subject,  and  the 
evidence  of  reason,  and  piercing  beams  of  sacred  verity,  may  yet 
make  a  deeper  impression  on  your  souls,  and  promote  that  neces- 
sary work  of  holiness,  the  fruits  whereof  would  be  effectual  rem- 
edies to  the  diseased  nations,  and  would  conduce  to  your  own 
everlasting  joy.  Shall  I  think  it  were  presumption  for  me  to  hope 
for  so  high  a  reward  for  so  short  a  labor  ?  Or,  shall  It  hink  it  were 
uncharitable  ness  not  to  hope  for  it  ?  That  here  is  nothing  but 
plain  English,  without  any  of  those  ornaments  that  are  by  many 
thought  necessary  to  make  such  discourses  grateful  to  ingenious, 
curious  auditors,  proceeded  not  only  from  my  present  want  of  ad- 
vantages for  study,  (having  and  using  no  book  but  a  Bible  and  a 
Concordance,)  but  also  from  the  humbling  and  serious  nature  of 
the  work  of  the  day,  and  from  my  own  inclination,  less  affecting 
such  ornaments  in  sacred  discourses  than  formerly  I  have  done. 
It  is  a  very  great  honor  that  God  and  you  have  put  upon  me,  to 
conclude  so  solemn  a  day  of  prayer,  which  was  answered  the  next 
morning  by  your  speedy,  and  cheerful,  and  unanimous  acknowl- 
edgment of  his  majesty's  authority.  May  I  have  but  the  second 
part,  to  promote  your  salvation,  and  the  happiness  of  this  land, 
by  your  considering  and  obeying  these  necessary  truths,  what 
greater  honor  could  I  expect  on  earth  ?  Or  how  could  you  more 
oblige  me  to  remain 

A  daily  petitioner  to  Heaven  for  these  mercies, 
on  your  own  and  the  nation's  behalf, 

RICHARD  BAXTER. 


SERMON    OF    REPENTANCE 


EZEK.  xxxvL  31. 

THEN  YE     REMEMBER     YOUR     OWN     EVIL     WAYS,     AN1>     YOUR 

DOINO3  THAT  WERE  NOT  GOOD,  AND  SHALL  LOATHE  YOURSELVES 
IN  YOUR  OWN  SIGHT,  FOR  YOUR  INIQUITIES,  AND  FOR  YOUR 
ABOMINATIONS. 

THE  words  are  a  part  of  God's  prognostics  of  the  Jews'  resto- 
ration, whose  dejection  he  had  before  described.  Their  disease 
began  within,  and  there  God  promiseth  to  work  the  cure.  Their 
captivity  was  but  the  fruit  of  their  voluntary  captivity  to  sin,  and 
their  grief  of  heart  was  but  the  fruit  of  their  hardness  of  heart, 
and  their  sharpest  suffering  of  their  foul  pollutions ;  and,  therefore, 
God  promiseth  a  methodical  cure,  even  to  take  away  their  old  and 
stony  heart,  and  cleanse  them  from  their  filthiness,  and  so  to  ease 
them  by  the  removing  of  the  cause.  How  far,  and  when,  this 
promise  was  to  be  made  good  to  the  Jews,  as  nationally  consider- 
ed, is  a  matter  that  requires  a  longer  disposition  than  my  limited 
hour  will  allow ;  and  the  decision  of  that  case  is  needless,  as  to  my 
present  end  and  work.  That  this  is  part  of  the  gospel  covenant, 
and  applicable  to  us  believers  now,  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  the  Epistle 
to  the  Hebrews,  hath  assured  us. 

The  text  is  the  description  of  the  repentance  of  the  people,  in 
which  the  beginning  of  their  recovery  doth  consist,  and  by  which 
the  rest  must  be  attained.  The  evil  which  they  repent  of  is,  in 
general,  all  their  iniquities,  but  especially  their  idolatry,  called  their 
abominations.  Their  repentance  is  foretold,  as  it  is  in  the  under- 
standing and  thoughts,  and  as  in  the  will  and  affections.  In  the 
former,  it  is  called  "  remembering  their  own  evil  ways."  In  the~ 
latter,  it  is  called  "  loathing  themselves  in  their  own  sight,  for  their 
iniquities  and  abominations."  Montanus  translates  it  reprobabitis 
in  vos  ;  but  in  c.  20,  v.  43,  fastidietis  vos.  The  same  sense  is  in- 
tended by  the  other  versions.  When  the  Septuagint  translates  it 
by  displeasure,  and  the  Chaldee  by  groaning,  and  the  Syriac  by 
the  wrinkling  of  the  face,  and  the  Sept.  in  c.  xx.  43,  by  smiting 


A    SERMON    OF    REPENTANCE. 

on  the  face,  the  Arabic  here  perverts  the  sense  by  turning  all  to 
negatives  ye  shall  not,  &c.,  yet  in  c.  xx.  43.  he  turns  it  by  the 
tearing  of  the  face.  I  have  purposely  chosen  a  text  that  needs  no 
long  explication,  that,  in  obedience  to  the  foreseen  straits  of  time, 
I  rnay  be  excused  from  that  part,  and  be  more  on  the  more  neces- 
sary. This  observation  contains  the  meaning  of  the  text,  which, 
by  God's  assistance,  1  shall  now  insist  on,  viz. 

The  remembering  of  their  own  iniquities,  and  loathing  them- 
selves for  them,  is  the  sign  of  a  repenting  people  and  the  prognos- 
tic of  liieir  restoration,  so  far  as  deliverance  may  be  here  expected. 

For  the  opening  of  which,  observe  these  things  following : — 

2.  It  is  not  all  kind  of  remembering  that   will  prove  you  peni- 
tent.    The  impenitent  remember  their  sin,  that  they  may  commit 
it ;  they  remember  it  with  love,  desire,  and  delight :  the  heart  of 
the  worldling  goeth  after  his  airy  or  earthen  idol.     The  heart  of 
the  ambitious  feedeth  on  his  vain  glory,  and  the  people's  breath ; 
and  the  filthy  fornicator  is  delighted  in  the  thoughts  of  the  object 
and  exercise  of  his  lust.     But  it  is  a  remembering,  (1.)  from  a 
deep  conviction    of  the  evil  and   odiousness  of  sin.     (2.)  And 
with  abhorrence  and  self-loathing.     (3.)  That  leadeth  to  a  resolv- 
ed and  vigilant  forsaking,  that  is  the  proof  of  true  repentance,  and 
the  prognostic  of  a  people's  restoration. 

3.  And  it  is  not  all  self-loathing  that  will  signify  true  repenting, 
for  there  is  a  self-loathing  of  the  desperate,  and  the  damned  soul 
that  abhorreth  itself,  and  teareth  and  tormenteth  itself,  and  cannot 
be  restrained  from  self-revenge,  when  it  finds  that  it  hath  willfully, 
foolishly,  and  obstinately,  been  its  own  destroyer.     But  the  self- 
loathing  of  the  truly  penitent  hath  these  following  properties : — 

(1.)  It  proceedeth  from  the  predominant  love  of  God,  whom 
we  have  abused  and  offended.  The  more  we  love  him,  the  more 
we  loathe  what  is  contrary  to  him. 

(2.)  It  is  much  excited  by  the  observation  and  sense  of  his  ex- 
ceeding mercies,  and  is  conjunct  with  gratitude. 

(3.)  It  continueth  and  increaseth  under  the  greatest  assurance 
of  forgiveness,  and  sense  of  love,  and  dieth  not  when  we  think  we 
are  out  of  danger. 

(4.)  1^  containeth  a  loathing  of  sin  as  sin,  and  a  love  of  holi- 
ness as  such,  and  not  only  a  love  of  ease  and  peace,  and  a  loath- 
ing of  sin,  as  the  cause  of  suffering. 

(5.)  It  resolveth  the  soul  against  returning  to  its  former  course, 
and  resolveth  it  for  an  entire  devotedness  to  God  for  the  time 
to  come. 

(6.)  It  deeply  engageth  the  penitent  in  a  conflict  against  the 
flesh,  and  maketh  him  victorious,  and  setteth  him  to  work  in  a 
life  of  holiness,  as  his  trade  and  principal  business  in  the  world. 
VOL.   ir.  1 1 


336  A    SERMON    OF    REPENTANCE. 

would  be  great,  then  dwell  on  greatest  things  :  if  you  would  be 
high,  then  seek  the  things  that  are  above,  and  not  the  sordid  things 
of  earth,  (Col.  iii.  1 — 3.)  and  if  you  would  be  safe,  look  after  the 
enemies  of  your  peace ;  and,  as  you  had  thoughts  of  sin  that  led 
you  to  commit  it,  entertain  the  thoughts  that  would  lead  you  to 
abhor  it.  O  that  I  might  have  but  the  grant  of  this  reasonable  re- 
quest from  you,  that,  among  all  your  thoughts,  you  would  bestow 
now  and  then  an  hour  in  the  serious  thoughts  of  your  misdoings, 
and  soberly,  in  your  retirement  between  God  and  your  souls,  re- 
member the  paths  that  you  have  trod ;  and  whether  you  have 
lived  for  the  work  for  which  you  were  created.  One  sober  hour 
of  such  employment  might  be  the  happiest  hour  that  ever  you 
spent,  and  give  you  more  comfort  at  your  final  hour  than  all  the 
former  hours  of  your  life  ;  and  might  lead  you  into  that  new  and 
holy  life,  which  you  may  review  with  everlasting  comfort. 

Truly,  gentlemen,  I  have  long  observed  that  Satan's  advantage 
lieth  so  much  on  the  brutish  side,  that  the  work  of  man's  conver- 
sion is  so  much  carried  on  by  God's  exciting  of  our  reason,  and 
that  the  misery  of  the  ungodly  is,  that  they  have  reason  in  faculty, 
and  not  in  use,  in  the  greatest  thing,  that  I  persuade  you  to  this 
duty  with  the  greater  hopes ;  if  the  Lord  will  but  persuade  you  to 
retire  from  vanity,  and  soberly  exercise  your  reason,  and  consider 
your  ways,  and  say,  What  have  we  done  ?  And  what  is  it  that 
God  would  have  us  do  ?  And  what  shall  we  wish  we  had  done 
at  last?  I  say,  could  you  now  be  but  prevailed  with  to  be- 
stow as  many  hours  on  this  work,  as  you  have  cast  away  in  idle- 
ness, or  worse,  I  should  not  doubt  but  I  should  shortly  see  the 
faces  of  many  of  you  in  heaven  that  have  been  recovered  by  the 
use  of  this  advice.  It  is  a  thousand  pities,  that  men  are  thought 
wise  enough  to  be  intrusted  with  the  public  safety,  and  to  be  the 
physicians  of  a  broken  state,  should  have  any  among  them  that  are 
untrusty  to  their  God,  and  have  not  the  reason  to  remember  their 
misdoings,  and  prevent  the  danger  of  their  immortal  souls.  Will 
you  sit  all  day  here  to  find  out  the  remedy  of  a  diseased  land ;  and 
will  you  not  be  entreated  by  God  or  man  to  sit  down  one  hour,  and 
find  out  the  disease  of,  and  remedy  for,  your  own  souls  ?  Are 
those  men  likely  to  take  care  of  the  happiness  of  so  many  thou- 
sands, that  will  still  be  so  careless  of  themselves  ?  Once  more, 
therefore,  I  entreat  you,  remember  your  misdoings,  lest  God  re- 
member them  ;  and  bless  the  Lord  that  called  you  this  day,  by 
the  voice  of  mercy,  to  remember  them  upon  terms  of  faith  and 
hope.  Remembered  they  must  be,  first  or  last.  And  believe  it, 
this  is  far  unlike  the  sad  remembrance  at  judgment,  and  in  the 
place  of  woe  and  desperation. 

And  I  beseech  you  observe  here,  that  it  is  your  own  misdoings 
that  you  must  remember.  Had  it  been  only  the  sins  of  other  men 


A    SERMON    Oi     REPENTANCE.  380 

them  to  cast  away  such  thoughts,  and  turn  their  minds  to  other 
things,  they  tell  me  they  cannot ;  it  is  not  in  their  power ;  and  I 
have  long  found  that  I  may  almost  as  well  persuade  a  broken  head 
to  give  over  aching.  But  when  the  holy  God  shall  purposely  pour 
out  the  vials  cf  his  wrath  on  the  consciences  of  the  ungodly,  and 
open  the  books,  and  show  them  all  that  ever  they  have  done,  with 
all  the  aggravations,  how,  then,  shall  these  worms  be  able  to  resist  ? 
And  now,  I  beseech  you  all,  consider,  is  it  not  better  to  remem- 
ber your  sins  on  earth,  than  in  hell  ?  before  your  Physician,  than 
before  your  Judge  ?  for  your  cure,  than  for  your  torment?  Give 
me  leave,  then,  before  I  go  any  further,  to  address  myself  to  you 
as  the  messenger  of  the  Lord,  with  this  importunate  request,  both 
as  you  stand  here  in  your  private  and  your  public  capacities.  In 
the  name  of  the  God  of  heaven,  I  charge  you,  remember  the  lives 
that  you  have  led !  remember  what  you  have  been  doing  in  the 
world !  remember  how  you  have  spent  your  time !  and  whether, 
indeed,  it  is  God  that  you  have  been  serving,  and  heaven  that  you 
have  been  seeking,  and  holiness  and  righteousness  that  you  have 
been  practicing  in  the  world  till  now !  Are  your  sins  so  small,  so 
venial,  so  few,  that  you  can  find  no  employment  on  them  for  your 
memories  ?  Or  is  the  offending  of  the  Eternal  God  so  slight  and 
safe  a  thing  as  not  to  need  your  consideration  ?  God  forbid  you 
should  have  such  atheistical  conceits !  Surely  God  made  not  his 
laws  for  nought ;  nor  doth  he  make  such  a  stir  by  his  word,  and 
messengers,  and  providences,  against  an  harmless  thing ;  nor  doth 
he  threaten  hell  to  men  for  small,  indifferent  matters;  nor  did 
Christ  need  to  have  died,  and  done  all  that  he  hath  done,  to  cure 
a  small  and  safe  disease.  Surely  that  which  the  God  of  heaven  is 
pleased  to  threaten  with  everlasting  punishment,  the  greatest  of 
you  all  should  vouchsafe  to  think  on,  and  with  greatest  fear  and 
soberness  to  remember. 

It  is  a  pitiful  thing,  that  with  men,  with  gentlemen,  with  profess- 
ed Christians,  God's  matters,  and  their  own  matters,  their  greatest 
matters,  should  seem  unworthy  to  be  thought  on  ;  when  they  have 
thoughts  for  their  honors,  and  their  lands,  and  friends  ;  and  thoughts 
for  their  children,  their  servants,  and  provision  ;  and  thoughts 
for  their  horses,  and  their  dogs,  and  sports.  Is  God  and  heaven 
less  worthy  than  these  ?  are  death  and  judgment  matters  of  less 
moment?  Gentlemen,  you  would  take  it  ill  to  have  your  wisdom 
undervalued,  and  your  reason  questioned ;  for  your  honor's  sake 
do  not  make  it  contemptible  yourselves  in  the  eyes  of  all  that  are 
truly  wise.  It  is  the  nobleness  of  objects  that  most  ennobles  your 
faculties,  and  the  baseness  of  objects  doth  abase  them.  If  brutish 
objects  be  your  employment  and  delight,  do  I  need  to  tell  you 
what  you  make  yourselves  ?  If  you  would  be  noble  indeed,  let 
God  and  everlasting  glory  be  the  object  of  your  faculties ;  if  you 


334  A    SERMON    OF    REPENTANCE. 

but  once  a  day,  or  once  a  week,  to  bestow  one  hour  in  serious 
consideration  of  their  latter  end,  and  the  everlasting  state  of  saints 
and  sinners,  and  of  the  equity  of  the  'holy  ways  of  God,  and  the 
iniquity  of  their  own,  we  cannot  prevail  with  them.  Till  the  God 
of  heaven  doth  overrule  them,  we  cannot  prevail.  The  witness 
that  we  are  forced  to  bear  is  sad :  it  is  sad  to  us ;  but  it  will  be 
sadder  to  these  rebels,  that  shall  one  day  know  that  God  will  not 
be  outfaced ;  and  that  they  may  sooner  shake  the  stable  earth,  and 
darken  the  sun  by  their  reproaches,  than  outbrave  the  Judge  of 
all  the  world,  or  by  all  their  cavils,  wranglings,  or  scorns,  escape 
the  hands  of  his  revenging  justice. 

But  if  ever  the  Lord  will  save  these  souls,  he  will  bring  their 
misdoings  to  their  remembrance.  He  will  make  them  think  of 
that  which  they  were  so  loath  to  think  on.  You  cannot  now  abide 
these  troubling  and  severe  meditations ;  the  thoughts  of  God,  and 
heaven,  and  hell ;  the  thoughts  of  your  sins,  and  of  your  duties, 
are  melancholy,  unwelcome  thoughts  to  you  ;  but  O;  that  you 
could  foreknow  the  thoughts  that  you  shall  have  of  all  these  things  ! 
even  the  proudest,  scornful,  hardened  sinner,  that  heareth  me  this 
day,  shall  shortly  have  such  a  remembrance  as  will  make  him 
wonder  at  his  present  blockishness.  O,  when  the  irresistible  power 
of  Heaven  shall  open  all  your  sins  before  you,  and  command  you 
to  remember  them,  and  to  remember  the  time,  and  place,  and  per- 
sons, and  all  the  circumstances  of  them  ;  what  a  change  will  it 
make  upon  the  most  stout  or  stubborn  of  the  sons  of  men ;  what  a 
difference  will  there  then  be  between  that  trembling,  self-tormenting 
soul,  and  the  same  that  now,  in  his  gallantry,  can  make  light  of  all 
these  things,  and  call  the  messenger  of  Christ,  who  warneth  him, 
a  Puritan,  or  a  doting  fool !  Your  memories  now  are  somewhat 
subject  to  your  wills ;  and  if  you  will  not  think  of  your  own,  your 
chief,  your  everlasting  concernments,  you  may  choose.  If  you 
will  choose  rather  to  employ  your  noble  souls  on  beastly  lusts,  and 
waste  your  thoughts  on  things  of  nought,  you  may  take  your 
course,  and  chase  a  feather  with  a  childish  world,  till,  overtaking 
it,  you  see  you  have  lost  your  labor.  But  when  justice  takes  the 
work  in  hand,  your  thoughts  shall  be  no  more  subject  to  your  wills  ; 
you  shall  then  remember  that  which  you  are  full  loath  to  remem- 
ber, and  -would  give  a  world  that  you  could  forget.  O.  then  one 
cup  of  the  waters  of  oblivion  would  be  of  inestimable  value  to  the 
damned  !  O,  what  would  they  not  give  that  they  could  but  forget 
the  time  they  had  lost,  tire  mercy  they  abused,  the  grace  which 
they  refusea,  the  holy  servants  of  Christ  whom  they  despised,  the 
willful  sins  which  they  committed,  and  the  many  duties  which 
they  willfully  omitted  !  I  have  often  thought  of  their  case  when 
I  have  dealt  with  melancholy  or  despairing  persons.  If  I  advised 


' '  *fc- - 
A    SERMON'    OK    RF.PENT4NC  K.  -l!-'5 

ends,  and  everlasting  state,  and  to  remember  your  misdoings,  that 
you  may  loathe  yourselves,  and  in  returning  may  find  life  ;  but  some 
either  scorn  them,  or  quarrel  with  them,  or  sleep  under  their  most 
serious  and  importunate  solicitations,  or  carelessly  and  stupidly 
give  them  the  hearing,  as  if  they  spoke  but  words  of  course,  or 
treated  about  uncertain  things,  and  spoke  not  to  them  from  the 
God  of  heaven,  and  about  the  things  that  every  man  of  you  shall 
very  shortly  see  or  feel.  Sometimes  you  are  called  on  by  the 
voice  of  conscience  within,  to  remember  the  unreasonableness  and 
evil  of  your  ways ;  but  conscience  is  silenced,  because  it  will  not 
be  conformable  to  your  lusts.  But  little  do  you  think  what  a  part 
your  too  late  awakened  conscience  hath  yet  to  play,  if  you  give  it 
not  a  more  sober  hearing  in  time.  Sometimes  the  voice  of  common 
calamities,  and  national  or  local  judgments,  call  on  you  to  remem- 
ber the  evil  of  your  ways ;  but  that  which  is  spoken  to  all,  or 
many,  doth  seem  to  most  of  them  as  spoken  unto  none.  Some- 
times the  voice  of  particular  judgments,  seizing  upon  your  families, 
persons  or  estates,  doth  call  on  you  to  remember  the  evil  of  your 
ways ;  and  one  would  think  the  rod  should  make  you  hear.  And 
yet  you  most  disregardfully  go  on,  or  are  only  frightened  into  a  few 
good  purposes  and  promises,  that  die  when  health  and  prosperity 
revive.  Sometimes  God  joineth  all  these  together,  and  pleadeth 
both  by  word  and  rod,  and  addeth  also  the  inward  pleadings  of 
his  Spirit;  he  sets  your  sins  in  order  before  you,  (Psalm  1.  21.) 
and  expostulateth  with  you  the  cause  of  his  abused  love,  despised 
sovereignty,  and  provoked  justice ;  and  asketh  the  poor  sinner, 
'  Hast  thou  done  well  to  waste  thy  life  in  vanity,  to  serve  thy 
flesh,  to  forget  thy  God,  thy  soul,  thy  happiness;  and  to  thrust 
his  services  into  corners,  and  give  him  but  the  odious  leavings  of 
the  flesh  ? '  But  these  pleas  of  God  cannot  be  heard.  O  horrible 
impiety !  By  his  own  creatures ;  by  reasonable  creatures  (that 
would  scorn  to  be  called  fools  or  madmen)  the  God  of  heaven 
cannot  be  heard !  The  brutish,  passionate,  furious  sinners  will  not 
remember.  They  will  not  remember  what  they  have  done,  and 
with  whom  it  is  that  they  have  to  do,  and  what  God  thinks  and 
saith  of  men  in  their  condition;  and  whither  it  is  that  the  flesh 
will  lead  them ;  and  what  will  be  the  fruit  and  end  of  all  their 
lusts  and  vanities  ;  and  how  they  will  look  back  on  all  at  last ; 
and  whether  an  holy  or  a  sensual  life  will  be  sweetest  to  a  dying 
man  ;  and  what  judgment  it  is  that  they  will  all  be  of,  in  the  con- 
troversy between  the  flesh  and  Spirit,  at  the  latter  end.  Though 
they  have  life  and  time,  and  reason  for  their  uses,  we  cannot  en- 
treat them  to  consider  of  these  things  in  time.  If  our  lives  lay  on 
it,  as  their  salvation,  which  is  more,  lieth  on  it,  we  cannot  entreat 
them.  If  we  should  kneel  to  them,  and  with  tears  beseech  them, 


332  A    SERMON    OF    REPENTANCE. 

these,  even  these,  that  nothing  but  deadness  or  madness  should 
make  a  reasonable  creature  to  forget,  are  daily  forgotten  by  the 
unconverted  soul,  or  ineffectually  remembered.  Many  a  time 
have  I  admired  that  men  of  reason  who  are  here  to-day,  and  in 
endless  joy  or  misery  to-morrow,  should  be  able  to  forget  such 
inexpressible  concernments  !  Methinks  they  should  easier  forget 
to  rise,  or  dress  themselves,  or  to  eat,  or  drink,  or  any  thing,  than 
forget  an  endless  life,  which  is  so  undoubtedly  certain,  and  so  near. 
A  man  that  hath  a  cause  to  be  heard  to-morrow,  in  which  his  life 
or  honor  is  concerned,  cannot  forget  it ;  a  wretch  that  is  condemned 
to  die  to-morrow,  cannot  forget  it.  And  yet  poor  sinners,  that  are 
continually  uncertain  to  live  an  hour,  and  certain  speedily  to  see 
the  majesty  of  the  Lord,  to  their  unconceivable  joy  or  terror,  as 
sure  as  now  they  live  on  earth,  can  forget  these  things  for  which 
they  have  their  memory  ;  and  which,  one  would  think,  should 
drown  the  matters  of  this  world,  as  the  report  of  a  cannon  doth  a 
whisper,  or  as  the  sun  obscureth  the  poorest  glow-worm.  O  won- 
derful stupidity  of  an  unrenewed  soul !  O  wonderful  folly  and 
distractedness  of  the  ungodly  !  That  ever  man  can  forget,  I  say 
again,  that  they  can  forget,  eternal  joy,  eternal  woe,  and  the  Eter- 
nal God,  and  the  place  of  their  eternal,  unchangeable  abode,  when 
they  stand  even  at  the  door,  and  are  passing  in,  and  there  is  but 
the  thin  veil  of  flesh  between  them  and  that  amazing  sight,  that 
eternal  gulf;  and  they  are  daily  dying,  and  even  stepping  in.  O, 
could  you  keep  your  honors  here  forever ;  could  you  ever  wear 
that  gay  attire,  and  gratify  your  flesh  with  meats,  and  drinks,  and 
sports,  and  lusts ;  could  you  ever  keep  your  rule  and  dignity,  or 
your  earthly  life  in  any  state,  you  had  some  little  poor  excuse  foi 
not  remembering  the  eternal  things,  (as  a  man  hath  that  preferred) 
his  candle  before  the  sun  ;)  but  when  death  is  near  and  inexorable, 
and  you  are  sure  to  die  as  you  are  sure  to  live ;  when  every  man 
of  you  that  sitteth  in  these  seats  to-day  can  say,  '  I  must  shortly 
be  in  another  world,  where  all  the  pomp  and  pleasure  of  this 
world  will  be  forgotten,  or  remembered  but  as  my  sin  and  folly,' 
one  would  think  it  were  impossible  for  any  of  you  to  be  ungodly 
and  to  remember  the  trifles  and  nothings  of  the  world,  while  you 
forget  that  everlasting  all,  whose  reality,  necessity,  magnitude, 
excellency,  concernment,  and  duration,  are  such  as  should  take  up 
all  the  powers  of  your  souls,  and  continually  command  the  service 
and  attendance  of  your  thoughts  against  all  seekers,  and  contemp- 
tible competitors  whatsoever.  But,  alas  !  though  you  have  the 
greatest  helps,  (in  subservience  to  these  commanding  objects,)  yet 
will  you  not  remember  the  matters  which  alone  deserve  remem- 
brance. Sometimes  the  preachers  of  the  gospel  do  call  on  you  to 
remember ;  to  remember  your  God,  your  souls,  your  Savior,  your 


A    SERMON    OF    REPENTANCE.  331 

felicities,  but  for  crimes.  Conscience  keepeth  in  its  own  court,  and 
meddleth  but  with  moral  evils,  which  we  are  conscious  of.  (2.) 
And  also  it  is  sin  that  is  loathed  by  God,  and  makes  the  creature 
loathsome  in  his  eyes  ;  and  repentance  conformeth  the  soul  to  God, 
and  therefore  causeth  us  to  loathe  as  he  doth,  and  on  his  grounds. 
And,  (3.)  There  is  no  evil  but  sin,  and  that  which  sin  pro- 
cureth ;  and  therefore  it  is  for  sin  that  the  penitent  loathes  himself. 
5.  Note,  also,  that  it  is  here  implied,  that,  till  repentance,  there 
was  none  of  this  remembering  of  sin,  and  loathing  of  themselves. 
They  begin  with  our  conversion,  and,  as  before  described,  are 
proper  to  the  truly  penitent.  For,  to  consider  them  distinctly, 
(1.)  The  deluded  soul  that  is  bewitched  by  his  own  concupis- 
cence is  so  taken  up  with  remembering  of  his  fleshly  pleasures, 
and  his  alluring  objects,  and  his  honors,  and  his  earthly  businesses 
and  store,  that  he  hath  no  mind  or  room  for  the  remembering  of 
his  foolish,  odious  sin,  and  the  wrong  that  he  is  doing  to  God,  and 
to  himself.  Death  is  oblivious,  and  sleep  hath  but  a  distracted, 
ineffectual  memory,  that  stirreth  not  the  busy  dreamer  from  his 
pillow,  nor  despatcheth  any  of  the  work  he  dreams  of.  And  the 
unconverted  are  asleep,  and  dead  in  sin.  The  crowd  of  cares  and 
worldly  businesses,  and  the  tumultuous  noise  of  foolish  sports,  and 
other  sensual  passions  and  delights,  do  take  up  the  minds  of  the 
unconverted,  and  turn  them  from  the  observation  of  the  things  of 
greatest  everlasting  consequence.  They  have  a  memory  for  sin 
and  the  flesh,  to  which  they  are  alive,  but  not  for  things  spiritual 
and  eternal,  to  which  they  are  dead.  They  remember  not  God 
himself  as  God,  with  any  effectual  remembrance.  God  is  not  in 
all  their  thoughts ;  Psal.  x.  4.  They  live  as  without  him  in 
the  world ;  Eph.  ii.  12.  And  if  they  remember  not  God,  they 
cannot  remember  sin  as  sin,  whose  malignity  lieth  in  its  opposition 
to  the  will  and  holiness  of  God.  They  forget  themselves,  and 
therefore  must  needs  forget  their  sinfulness.  Alas !  they  remem- 
ber not  effectually  and  savingly  what  they  are,  and  why  they 
were  made,-and  what  they  are  daily  nourished  and  preserved  for, 
and  what  business  they  have  to  do  here  in  the  world.  They  for- 
get that  they  have  souls  to  save  or  lose,  that  must  live  in  endless 
joy  or  torment.  You  may  see  by  their  careless  and  ungodly  lives 
that  they  forget  it.  You  may  hear  by  their  carnal,  frothy  speech 
that  they  forget  it.  And  he  that  remembereth  not  himself,  re- 
membereth  not  his  own  concernments.  They  forget  the  end  to 
which  they  tend ;  the  life  which  they  must  live  forever ;  the  mat- 
ters everlasting,  whose  greatness  and  duration,  one  would  think, 
should  so  command  the  mind  of  man,  and  take  up  all  his  thoughts 
and  cares,  in  despite  of  all  the  little  trifling  matters  that  would 
avert  them,  that  we  should  think  almost  of  nothing  else.  Yet 


330  A    SKKMON    OF    REPENTANCE. 

(7.)  It  bringetn  him  to  a  delight  in  God  and  holiness,  and  a  de- 
light in  himself,  so  i'ar  as  he  findeth  God  and  heaven,  and  holiness 
within  him.  He  can,  with  some  comfort  and  content,  own  him- 
self and  his  conversation,  so  far  as  God  (victorious  against  his  car- 
nal self)  appeareth  in  him.  For,  as  he  loveth  Christ  in  the  rest 
of  his  members,  so  must  he  in  himself.  And  this  is  it  that  self- 
loathing  doth  prepare  for. 

This  must  be  the  self-loathing  that  must  afford  you  comfort,  as 
a  penitent  people  in  the  way  to  restoration. 

1.  Where  you  see  it  is  implied  that,  materially,  it  containeth 
these  common  acts.     (1.)  Accusing   and  condemning   thoughts 
against  ourselves.     It  is  a  judging  of  ourselves,  and  makes  us  call 
ourselves,  with  Paul,  foolish,  disobedient,  deceived;  yea,  mad; 
(as  Acts  xxvi.  11.)  and  with  David  to  say,  I  have  done  foolishly ; 
2  Sam.  xxiv.  10.     (2.)  It  containeth  a  deep  distaste  and  displeas- 
ure with  ourselves,  and  a  heart  rising  against  ourselves.     (3.)  As 
also  a  holy  indignation  against  ourselves,   as  apprehending  that 
we  have  played  the  enemies  to  ourselves  and  God.     (4.)  And  it 
possesseth  us  with  grief  and  trouble  at  our  miscarriages.     So  that 
a  soul,  in  this  condition,  is  sick  of  itself,  and  vexed  with  its  self- 
procured  woe. 

2.  Note,  also,  that  when  self-loathing  proceedeth  from  mere  con- 
viction, and  is  without  the  love  of  God  and  holiness,  it  is  but  the 
tormentor  of  the  soul,  and  runs  it  deeper  into  sin,  provoking  men 
here  to  destroy  their  lives ;  and  in  hell  it  is  the  never-dying  worm. 

3.  Note,  also,  that  it  is  themselves  that  they  are  said  to  loathe, 
because  it  is  ourselves  that  conscience  hath  to  do  with,  as  witness. 
and  as  judge  ;  it  is  ourselves  that  are  naturally  nearest  to  ourselves, 
and  our  own  affairs  that  we  are  most  concerned  in.     It  is  ourselves 
that  must  have  the  joy  or  torment,  and,  therefore,  it  is  our  own  ac- 
tions and  estate  that  we  have  first  to  mind.     Though  yet,  as  ma- 
gistrates, ministers,  and  neighbors,  we  must  next  mind  others,  and 
must  loathe  iniquity  wherever  we  meet  it,  and  a  vile  person  must 
be  condemned  in  our  eyes,  while  we  honor  them  that  fear  the 
Lord ;  Psalm  xv.  4. 

And  as  by  nature,  so  in  the  commandment,  God  hath  given  to 
every  man  the  first  and  principal  care  and  charge  of  himself,  and 
his  own  salvation,  and  consequently  of  his  own  ways,  so  that  we 
may  with  less  suspicion  loathe  ourselves  than  others,  and  are  more 
obliged  to  do  it. 

4.  Note,  also,  that  it  is  not  for  our  troubles,  or  our  disgrace,  or 
our  bodily  deformities,  or  infirmities,  or  for  our  poverty  and  want, 
that  penitents  are  said  to  loathe  themselves,  but  for  their  iniquities 
and  abominations.     For,  (1 .)  This  loathing  is  a  kind  of  justice 
done  upon  ourselves,  and  therefore  is  exercised,  not  for  mere  in- 


A    SERMON    OF     REPENTANCE.  <|k      337 

especially  those  that  differ  from  you,  or  have  wronged  you,  or 
stand  against  your  interest,  how  easily  would  the  duty  have  been 
performed!  How  little  need  should  I  have  had  to  press  it  with  all 
this  importunity  !  How  confident  should  I  be  that  I  could  convert 
the  most,  if  this  were  the  conversion  !  It  grieves  rny  soul  to  hear 
how  quick  and  constant,  high  and  low,  learned  and  unlearned,  are 
at  this  uncharitable,  contumelious  remembering  of  the  faults  of 
others ;  how  cunningly  they  can  bring  in  their  insinuated  accusa- 
tions ;  how  odiously  they  can  aggravate  the  smallest  faults,  where 
difference  causeth  them  to  distaste  the  person  ;  how  ordinarily  they 
judge  of  actions  by  the  persons,  as  if  any  thing  were  a  crime  that 
is  done  by  such  as  they  dislike,  and  all  were  virtue  that  is  done 
by  those  that  fit  their  humors  ;  how  commonly  brethren  have  made 
it  a  part  of  their  service  of  God  to  speak  or  write  uncharitably  of 
his  servants,  laboring  to  destroy  the  hearer's  charity,  which  had 
more  need,  in  this  unhappy  time,  of  the  bellows  than  the  water; 
how  usual  it  is  with  the  ignorant  that  cannot  reach  the  truth,  and 
the  impious  that  cannot  bear  it,  to  call  such  heretics  that  know 
more  than  themselves,  and  to  call  such  precisians,  Puritans,  (or 
some  such  name  which  hell  invents  as  there  is  occasion,)  who  dare 
not  be  so  bad  as  they  ;  how  odious,  men  pretending  to  much  grav- 
ity, learning,  and  moderation,  do  labor  to  make  those  that  are  dear- 
er to  God ;  and  what  a  heart  they  have  to  widen  differences,  and 
make  a  sea  of  every  lake ;  and  that,  perhaps,  under  pretense  of 
blaming  the  uncharitableness  of  others ;  how  far  the  very  sermons 
and  discourses  of  some  learned  men  are  from  the  common  rule  of 
doing  as  we  would  be  done  by  ;  and  how  loudly  they  proclaim  that 
such  men  love  not  their  neighbors  as  themselves;  the  most  un- 
charitable words  seeming  moderate,  which  they  give ;  and  all  call- 
ed intemperate  that  savoreth  not  of  flattery,  which  they  receive  ! 
Were  I  calling  the  several  exasperated  factions,  now  in  England,  to 
remember  the  misdoings  of  their  supposed  adversaries,  what  full- 
mouthed  and  debasing  confessions  would  they  make  !  What  mon- 
sters of  heresy,  and  schism,  of  impiety,  treason,  and  rebellion,  of 
perjury  and  perfidiousness,  would  too  many  make  of  the  faults  of 
others,  while  they  extenuate  their  own  to  almost  nothing !  It  is  a 
wonder  to  observe  how  the  case  doth  alter  with  the  most,  when 
that  which  was  their  adversary's  case  becomes  their  own.  The 
very  prayers  of  the  godly,  and  their  care  of  their  salvation,  and 
their  fear  of  sinning,  doth  seem  their  crime  in  the  eyes  of  some  that 
easily  bear  the  guilt  of  swearing,  drunkenness,  sensuality,  filthiness, 
and  neglect  of  duty  in  themselves,  as  a  tolerable  burden. 

But  if  ever  God  indeed  convert  you,  (though  you  will  pity 
others,  yet)  he  will  teach  you  to  begin  at  home,  and  take  the  beam 
out  of  your  own  eyes,  and  to  cry  out,  'I  am  the  miserable  sinner.' 
VOL.  n.  43 


338  A    SERMON    Oi     REPENTANCE. 

And  lest  these  generals  seem  insufficient  for  us  to  confess 
on  such  a  day  as  this,  and  lest  yet  your  memories  should  need 
more  help,  is  it  not  my  duty  to  remind  you  of  some  particulars  ? 
which  yet  I  shall  not  do  by  way  of  accusation,  but  of  inquiry. 
Far  be  it  from  me  to  judge  so  hardly  of  you,  that  when  you  come 
hither  to  lament  your  sins,  you  cannot  with  patience  endure  to  be 
told  of  them. 

1.  Inquire,  then,  whether  there  be  none  among  you  that  live  a 
sensual,  careless  life,  clothed  with  the  best,  and  faring  deliciously 
every  day !     In  rioting  and  drunkenness,  chambering  and  wanton- 
ness, strife  and  envying,  not  putting  on  Christ,  nor  walking  in  the 
Spirit,  but  making  provision  for  the  ilesh,  to  satisfy  the  lusts  there- 
of; Rom.  xiii.  13,  14.     Is  there  none  among  you  that  spend  your 
precious  time  in  vanities,  that  is  allowed  you  to  prepare  for  life 
eternal  ?     That  have  time  to  waste  in  compliments,  and  fruitless 
talk,  and  visits ;  in  gaming,  and  unnecessary  recreations ;  in  ex- 
cessive feasting  and  entertainments,  while  God  is  neglected,  and 
your  souls  forgotten,  and  you  can  never  find  an  hour  in  a  day  to 
make  ready  for  the  life  which  you  must  live  forever  ?     Is  there 
none  among  you  that  would  take  the  man  for  a  Puritan,  or  fanatic, 
that  should  employ  but  half  so  much  time  for  his  soul,  and  in  the 
services  of  the  Lord,  as  you  do  in  unnecessary  sports  and  pleasures, 
and   pampering  your  flesh  ?     Gentlemen,  if  there  be  any  such 
among  you,  as  you  love  your  souls,  remember  your  misdoings, 
and  bewail  these  abominations  before  the  Lord,  in  this  day  of  your 
professed  humiliation. 

2.  Inquire   whether   there   be   none  among  you,   that,  being 
strangers  to  the  new  birth,  and  to  the  inward  workings  of  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  upon  the  soul,  do  also  distaste  a  holy  life,  and 
make  it  the  matter  of  your  reproach,  and  pacify  your  accusing 
consciences  with  a  religion  made  up  of  mere  words,  and  heartless 
outside,  and  so  much  obedience  as  your  fleshly  pleasures  will  ad- 
mit, accounting  those  that  go  beyond  you.  especially  if  they  differ 
from  you  in  your  modes  and  circumstances,  to  be  but  a  company 
of  proud,  Pharisaical,  self-conceited  hypocrites,  and  those  whom 
you  desire  to  suppress.     If  there  be  one  such  person  here,  I  would 
entreat  him  to  remember  that  it  is  the  solemn  asseveration  of  our 
Judge,  that,  "  except  a  man  be  converted,  and  be  born  again,  of 
water  and  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;" 
(John  iii.  3 — 5 ;  Matt,  xviii.  3 ;)  that  "  if  any  man  have  not  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his;"  (Rom.  viii.  9.)  that  "  if  any 
man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature  ;  old  things  are  passed  away, 
and  all  things  are  become  new ; "  (2  Cor.  v.  17.)  that  "  without 
holiness  none  shall  see  God  ; "  (Heb.  xii.  14.)  that  "  the  wisdom 
that  is  from   above  is  first  pure,   and  then  peaceable;"  (Jam.  iii. 


A     *ERMON     OK     REPENTANCE.  339 

17.)  that  "  God  is  a  Spirit,  and  they  that  worship  him  must  wor- 
ship him  in  spirit  and  in  truth;"  (John  iv.  23,  24.)  that  "they 
worship  in  vain  that  teach  for  doctrines  the  commandments  of  men  ;" 
(Matt.  xv.  8,  9.)  and  that  "  except  your  righteousness  shall  ex- 
ceed that  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  ye  shall  in  no  wise  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ; "  Matt.  v.  20.  And  I  desire  you 
to  remember  that  "  it  is  hard  to  kick  against  the  pricks,  and  to 
prosper  in  rage  against  the  Lord ;  and  that  it  is  better  for  that  man 
that  offendeth  one  of  his  little  ones  to  have  a  millstone  fastened  to 
his  neck,  and  to  have  been  cast  into  the  bottom  of  the  sea ; "  Matt, 
xviii.  6.  It  is  a  sure  and  grievous  condemnation  that  waiteth  for 
all  that  are  themselves  unholy ;  but  to  the  haters  or  despisers  of 
the  holy  laws  and  servants  of  the  Lord  how  much  more  grievous 
a  punishment  is  reserved  ! 

3.  Inquire  also  whether  there  be  none  among  you  that  let  loose 
your  passions  on  your  inferiors,  and  oppress  your  poor  tenants, 
and  make  them  groan  under  the  task,  or  at  least  do  little  to  relieve 
the  needy,  nor  study  not  to  serve  the  Lord  with  your  estates,  but 
sacrifice  all  to  the  pleasing  of  your  flesh,  unless  it  be  some  incon- 
siderable pittance,  or  fruitless  drops,  that  are  un proportionable  to 
your  receivings.     If  there  be  any  such,  let  them  remember  their 
iniquities,  and  cry  for  mercy  before  the  cry  of  the  poor  to  heaven 
do  bring  down  vengeance  from  him  that  hath  promised  to  hear 
their  cry,  and  speedily  to  avenge  them;  Luke  xviii.  7,  8. 

4.  Inquire  whether  there  be  none  that  live  the  life  of  Sodom,  in 
pride,  fullness  of  bread,  and  idleness;  (Ezek.  xvi.  49.)  and  that 
are  puffed  up  with  their  estates  and  dignities,  and  are  strangers  to 
the  humility,  meekness,  patience,  and  self-denial  of  the  saints ; 
that  ruffle  in  bravery,  and  contend  more  zealously  for  their  honor 
and  preeminence  than  for  the  honor  and  interest  of  the  Lord. 
For  pride  of  apparel,  it  was  wont  to  be  taken  for  a  childish  or  wo- 
manish kind  of  vice,  below  a  man  ;  but  it  is  now  observed  among 
the  gallants,  that  (except  in  spots)  the  notes  of  vanity  are  more 
legibly  written  on  the  hair  and  dress  of  a  multitude  of  effeminate 
males  than  on  the  females ;  proclaiming  to  the  world  that  pride, 
which,  one  would  think,  even  pride  itself  should  have  concealed ; 
and  calling  by  these  signs  to  the  beholders  to  observe  the  emptiness 
of  their  minds,  and  how  void  they  are  of  that  inward  worth  which  is 
the  honor  of  a  Christian  and  of  a  man.     It  being  a  marvel  to  see 
a  man  of  learning,  gravity,  wisdom,  and  the  fear  of  God,  appear 
in  such  antic  dress. 

I  have  done  with  the  first  part,  "  the  remembering  of  your  own 
evil  ways  and  doings."  I  beseech  you  practically  go  along  with 
me  to  the  next ;  "  The  loathing  of  yourselves  in  your  own  eyes, 
for  all  your  iniquities  and  abominations." 

Every  true  convert  doth  thus  loathe  himself  for  his  iniquities  ; 


340  A     SERMON    OF    KEfENTANCE. 

and  when  God  will  restore  a  punished  people  upon   their  repent- 
ance, he  bringeth  them  to  this  loathing  of  themselves. 

1 .  A  converted  soul  hath  a  new  and  heavenly  light  to  help  him 
to  see  those  matters  of  humbling  use  which  others  see  not. 

2.  More  particularly,  he  hath  the  knowledge  of  sin  and  of  him- 
self.    He  seeth  the  odious  face  of  sin,  and   seeth  how  much  his 
heart  and  life,  in  his  sinful  days,  abounded  with  it,  and  how  great  a 
measure  yet  remains. 

3.  He  hath  seen  by  faith  the  Lord  himself;  the  majesty,  the 
holiness,  the  jealousy,  the  goodness  of  the  eternal  God  whom  he 
hath  offended,  and  therefore  must  needs  abhor  himself;  Job  xlii.  6. 

4.  He  hath  tasted  of  God's  displeasure  against  him  for  his  sin, 
already.     God  himself  hath  set  it  home,  and  awakened  his  con- 
science, and  held  it  on,  till  he  hath  made  him  understand  that  the 
consuming  fire  is  not  to  be  jested  with. 

5.  He  hath  seen  Christ  crucified,  and  mourned  over  him.     This 
is  the  glass  that  doth  most  clearly  show  the  ugliness  of  sin  ;  and 
here  he  hath  learned  to  abhor  himself. 

6.  He  hath  foreseen,  by  faith,  the  end  of  sin,  and  the  doleful 
recompense  of  the  ungodly:  his  faith  beholdeth  the  misery  of 
damned  souls,  and  the  glory  which  sinners  cast  away.     He  heareth 
them  beforehand,  repenting,  and  lamenting,  and  crying  out  of  their 
former  folly,  and  wishing  in  vain  that  all  this  were  to  do  again, 
and  that  they  might  once  more  be  tried  with  another  life,  and  re- 
solving then  how  holily,  how  self-denyingly  they  would  live  !     He 
knows  that  if  sin  had  had  its  way,  he  had  been  plunged   into  this 
hellish  misery  himself;  and  therefore  he  must  needs  loathe  himself 
for  his  iniquities. 

7.  Moreover,  the  true  convert  hath  had  the  liveliest  taste  of 
mercy,  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  of  the  offers  and  covenant  of 
grace,  of  reprieving  mercy,  of  pardoning  mercy,  of  healing  and 
preserving  mercy,  and  of  the  unspeakable  mercy  contained  in  the 
promise  of  everlasting  life  ;  and  to  find  that  he  hath  sinned  against 
all  this  mercy,  doth  constrain  him  to  abhor  himself. 

8.  And  it  is  only  the  true  convert  that  hath  a  new  and  holy  na- 
ture, contrary  to  sin  ;  and,  therefore,  as  a  man  that  hath  the  lep- 
rosy doth  loathe  himself  because  his  nature  is  contrary    t6    his 
disease,  so  is  it  (though  operating  in  a  freer  way)  with  a  converted 
soul  as  to  the  leprosy  of  sin.     O,  how  he  loathes  the  remnants  of 
his  pride  and  passion ;  his  excessive  cares,  desires,  and  fears  ;  the 
backwardness  of  his  soul  to  God  and  heaven  !     Sin  is  to  the  new 
nature  of  every  true  believer  as  the  food  of  a  swine  to  the  stomach 
of  a  man ;  if  he  have  eaten  it,  he  hath  no  rest  until  he  hath  vom- 
ited it  up ;  and  then,  when  he  looketh  on  his  vomit,  he  loatheth 
himself  to  think  how  long  he  kept  such  filth  within  him  ;  and  that 
yet  in  the  bottom  there  is  some  remains. 


A    SKH.MON     Of    REPENTANCE.  341 

9.  The  true  convert  is  one  that  is  much  at  home  ;  his  heart  is  the 
vineyard  which  he  is  daily  dressing ;  his  work  is  ordinarily  about  it ; 
and,  therefore,  he  is  acquainted  with  those  secret  sins,  and  daily 
failings,  which  ungodly  men,  that  are  strangers  to  themselves,  do 
not  observe,  though  they  have  them  in  dominion. 

10.  Lastly,  a  serious  Christian  is  a  workman  of  the  Lord's,  and 
daily  busy  at  the  exercise  of  his  graces,  and,  therefore,  hath  occa- 
sion to  observe  his  weaknesses,  and  failings,  and  from  sad  experi- 
ence is  forced  to  abhor  himself. 

But  with  careless,  unrenewed  souls,  it  is  not  so  :  some  of  them 
may  have  a  mild,  ingenuous  disposition,  and  the  knowledge  of  their 
unworthiness ;  and  customarily  they  will  confess  such  sins  as  are 
small  disgrace  to  them,  or  cannot  be  hid  ;  or  under  the  terrible 
gripes  of  conscience  in  the  hour  of  distress,  and  at  the  approach 
of  death,  they  will  do  more  ;  and  abhor  themselves,  perhaps,  as  Ju- 
das did  ;  or  make  a  constrained  confession  through  the  power  of  fear  ; 
but  so  far  are  they  from  this  loathing  of  themselves  for  all  their  in- 
iquities, that  sin  is  to  them  as  their  element,  their  food,  their  nature, 
and  their  friend. 

And  now,  honorable,  worthy,  and  beloved  auditors,  it  is  my  du- 
ty to  inquire,  and  to  provoke  you  to  inquire,  whether  the  repre- 
sentative body  of  the  commons  of  England,  and  each  man  of  you 
in  particular,  be  thus  affected  to  yourselves  or  not.  It  concerns 
you  to  inquire  of  it,  as  you  love  your  souls,  and  love  not  to  see  the 
death-marks  of  impenitency  on  them.  It  concerneth  us  to  inquire 
of  it,  as  we  love  you  and  the  nation,  and  would  fain  see  the  marks 
of  God's  return  in  mercy  to  us,  in  your  self-loathing  and  return 
to  God.  Let  conscience  speak  as  before  the  Lord  that  sees 
your  hearts,  and  will  shortly  judge  you  :  have  you  had  such  a 
sight  of  your  natural  and  actual  sin  and  misery,  of  your  neglect  of 
God,  your  contempt  of  heaven,  your  loss  of  precious,  hasty  time, 
your  worldly,  fleshly,  sensual  lives,  and  your  omission  of  the  great 
and  holy  works  which  you  were  made  for  ?  Have  you  had  such  a 
sight  and  sense  of  these  as  hath  filled  your  souls  with  shame  and 
sorrow,  and  caused  you,  in  tears,  or  hearty  grief,  to  lament  your  sin- 
ful, careless  lives,  before  the  Lord  ?  Do  you  loathe  yourselves 
for  all  this,  as  being  vile  in  your  own  eyes,  and  each  man  say, 
'  What  a' wretch  was  I!  what  an  unreasonable,  self-hating  wretch, 
to  do  all  this  against  myself!  what  an  unnatural  wretch !  what  a 
monster  of  rebellion  and  ingratitude,  to  do  all  this  against  the  Lord 
of  love  and  mercy !  what  a  deceived,  foolish  wretch,  to  prefer  the 
pleasing  of  my  lusts  and  senses,  a  pleasure  that  perisheth  in  the 
fruition,  and  is  past  as  soon  as  it  is  received,  before  the  manly  pleas- 
ures of  the  saints,  and  before  the  soul's  delight  in  God,  and  before 
the  unspeakable,  everlasting  pleasures !  Was  there  any  compari- 
son between  the  brutish  pleasures  of  the  flesh,  and  the  spiritual 


A     SERMON    OF    REPENTANCE. 

delight's,  of  a  believing  soul,  in  looking  to  the  endless  pleasure  which 
we  shall  have  with  all  the  sainls  and  angels  in  the  glorious  presence 
of  the  Lord  ?  Was  God  and  glory  worth  no  more  than  to  be 
cast  aside  for  satiating  of  an  unsatisfiable  flesh  and  fancy,  and  to  be 
sold  .for  a  harlot,  for  a  forbidden  cup,  for  a  little  air  of  nopular  ap- 
plause, or  for  a  burdensome  load  of  wealth  and  power,  for  so  short 
a  time  ?  Where  is  now  the  gain  and  pleasure  of  all  my  former 
.sins?  What  have  they  left  but  a  sting  behind  them?  How  near 
is  the  time  when  my  departing  soul  must  look  back  on  all  the  pleas- 
ures and  profits  that  ever  I  enjoyed,  as  a  dream  when  one  awak- 
eth  ;  as  delusory  vanities,  that  have  done  all  for  me  that  ever  they 
will  do,  and  all  is  but  to  bring  my  flesh  unto  corruption,  (Gal.  vi. 
8.)  and  my  soul  to  this  distressing  grief  and  fear !  and  then  I 
must  sing  and  laugh  no  more  !  I  must  brave  it  out  in  pride  no 
more  !  I  must  know  the  pleasures  of  the  flesh  no  more  !  but  be 
leveled  with  the  poorest,  and  my  body  laid  in  loathsome  darkness, 
and  my  soul  appear  before  that  God  whom  I  so  willfully  refused 
to  obey  and  honor.  O,  wretch  that  I  am  !  where  was  my  under- 
standing, when  I  played  so  boldly  with  the  flames  of  hell,  the 
wrath  of  God,  the  poison  of  sin.!  when  God  stood  by,  and  yet  I 
sinned !  when  conscience  did  rebuke  me,  and  yet  I  sinned  !  when 
heaven  or  hell  were  hard  at  hand,  and  yet  I  sinned  !  when,  to 
please  my  God  and  save  my  soul,  I  would  not  forbear  a  filthy  lust, 
or  forbidden  vanity  of  no  worth  !  when  I  would  not  be  persuaded 
to  a  holy,  heavenly,  watchful  life,  though  all  my  hopes  of  heaven 
lay  on  it  !  I  am  ashamed  of  myself;  I  am  confounded  in  the  re- 
membrance of  my  willful,  self-destroying  folly  !  I  loathe  myself 
for  all  my  abominations !  O  that  I  had  lived  in  beggary  and  rags 
when  I  lived  in  sin  !  And  O  that  I  had  lived  with  God  in  a  prison, 
or  in  a  wilderness,  when  I  refused  a  holy,  heavenly  life,  for  the 
love  of  a  deceitful  world  !  Will  the  Lord  pardon  what  is  past,  1 
am  resolved  through  his  grace  to  do  so  no  more,  but  to  loathe  that 
filth  that  I  took  for  pleasure,  and  to  abhor  that  sin  that  I  made  my 
sport,  and  to  die  to  the  glory  and  riches  of  the  world,  which  I 
made  my  idol ;  and  to  live  entirely  to  that  God  that  I  did  so  long 
ago  and  so  unworthily  neglect ;  and  to  seek  that  treasure,  that 
kingdom,  that  delight,  that  will  fully  satisfy  my  expectation,  and 
answer  all  my  care  and  labor,  with  such  infinite  advantage.  Holi- 
ness or  nothing  shall  be  my  work  and -life,  and  heaven  or  nothing 
«hall  be  my  portion  and  felicity. 

These  are  the  thoughts,  the  affections,  the  breathing  of  every 
regenerate,  gracious  soul.  For  your  souls'  sake  inquire  now,  is  it 
thus  with  you.  Or  have  you  thus  returned  with  self-loathing  to 
the  Lord,  and  firmly  engaged  your  souls  to  him  at  your  entrance 
into  a  holy  life  ?  I  must  be  plain  with  you,  gentlemen,  or  I  shall 
be  unfaithful ;  and  I  must  deal  closely  with  you,  or  I  cannot  deal 


A    SERMON    OF    REPENTANCE.  /    343 

honestly  and  truly  with  you.  As  sure  as  you  live,  yea,  as  sure  as 
the  word  of  God  is  true,  you  must  all  be  such  converted  men,  and 
loathe  yourselves  for  your  iniquities,  or  be  condemned  as  impeni- 
tent to  everlasting  fire.  To  hide  this  from  you,  is  but  to  deceive 
you,  and  that  in  a  matter  of  a  thousand  time?  greater  moment  than 
your  lives.  Perhaps  I  could  have  made  shift,  instead  of  such  se- 
rious admonitions,  to. have  wasted  this  hour  in  flashy  oratory,  and 
neat  expressions,  and  ornaments  of  reading,  and  other  things  that 
are  the  too  common  matters  of  ostentation  with  men  that  preach 
God's  word  in  jest,  and  believe  not  what  they  are  persuading  others 
to  believe.  Or,  if  you  think  I  could  not,  I  am  indifferent,  as  not 
much  affecting  the  honor  of  being  able  to  offend  the  Lord,  and 
wrong  your  souls,  by  dallying  with  holy  things.  Flattery  in  these 
things  of  soul  concernment  is  a  selfish  villany,  that  hath  but  a  very 
short  reward ;  and  those  that  are  pleased  with  it  to-day  may  curse 
the  flatterer  forever.  Again,  therefore,  let  me  tell  you  that  which 
I  think  you  will  confess,  that  it  is  not  your  greatness,  nor  your 
high  looks,  nor  the  gallantry  of  your  spirits,  that  scorns  to  be  thus 
humbled,  that  will  serve  your  turn  when  God  shall  deal  with  you, 
or  save  your  carcasses  from  rottenness  and  dust,  or  your  guilty  souls 
from  the  wrath  of  the  Almighty.  Nor  is  it  your  contempt  of  the 
threatenings  of  the  Lord,  and  your  stupid  neglect,  or  scorning  at 
the  message,  that  will  endure  when  the  sudden,  irresistible  light 
shall  come  in  upon  you,  and  convince  you,  or  you  shall  see  and 
feel  what  now  you  refuse  to  believe  !  Nor  is  it  your  outside,  hyp- 
ocritical religion,  made  up  of  mere  words,  or  ceremonies,  and  giv- 
ing your  souls  but  the  leavings  of  the  flesh,  and  making  God  an 
underling  to  the  world,  that  will  do  any  more  to  save  your  souls 
than  the  picture  of  a  feast  to  feed  your  bodies.  Nor  is  it  the  stiff- 
est  conceits  tliat  you  shall  be  saved  in  an  unconverted  state,  or 
that  you  are  sanctified  when  you  are  not,  that  will  do  any  more  to 
keep  you  from  damnation  than  a  conceit,  that  you  shall  never  die, 
will  do  to  keep  you  here  forever.  Gentlemen,  though  you  are  all 
here  in  health,  and  dignity,  and  honor,  to-day,  how  little  a  while 
is  it,  alas !  how  little,  until  you  shall  be  every  man  in  heaven  or 
hell !  Unless  you  are  infidels,  you  dare  not  deny  it.  And  it  is 
only  Christ  and  a  holy  life  that  is  your  way  to  heaven  ;  and  only 
sin,  and  the  neglect  of  Christ  and  holiness,  that  can  undo  you. 
Look,  therefore,  upon  sin  as  you  should  look  upon  that  which 
would  cast  you  into  hell,  and  is  daily  undermining  all  your  hopes. 
O,  that  this  honorable  assembly  could  know  it  in  some  measure  as 
it  shall  be  shortly  known  ;  and  judge  of  it  as  men  do,  when  time 
is  past,  and  delusions  vanished,  and  all  men  are  awakened  from 
their  fleshly  dreams,  and  their  naked  souls  have  seen  the  Lord  ! 
O,  then,  what  laws  would  you  make  against  sin  !  How  speedily 
would  you  join  your  strength  against  it  as  against  the  only  enemy 


344  A    SEKMON    OF    REPENTANCE. 

'I1 

of  your  peace,  and  as  against  a  fire  in  your  houses,  or  a  plague 
that  were  broken  out  upon  the  city  where  you  are  !  O,  then,  how 
zealously  would  you  all  concur  to  promote *the  interest  of  holiness 
in  the  land,  and  studiously  encourage  the  servants  of  the  Lord ! 
How  severely  would  you  deal  with  those  that,  by  making  a  mock 
of  godliness,  do  hinder  the  salvation  of  the  people's  souls  !  How 
carefully  would  you  help  the  laborers  that  are  sent  to  guide  men  in 
the  holy  path !  and  yourselves  would  go  before  the  nation  as  an 
example  of  penitent  self-loathing  for  your  sins,  and  hearty  conver- 
sion to  the  Lord  !  Is  this  your  duty  now  ?  or  is  it  not ':  If  you 
cannot  deny  it,  I  warn  you  from  the  Lord,  do  not  neglect  it ;  and 
do  not,  by  your  disobedience  to  a  convinced  conscience,  prepare  for 
a  tormenting  conscience.  If  you  know  your  Master's  will,  and 
do  it  not,  you  shall  be  beaten  with  many  stripes. 

And  your  public  capacity  and  work  doth  make  your  repentance 
and  holiness  needful  to  others  as  well  as  to  yourselves.  Had  we 
none  to  govern  us,  but  such  as  entirely  subject  themselves  to  the 
government  of  Christ ;  and  none  to  make  us  laws,  but  such  as  have 
his  law  transcribed  upon  their  hearts,  O,  what  a  happy  people 
should  we  be  !  Men  are  unlikely  to  make  strict  laws,  against  the 
vices  which  they  love  and  live  in;  or  if  they  make  them,  they  are 
more  unlikely  to  execute  them.  We  can  expect  no  great  help 
against  drunkenness,  swearing,  gaming,  filthiness,  and  profaneness, 
from  men  that  love  these  abominations  so  well,  as  that  they  will 
rather  part  with  God  and  their  salvation  than  they  will  let  them  go. 
All  men  are  born  with  a  serpentine  malice  and  enmity  against  the 
seed  of  Christ,  which  is  rooted  in  their  very  natures.  Custom  in  sin 
increaseth  this  to  malignity  ;  and  it  is  only  renewed  grace  that  doth 
overcome  it.  If,  therefore,  there  should  be  any  among  our  rulers 
that  are  not  cured  of  this  mortal  malady,  what  friendship  can  be 
expected  from  them  to  the  cause  and  servants  of  the  Lord  ?  If 
you  are  all  the  children  of  God  yourselves,  and  heaven  be  your 
end,  and  holiness  your  delight  and  business,  it  will  then  be  your 
principal  care  to  encourage  it,  and  help  the  people  to  the  happi- 
ness that  you  have  found  yourselves.  But  if  in  any  the  original 
(increased)  enmity  to  God  and  godliness  prevail,  we  can  expect 
no  better  (ordinarily)  from  such,  than  that  they  oppose  the  holiness 
which  they  hate,  and  do  their  worst  to  make  us  miserable.  But 
woe  to  him  that  striveth  against  his  Maker.  Shall  the  thorns  and 
briers  be  set  in  battle  against  the  consuming  fire  and  prevail  ?  Isaiah 
xxvii.  4.  O,  therefore,  for  the  nation's  sake,  begin  at  home  and 
cast  away  the  sins  which  you  would  have  the  nation  cast  away  ! 
All  men  can  say,  that  ministers  must  teach  by  their  lives,  as  well 
as  by  their  doctrines ;  (and  woe  to  them  that  do  not !)  and  must  not 
magistrates  as  well  govern  by  their  lives,  as  by  their  laws  ?  Will 
you  make  laws  which  you  would  not  have  men  obey  ?  Or  would 


A    SERMON    OF    REPENTANCE.  345 

you  have  the  people  to  be  better  than  yourselves?  Or  can  you 
expect  to  be  obeyed  by  others,  when  you  will  not  obey  the  God 
of  heaven  and  earth  yourselves?  We  beseech  you,  therefore,  for 
the  sake  of  a  poor,  distressed  land,  let  our  recovery  begin  with  you. 
God  looks  so  much  at  the  rulers  of  a  nation  in  his  dealings  with 
them,  that  ordinarily  it  goes  with  the  people  as  their  rulers  are. 
Until  David  had  numbered  the  people,  God  would  not  let  out  his 
wrath  upon  them,  though  it  was  they  that  were  the  great  offend- 
ers. If  we  see  our  representative  body  begin  in  loathing  them- 
selves for  all  their  iniquities,  and  turning  to  the  Lord  with  all  their 
hearts,  we  should  yet  believe  that  he  is  returning  to  us,  and  will 
do  us  good,  after  all  our  provocations.  Truly,  gentlemen,  it  is 
much  from  you  that  we  must  fetch  our  comfortable  or  sad  prog- 
nostics of  the  life  or  death  of  this  diseased  land.  Whatever  you 
do.  I  know  that  it  shall  go  well  with  the  righteous ;  but  for  the 
happiness  or  misery  of  the  nation,  in  general  it  is  you  that  are  our 
best  prognostication.  If  you  repent  yourselves,  and  become  a  holy 
people  to  the  Lord,  it  promiseth  us  deliverance ;  but  if  you  harden 
your  hearts,  and  prove  despisers  of  God  and  holiness,  it  is  like  to 
be  our  temporal,  and  sure  to  be  your  eternal  undoing,  if  saving 
grace  do  not  prevent  it. 

And  I  must  needs  tell  you  that,  if  you  be  not  brought  to  loathe 
yourselves,  it  is  not  because  there  is  no  loathsome  matter  in  you. 
Did  you  see  your  inside,  you  could  not  forbear  it.  As  I  think  it 
would  somewhat  abate  the  pride  of  the  most  curious  gallants,  if  they 
did  but  see  what  a  heap  of  phlegm,  and  filth,  and  dung,  (and  per- 
haps crawling  worms,)  there  is  within  them ;  much  more  should  it 
make  you  loathe  yourselves  if  you  saw  those  sins  that  are  a  thou- 
sand times  more  odious.  And  to  instigate  you  hereunto,  let  me 
further  reason  with  you. 

1.  You  can  easily  loathe   an  enemy  ;   and  who   hath  been  a 
greater  enemy  to  any  of  you  than   yourselves?     Another  may 
injure  you  ;  but  no  man  can  everlastingly  undo  you,  but  yourselves. 

2.  You  abhor  him  that  kills  your  dearest  friends  ;  and  it  is  you 
by  your  sins  that  have  put  to  death  the  Lord  of  life. 

3.  Who  is  it  but  yourselves  that  have  robbed  you  of  so  much 
precious  time,  and  so  much  precious  fruit  of  ordinances,  and  of  all 
the  mercies  .of  the  Lord  ? 

4.  Who  is  it  but  yourselves  that  hath  brought  you  under  God's 
displeasure  ?     Poverty  could  not  have  made  him  loathe  you,  nor 
any  thing  besides  your  sins. 

5.  Who  wounded   conscience,  and   hath  raised  all  your  doubts 
and  fears  ?     Was  it  not  your  sinful  selves  ? 

6.  Who  is  it  but  yourselves  that  hath  brought  you  so  near  the 
gulf  of  misery,  and  endangered  your  eternal  peace  ? 

VOL.  ii.  44 


316  A    SERMON    OF    REPENTANCE. 

7.  Consider  the  loathsome  nature  of  your  sins;  and  how,  then, 
can  you  choose  but  loathe  yourselves  ? 

(1.)  It  is  the  creature's  rebellion  or  disobedience  against  the  Ab- 
solute Universal  Sovereign. 

(2.)  It  is  the  deformity  of  God's  noblest  creature  here  on  earth, 
and  the  abusing  of  the  most  noble  faculties. 

(3.)  It  is  a  stain  so  deep  that  nothing  can  wash  out  but  the 
blood  of  Christ.  The  flood  that  drowned  a  world  of  sinners  did 
not  wash  away  their  sins.  The  fire  that  consumed  the  Sodomites 
did  not  consume  their  sins.  Hell  itself  can  never  end  it,  and, 
therefore,  shall  have  no  end  itself.  It  dieth  not  with  you  when 
you  die  :  though  churchyards  are  the  guiltiest  spots  of  ground,  they 
do  not  bury  and  hide  our  sin. 

(4.)  The  church  must  loathe  it,  and  must  cast  out  the  sinner  as 
loathsome,  if  he  remain  impenitent ;  and  none  of  the  servants  of 
the  Lord  must  have  any  friendship  with  the  unfruitful  works  of 
darkness. 

(5.)  God  himself  doth  loathe  the  creature  for  sin,  and  for  noth- 
ing else  but  sin.  "  My  soul  loathed  them  ;  "  (Zech.  xi.  8.)  "  When 
the  Lord  saw  it,  he  abhorred  them,  because  of  the  provoking  of 
his  sons  and  daughters;"  (Deut.  xxxii.  19.)  "  My  soul  shall  ab- 
hor you  ; "  (Lev.  xxvi.  30.)  "  When  God  heard  this,  he  was  wroth, 
and  greatly  abhorred  Israel;"  (Psalm  Ixxviii.  59.)  "He  abhor- 
red his  very  sanctuary  ;"  (Lam.  ii.  7.)  "  For  he  is  of  purer  eyes 
than  to  behold  iniquity  ;"  Hab.  i.  13.  In  a  word,  it  is  the  sen- 
tence of  God  himself,  that  a  "  wicked  man  is  loathsome  and  coraeth 
to  shame,"  (Prov.  xiii.  5.)  so  that  you  see  what  abundant  cause 
of  self-abhorrence  is  among  us. 

But  we  are  much  afraid  of  God's  departure,  when  we  see  how 
common  self-love  is  in  the  world,  and  how  rare  this  penitent  self- 
loathing  is. 

1.  Do  they  loathe  themselves  that  on  every  occasion  are  con- 
tending for  their  honor,  and  exalting  themselves,  and  venturing 
their  very  souls,  to  be  highest  in  the  world,  for  a  little  while  ? 

2.  Do  they  loathe  themselves  that  are  readier  to  justify  all  their 
sins,  or  at  least  to  extenuate  them,  than  humbly  confess  them  ? 

3.  Do  they  loathe  themselves  for  all  their  sins  that  cannot  en- 
dure to  be  reproved,  but  loathe  their  friends  and  the  ministers  of 
Christ  that  tell  them  of  their  loathsomeness  ? 

4.  Do  they  loathe  themselves  that  take  their  pride  itself  for 
manhood,  and  Christian  humility  for  baseness,  and   brokenness  of 
heart  for  whining  hypocrisy  or  folly,  and  call  them  a  company  of 
priest-ridden  fools  that  lament  their  sin,  and  ease  their  souls  by  free 
confession  ?     Is  the  ruffling  bravery  of  this  city,  and  the  strange  at- 
tire, the  haughty  carriage,  the  feasting,  idleness,  and  pomp,  the 
marks  of  such  as  loathe  themselves  for  all  their  abominations? 


A    SERMON"    OF    REPENTANCE.  347 

Why,  then,  was  fasting,  and  sackcloth,  and  ashes,  the  badge  of  such 
in  ancient  times  ? 

5.  Do  they  loathe  themselves  for  all  their  sins,  who  loathe  those 
that  will  not  do  as  they,  and  speak  reproachfully  of  such  as  run  not 
with  them  to  the  same  excess  of  riot,  (1  Peter  iv.  4,)  and  count 
them  precisians  that  dare  not  spit  in  the  face  of  Christ,  by  willful 
sinning  as  venturously  and  madly  as  themselves  ? 

6.  Or,  do  they  loathe  themselves  for  all  their  sins,  that  love  their 
sins  even  better  than  their  God,  and  will  not,  by  all  the  obtestations, 
and  commands,  and  entreaties  of  the  Lord,  be  persuaded  to  forsake 
them  ?     How  far  all  these  are  from  this  self-loathing,  and  how  far 
that  nation  is  from  happiness,  where  the  rulers  or  inhabitants  are 
such,  is  easy  to  conjecture. 

I  should  have  minded  you  what  sins  of  the  land  must  be  re- 
membered, and  loathed,  if  we  would  have  peace  and  healing.  But 
as  the  glass  forbids  me,  so,  alas!  as  the  sins  of  Sodom,  they  declare 
themselves.  Though,  through  the  great  mercy  of  the  Lord,  the 
body  of  this  nation,  and  the  sober  part,  have  not  been  guilty  of  that 
covenant-breaking,  perfidiousness,  treason,  sedition,  disobedience, 
self-exalting,  and  turbulency,  as  some  have  been,  and  as  ignorant 
foreigners,  through  the  calumnies  of  malicious  adversaries,  may  pos- 
sibly believe  ;  yet  must  it  be  for  a  lamentation  through  all  genera- 
tions, that  any  of  those  who  went  out  from  us  have  contracted  the 
guilt  of  such  abominations,  and  occasioned  the  enemies  of  the  Lord  to 
blaspheme ;  and  that  any,  in  the  pride  or  simplicity  of  their  hearts, 
have  followed  the  conduct  of  Jesuitical  seducers,  they  knew  not 
whither  or  to  what. 

That  profaneness  aboundeth  on  the  other  side,  and  drunkenness, 
swearing,  fornication,  lasciviousness,  idleness,  pride,  and  covetous- 
ness,  doth  still  survive  the  ministers  that  have  wasted  themselves 
against  them,  and  the  labors  of  faithful  magistrates,  to  this  day !  And 
that  the  two  extremes  of  heresy  and  profaneness  do  increase  each 
other ;  and  while  they  talk  against  each  other,  they  harden  one 
another,  and  both  afflict  the  church  of  Christ.  But  especially  woe 
to  England  for  that  crying  sin,  the  scorning  of  a  holy  life,  if  a  won- 
der of  mercy  do  not  save  us.  That  people,  professing  the  Christian 
religion,  should  scorn  the  diligent  practice  of  that  religion  which 
themselves  profess  !  That  obedience  to  the  God  of  heaven,  that 
imitation  of  the  example  of  our  Savior,  who  came  from  heaven  to 
teach  us  holiness,  should  not  only  be  neglected,  unreasonably  and 
impiously  neglected,  but  also  by  a  transcendent  impious  madness 
should  be  made  a  matter  of  reproach  !  That  the  Holy  Ghost,  into 
whose  name,  as  the  Sanctifier,  these  men  were  themselves  baptiz- 
ed, should  not  only  be  resisted,  but  his  sanctifying  work  be  made 
a  scorn  !  That  it  should  be  made  a  matter  of  derision  for  a  man 
to  prefer  his  soul  before  his  body,  and  heaven  before  earth,  and 


A    SERMON    OF    REPENTANCE. 

God  before  a  transitory  world,  and  to  use  his  reason  in  that  for 
which  it  was  principally  given  him,  and  not  to  be  willfully  mad  in 
a  case  where  madness  will  undo  him  unto  all  eternity  !  Judge,  as 
you  are  men,  whether  hell  itself  is  like  much  to  exceed  such  hor- 
rid wickedness !  And  whether  it  be  not  an  astonishing  wonder 
that  ever  a  reasonable  soul  should  be  brought  to  such  a  height  of 
abomination  !  That  they  that  profess  to  believe  the  holy  catholic 
church,  and  the  communion  of  saints,  should  deride  the  holiness  of 
the  church,  and  the  saints,  and  their  communion  !  That  they  that 
pray  for  the  hallowing  of  God's  name,  the  coming  of  his  kingdom, 
and  the  doing  of  his  will,  even  as  it  is  done  in  heaven,  should  make 
a  mock  at  all  this  that  they  pray  for  !  How  much  further,  think 
you,  is  it  possible  for  wicked  souls  to  go  on  sinning?  Is  it  not 
the  God  of  heaven  himself  that  they  make  a  scorn  of?  Is  not  ho- 
liness his  image  ?  Did  not  he  make  the  law  that  doth  command 
it ;  professing  that  none  shall  see  his  face  without  it?  Heb.  xii.  14. 
O  sinful  nation  !  O  people  laden  with  iniquity  !  Repent,  repent 
speedily,  and  with  self-loathing ;  repent  of  this  inhuman  crime,  lest 
God  should  take  away  your  glory,  and  enter  himself  into  judgment 
with  you,  and  plead  against  you  the  scorn  that  you  have  cast  upon 
the  Creator,  the  Savior,  the  Sanctifier,  to  whom  you  were  engag- 
ed in  your  baptismal  vows  !  Lest,  when  he  plagueth  and  condemn- 
eth  you,  he  say,  "  Why  persecuted  you  me  ? "  Acts  ix.  4.  "  In- 
asmuch as  ye  did  it  to  one  of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye 
did  it  unto  me.1'  Read  Prov.  i.  20.  to  the  end.  When  Israel 
mocked  the  messengers  of  the  Lord,  and  despised  his  words,  and 
misused  his  prophets,  his  wrath  arose  against  his  people  till  there 
was  no  remedy ;  (2  Chron.  xxvi.  16.)  and  O  that  you,  who  are 
the  physicians  of  this  diseased  land,  would  specially  call  them  to 
repentance  for  this,  and  help  them  against  it  for  the  time  to  come ! 
Having  called  you  first  to  remember  your  misdoings,  and  second- 
ly to  loathe  yourselves  in  your  own  eyes  for  them,  I  must  add  a 
third,  that  you  stop  not  here,  but  proceed  to  reformation,  or  else 
all  the  rest  is  but  hypocrisy.  And  here  it  is  that  I  most  earnestly 
entreat  this  honorable  assembly  for  their  best  assistance.  O  make 
not  the  forementioned  sins  your  own,  lest  you  hear  from  God, 
"  Quod  minus  crimine,  quam  absolutione  peccatum  est."  Though 
England  hath  been  used  to  cry  loud  for  liberty,  let  them  not  have 
liberty  to  abuse  their  Maker,  and  to  damn  their  souls,  if  you  can 
hinder  it.  "Optimus  est  reipublicse  status,  ubi  nulla  libertas 
deest,  nisi  licentia  pereundi,"  as  Nero  was  once  told  by  his  unsuc- 
cessful tutor.  Use  not  men  to  a  liberty  of  scorning  the  laws  of 
God,  lest  you  teach  them  to  scorn  yours  ;  for  can  you  expect  to  be 
better  used  than  God  ?  And  "  Cui  plus  licet  quam  par  est,  plus 
vult  quam  licet;"  Gell.  1.  17.  c.  14.  We  have  all  seen  the 
evils  of  liberty  to  be  wanton  in  religion.  Is  it  not  worse  to  have 


A    SERMON    OF    REPENTANCE.  349 

liberty  to  deride  religion  ?  If  men  shall  have  leave  to  go  quietly 
to  hell  themselves,  let  them  not  have  leave  to  mock  poor  souls 
from  heaven.  The  suffering  to  the  sound  in  faith  is  as  nothing ; 
for  what  is  the  foaming  rage  of  madmen  to  be  regarded  ?  But  that, 
in  England,  God  should  be  so  provoked,  and  souls  so  hindered 
from  the  paths  of  life,  that  whoever  will  be  converted  and  saved 
must  be  made  a  laughing-stock,  which  carnal  minds  cannot  endure  ; 
this  is  the  mischief  which  we  deprecate. 

The  eyes  of  the  nation,  and  of  the  Christian  world,  are  much 
upon  you,  some  high  in  hopes,  some  deep  in  fears,  some  waiting 
in  dubious  expectations  for  the  issue  of  your  counsels.  Great  ex- 
pectations, in  deep  necessities,  should  awake  you  to  the  greatest 
care  and  diligence.  Though  I  would  not,  by  omitting  any  neces- 
sary directions  or  admonitions  to  you,  invite  the  world  to  think  that 
I  speak  to  such  as  cannot  endure  to  hear,  and  that  so  honorable  an 
assembly  doth  call  the  ministers  of  Christ  to  do  those  works  of 
their  proper  office,  which  yet  they  will  be  offended  if  they  do,  yet 
had  I  rather  err  in  the  defective  part  than  by  excess,  and  therefore 
shall  not  presume  to  be  too  particular.  Only  in  general,  in  the  name 
of  Christ,  and  on  the  behalf  of  a  trembling,  yet  hoping  nation,  I  most 
earnestly  beseech  and  warn  you,  that  you  own  and  promote  the  pow- 
er and  practice  of  godliness  in  the  land,  and  that  as  God,  whose 
ministers  you  are,  (Rom.  xiii.  4.)  is  a  rewarder  of  them  that  dili- 
gently seek  him,  (Heb.  xi.  6.)  and  hath  made  this  a  principal  article 
of  our  faith,  so  you  would  imitate  your  absolute  Lord,  and  honor 
them  that  fear  the  Lord,  and  encourage  them  that  diligently  seek 
him.  And  may  I  not  freely  tell  you  that  God  should  have  the 
precedency  ?  And  that  you  must  first  seek  his  kingdom  and  the 
righteousness  thereof,  and  he  will  facilitate  all  the  rest  of  your 
work  ?  Surely  no  powers  on  earth  should  be  offended,  that  the 
God  from  whom,  and  for  whom,  and  through  whom,  they  have 
what  they  have,  is  preferred  before  them,  when  they  should  own 
no  interest  but  his,  and  what  is  subservient  to  it.  I  have  long 
thought  that  pretenses  of  a  necessity  of  beginning  with  our  own 
affairs,  hath  frustrated  our  hopes  from  many  parliaments  already  ; 
and  I  am  sure  that  by  delays,  the  enemies  of  our  peace  have  got 
advantage  to  cross  our  ends,  and  attain  their  own.  Our  calamities 
began  in  differences  about  religion,  and  still  that  is  the  wound 
that  most  needs  closing.  And  if  that  were  done,  how  easily,  I 
dare  confidently  speak  it,  would  the  generality  of  sober,  godly 
people  be  agreed  in  things  civil,  and  become  the  strength  and 
glory  of  the  sovereign  under  God  !  And  though,  with  grief  and 
shame,  we  see  this  work  so  long  undone,  (may  we  hope  that  God 
hath  reserved  it  to  this  season,)  yet  I  have  the  confidence  to  pro- 
fess, that,  as  the  exalting  of  one  party,  by  the  ejection  and  perse- 
cuting of  the  rest,  is  the  sinful  way  to  your  dishonor  and  our  ruin, 


350  \    siF.KMON    OF    KEPENTANrE. 

so  the  terms  on  which  the  differing  parties  most  considerable 
among  us  may  safely,  easily,  and  suddenly  unite,  are  very  obvious, 
and  our  concord  a  very  easy  thing,  if  the  prudent  and  moderate 
might  be  the  guides,  and  selfish  interests  and  passion  did  not  set 
us  at  a  further  distance  than  our  principles  have  done.  And  to 
show  you  the  facility  of  such  an  agreement,  were  it  not  that  such 
personal  matters  are  much  liable  to  misinterpretations,  I  should 
tell  you,  that  the  late  reverend  Primate  of  Ireland  consented,  in 
less  than  half  an  hour's  debate,  to  five  or  six  propositions  which  I 
offered  him,  as  sufficient  for  the  concord  of  the  moderate  Episco- 
pal and  Presbyterians,  without  forsaking  the  principles  of  their 
parties.  O  that  the  Lord  would  yet  show  so  much  mercy  to  a 
sinful  nation,  as  to  put  it  into  your  hearts  to  promote  but  the  prac- 
tice of  those  Christian  principles  which  we  are  all  agreed  in  !  I 
hope  there  is  no  controversy  among  us  whether  God  should  be 
obeyed,  and  hell  avoided,  and  heaven  first  sought,  and  Scripture  be 
the  rule  and  test  of  our  religion,  and  sin  abhorred  and  cast  out.  O 
that  you  would  but  further  the  practice  of  this  with  all  your  might ! 
We  crave  not  of  you  any  lordship  or  dominion,  nor  riches,  nor  in- 
terest in  your  temporal  affairs ;  we  had  rather  see  a  law  to  exclude 
all  ecclesiastics  from  all  power  of  force.  The  God  of  heaven,  that 
will  judge  you  and  us,  will  be  a  righteous  judge  betwixt  us,  wheth- 
er we  crave  any  thing  unreasonable  at  your  hands.  These  are 
the  sum  of  our  requests: — -1.  That  holiness  may  be  encouraged, 
and  the  overspreading  profaneness  of  this  nation  effectually  kept 
down.  2.  That  an  able,  diligent  ministry  may  be  encouraged, 
and  not  corrupted  by  temporal  power.  3.  That  discipline  may  be 
seriously  promoted,  and  ministers  no  more  hindered  by  magistrates 
in  the  exercise  of  their  office  than  physicians  and  schoolmasters  are 
in  theirs,  seeing  it  is  but  a  government  like  theirs,  consisting  in  the 
liberty  of  conscionabty  managing  the  works  of  our  own  office,  that 
we  expect.  Give  us  but  leave  to  labor  in  Christ's  vineyard  with 
such  encouragements  as  the  necessity  of  obstinate  souls  requireth, 
and  we  will  ask  no  more.  You  have  less  cause  to  restrain  us  from 
discipline  than  from  preaching.  For  it  is  a  more  flesh-displeasing 
work  that  we  are  hardlier  brought  to.  I  foretell  you  that  you  shut 
out  me,  and  all  that  are  of  my  mind,  if  you  would  force  us  to  ad- 
minister sacraments,  without  discipline,  and  without  the  conduct  of 
our  own  discretion,  to  whom  the  magistrate  appoints  it,  as  if  a 
physician  must  give  no  physic  but  by  your  prescript.  The  anti- 
disciplinarian  magistrate  I  could  as  resolutely  suffer  under  as  the 
superstitious,  it  being  worse  to  cast  out  discipline  than  to  err  in  the 
circumstances  of  it.  The  question  is  not,  whether  bishops  or  no, 
but  whether  discipline  or  none.  And  whether  enough  to  use  it. 
4.  We  earnestly  request  that  Scripture  sufficiency,  as  the  test  of 
our  religion  and  only  universal  law  of  Christ,  may  be  maintained, 


A    SERMON    OF    REPENTANCE.  351 

and  that  nothing  unnecessary  may  be  imposed  as  necessary,  nor 
the  church's  unity  laid  on  that  which  will  not  bear  it,  nor  ever  did. 
O  that  we  might  but  have  leave  to  serve  God  only  as  Christ  hath 
commanded  us,  and  to  go  to  heaven  in  the  same  way  as  the 
apostles  did  !  These  are  our  desires;  and  whether  they  are  rea- 
sonable, God  will  judge. 

Give  first  to  God  the  things  that  are  God's,  and  then  give  to 
Caesar  the  things  that  are  Caesar's.  Let  your  wisdom  be  first  pure, 
and  then  peaceable.  Not  but  that  we  are  resolved  to  be  loyal  to 
sovereignty,  though  you  deny  us  all  these.  Whatever  malicious 
men  pretend,  that  is  not,  nor  shall  not,  be  our  difference.  I  have 
proved  more  publicly,  when  it  was  more  dangerous  to  publish  it, 
that  the  generality  of  the  orthodox,  sober  ministers,  and  godly  peo- 
ple of  this  nation,  did  never  consent  to  king-killing,  and  resisting 
sovereign  power,  nor  the  change  of  the  ancient  government  of  this 
land,  but  abhorred  the  pride  and  ambition  that  attempted  it.  I 
again  repeat  it,  the  blood  of  some,  the  imprisonment  and  displacing 
of  others,  the  banishment  or  flight  of  others,  and  the  detestations 
and  public  protestations  of  more  ;  the  oft-declared  sense  of  England, 
and  the  wars  and  sad  estate  of  Scotland,  have  all  declared  before 
the  world,  to  the  shame  of  calumniators,  that  the  generality  of  the 
orthodox,  sober  Protestants  of  these  nations,  have  been  true  to  their 
allegiance,  and  detesters  of  unfaithfulness  and  ambition  in  subjects, 
and  resisters  of  heresy  and  schism  in  the  church,  and  of  anarchy  and 
democratical  confusions  in  the  commonwealth.  And  though  the 
land  hath  ringed  with  complaints  and  threatenings  against  myself, 
for  publishing  a  little  of  the  mixture  of  Jesuitical  and  Familistical 
contrivances,  for  taking  down  together  our  government  and  religion, 
and  setting  up  new  ones  for  the  introduction  of  Popery,  infidelity, 
and  heresy,  yet  I  am  assured  that  there  is  much  more  of  this  con- 
federacy for  the  all-seeing  God  to  discover  in  time,  to  the  shame 
of  Papists,  that  cannot  be  content  to  write  themselves  for  the  kill- 
ing of  kings  when  the  pope  hath  once  excommunicated  them,  and  by 
the  decrees  of  a  general  council  at  the  Lateran,  to  depose  princes 
that  will  not  extirpate  such  as  the  pope  calls  heretics,  and  absolve 
all  their  subjects  from  their  fidelity  and  allegiance,  but  they  must 
also  creep  into  the  councils  and  armies  of  Protestants,  and,  taking 
the  advantage  of  successes  and  ambition,  withdraw  men  at  once  from 
their  religion  and  allegiance,  that  they  may  cheat  the  world  into  a 
belief  that  treasons  are  the  fruits  of  the  Protestant  profession,  when 
these  masked  jugglers  have  come  by  night,  and  sown  and  cherish- 
ed these  Romish  tares.  As  a  Papist  must  cease  to  be  a  Papist  if 
he  will  be  truly  and  fully  loyal  to  his  sovereign,  (as  I  am  ready  to 
prove  against  any  adversary,)  so  a  Protestant  must  so  far  cease  to 
be  a  Protestant,  before  he  can  be  disloyal.  For  Rom.  13.  is  part 
of  the  rule  of  his  religion.  Unhappily  there  hath  been  a  differ- 


352  A    SERMON    OF    REPENTANCE. 

ence  among  us  which  is  the  higher  power,  when  those  that  have 
their  shares  in  the  sovereignty  are  divided ;  but  whether  we  should 
be  subject  to  the  higher  power,  is  no  question,  with  us. 

Gentlemen,  I  have  nothing  to  ask  of  you  for  myself,  nor  any  of 
my  brethren,  as  for  themselves,  but  that  you  will  be  friends  to 
serious  preaching  and  holy  living,  and  will  not  ensnare  our  con- 
sciences with  any  unscriptural  inventions  of  men.  This  I  would  beg 
of  you  as  on  my  knees  :  1.  As  for  the  sake  of  Christ,  whose  cause 
and  people  it  is  that  I  am  pleading  for.  2.  For  the  sake  of  thou- 
sands of  poor  souls  in  this  land,  whose  salvation  or  damnation  will 
be  much  promoted  by  you.  3.  For  the  sake  of  thousands  of  the 
dear  servants  of  the  Lord,  whose  eyes  are  waiting  to  see  what  God 
will  do  by  your  hands.  4.  For  your  own  sakes,  who  are  undone 
if  you  dash  yourselves  on  the  rock  you  should  build  on,  and  set 
against  the  holy  God,  and  turn  the  cries  of  his  servants  to  heaven 
for  deliverance  from  you;  Luke  xviii.  8.  If  you  stumble 'on 
Christ,  he  will  break  you  in  pieces ;  but  if  he  fall  upon  you,  he  will 
grind  you  to  powder.  5.  For  the  sake  of  your  posterity,  that 
they  may  not  be  bred  up  in  ignorance  or  ungodliness.  6.  For  the 
honor  of  the  nation  and  yourselves,  that  you  turn  by  all  the  suspi- 
cions and  fears  that  are  raised  in  the  land.  7.  For  the  honor  of 
sound  doctrine  and  church-government,  that  you  may  not  bring 
,  schism  into  greater  credit  than  now  you  have  brought  it  to  deserve 
shame.  For  if  you  frown  on  godliness  under  pretense  of  unifor- 
mity in  unnecessary  things,  and  make  times  worse  than  when  liber- 
tinism and  schism  so  prevailed,  the  people  will  look  back  with 
groans  and  say,  '  What  happy  times  did  we  once  see  ! '  And  so 
will  honor  schism,  and  libertinism,  and  usurpation,  through  your 
oppression.  8.  Lastly,  I  beg  this  of  you,  for  the  honor  of  sover- 
eignty, and  the  nation's  peace.  A  prince  of  a  holy  people  is  most 
honorable.  The  interest  of  holiness  is  Christ's  own.  Happy  is 
that  prince  that  espouseth  this,  and  subjecteth  all  his  own  unto  it. 
See  Psalm  i.  1,2.  and.  ci.  and  xv.  4.  It  is  the  conscionable,  pru- 
dent, godly  people  of  the  land,  that  must  be  the  glory  and  strength 
of  their  lawful  sovereign.  .Their  prayers  will  serve  him  better  than 
the  hideous  oaths  and  curses  of  the  profane.  Woe  to  the  rulers  that 
set  themselves  against  the  interest  of  Christ  and  holiness  !  (read 
Psalm  ii.)  or  that  make  snares  for  their  consciences,  that  they  may 
persecute  them  as  disobedients,  who  are  desirous  to  obey  their  ru- 
lers in  subordination  to  the  Lord.  See  Dan.  iii.  and  vi.  5.  10.  13. 
I  have  dealt  plainly  with  you,  and  told  you  the  very  truth.  If 
God  have  now  a  blessing  for  you  and  us,  you  will  obey  it ;  but  if 
you  refuse,  then  look  to  yourselves,  and  answer  it  if  you  can.  I 
am  sure,  in  spite  of  earth  and  hell,  it  shall  go  well  with  them  that 
live  by  faith. 


RIGHT    REJOL&JNG: 


OR, 


THE    NATURE    AND    ORDER 


OF 

- 

RATIONAL    AND    WARRANTABLE    JOY; 


DISCOVERED     IS    A 


SERMON   REACHED  AT  ST.  PAUL'S 

BEFORE    THE  9 

| 

LORD    MAYOR    AND    ALDERMEN, 
AND    THE    SEVERAL    COMPANIES    OF    THE    CITY    OF    LONDON, 


APPOINTED  BY  BOTH  HOUSES  OF  PARLIAMENT  TO  BE  A  DAY  OF  SOLEMN  THANKSGIVING 

FOR  GOD'S  RAISING  UP  AND  SUCCEEDING  HIS  EXCELLENCY, 

AND  OTHER  INSTRUMENTS, 


IN   ORDER   TO 

HIS    MAJESTY'S    RESTORATION, 
AND    THE    SETTLEMENT    OF    THESE    NATIONS. 

VOL.  ii.  45 


. 


t. 


RIGHT   HONORABLE   THOMAS  ALLEYNE, 

• 

LORD  MAYOR  OF  THE  CITY  OF  LONDON, 

WITH  THE 

RIGHT    WORSHIPFUL    ALDERMEN, 
HIS    BRETHREN. 


As,  in  obedience  to  your  favorable  invitation,  this  Sermon  was 
first  preached ;  and  the  Author,  conscious  of  his  great  unworthi- 
ness,  employed  in  so  honorable  a  work  ;  so  it  is  your  pleasure, 
against  which  my  judgment  must  not  here  contest,  that  hath  thus 
exposed  it  to  the  public  view ;  which  yet  I  must  confess  doth  not 
engage  you  in  the  patronage  of  any  of  the  crudities  and  imperfec- 
tions of  this  hasty  work,  it  being  the  matter,  which  is  of  God,  that 
so  far  prevailed  for  your  acceptance  as  to  procure  your  pardon  of 
the  manner,  which  is  too  much  my  own.  Rejoicing  is  so  highly 
valued,  even  by  nature,  that  I  thought  it  a  matter  of  great  neces- 
sity to  help  to  rectify  and  elevate  your  joys.  The  corruption  of  a 
thing  so  excellent  must  needs  be  very  bad  ;  and  it  being  the  great 
and  durable  good  that  must  feed  all  great  and  durable  joy ;  and 
seeing  these  little  transitory  things  can  cause  but  little  and  transi- 
tory delight,  I  thought  it  my  duty  to  insist  most  on  the  greatest,  on 
which,  in  your  meditations,  you  must  most  insist ;  which  I  repent 
not  of,  especially  now  you  have  given  my  doctrine  a  more  loud 
and  lasting  voice,  because  it  is  only  our  heavenly  interest  that  may 
be  the  matter  of  universal,  continued  delight ;  and  so  the  subject 
may  make  the  sermon  to  be  of  the  more  universal  and  continued 
use,  when  a  subjectof  less  excellency  and  duration  than  heaven  would 
have  depressed  and  limited  the  discourse,  as  to  its  usefulness. 
And  also  I  was  forced  in  this,  as  in  all  these  sublunary  things,  to 
estimate  the  mercy  in  which  we  did  all  so  solemnly  rejoice,  but  as 
a  means,  which  is  so  far  to  be  valued  as  it  conduceth  to  its  end ; 
and  is  something  or  nothing  as  it  relateth  to  eternity.  Since  I 
placed  my  hopes  above,  and  learned  to  live  a  life  of  faith,  I  never 
desire  to  know  any  mercy  in  any  other  form  or  name,  nor  value  it 


TO    THE    RIGHT    HON.    THOMAS    ALLEYNE. 

on  any  other  account,  as  not  affecting  to  make  such  reckonings 
which  I  daily  see  obliterated  in  grief  and  shame  by  those  that 
make  them ;  and  remembering  who  said,  that  if  we  had  known 
Christ  himself  after  the  flesh,  henceforth  we  know  him  »so  no 
more.  As  it  was  my  compassion  to  the  frantic,  merry  work!,  and 
also  to  the  self-troubling  melancholy  Christian,  and  my  desire 
methodically  to  ffelp  you  in  your  rejoicings  about  the  great  occa- 
sions of  the  day,  which  formed  this  exhortation  to  what  you 
heard,  and  chose  the  subject,  which,  to  some,  might  seem  less 
suitable  to  the  day  ;  so,  if  the  publication  may  print  so  great  and 
necessary  a  point  on  the  hearts  of  any  that  had  not  the  opportu- 
nity to  hear,  as  God  shall  have  the  praise,  and  they  the  joy,  so 
you  shall  have,  under  God,  the  thanks,  and  I  the  attainment  of 
my  end,  which  is  my  reward.  I  rest, 

Your  servant  in  the  work  of  Christ, 

RICHARD  BAXTER. 


RIGHT    REJOICING. 


LUKE  x.  20. 

NOTWITHSTANDING,  IN  THIS  REJOICE  NOT,  THAT  THE  SPIRITS  ARE 
SUBJECT  TO  YOU  J  BUT  RATHER  REJOICE  BECAUSE  YOUR  NAMES  ARE 
WRITTEN  IN  HEAVEN. 

' 

RIGHT  HONORABLE,  WORSHIPFUL,  AND  BELOVED  AUDITORS, 

IF  any  of  you  shall  say,  upon  the  hearing  of  my  text, 
that  I  have  chosen  a  subject  unsuitable  to  the  occasion,  and  that  a 
"  rejoice  not"  is  out  of  season  on  a  day  of  such  rejoicing,  they 
may,  I  hope,  be  well  satisfied  by  that  time  they  have  considered 
the  reason  of  these  words,  as  used  by  Christ  to  his  disciples, 
and  the  greater  joy  that  is  here  commanded,  and  so  the  reason 
of  my  choice. 

When  Christ  had  sent  forth  his  seventy  disciples  to  preach  the 
gospel  through  the  cities  of  Judea,  and  to  confirm  it  by  miraculous 
cures,  for  which  he  endued  them  with  'power  from  above,  upon 
their  return  they  triumph  especially  in  this,  that  "  the  devils  them- 
selves were  subject  to  them  through  the  name  of  Christ ; "  ver. 
17.  A  mercy  which  Christ  is  so  far  from  extenuating,  that,  1.  He 
sets  it  forth  more  fully  than  they,  (ver.  18.)  "  I  beheld  Satan  as 
lightning  fall  from  heaven."  2.  He  promised  them  yet  more  of  it, 
'"  giving  them  power  to  tread  on  serpents,  and  on  scorpions,  and 
over  all  the  power  of  the  enemy,  and  that  nothing  should  by  any 
means  hurt  them."  3.  He  rejoiceth  in  spirit,  and  thankfully  ac- 
knowledged it  to  the  Father  himself;  ver.  21.  Arid  yet  he 
seems  here  to  forbid  them  to  rejoice  in  it,  commanding  them 
another  joy.  What !  was  it  not  a  mercy  to  be  rejoiced  in  ?  or  is 
there  any  contradiction  in  the  words  of  Christ  ?  Neither :  he 
doth  not  absolutely  forbid  them  to  rejoice  in  it ;  but  he  saw  that 
their  corruption  took  an  advantage  by  it,  to  puff  them  up  with 
pride  and  vain-glory,  and  that  they  savored  it  too  carnally,  and 
were  much  taken  with  it,  as  it  was  a  visible  triumph  and  honor 
to  themselves,  the  instalments,  and  too  much  overlooked  the  end 
and  use  of  it.  Christ  therefore  aggravateth  the  mercy  in  its 
proper  notion,  as  it  was  to  the  hoaoring  of  the  Father  and  himself, 
and  the  advancement  of  his  kingdom,  and  the  saving  of  men's 
souls,  by  the  confirmation  of  the  gospel,  and  the  fall  of  Satan. 


358  RIGHT    REJOICING. 

But  the  shell  or  grosser  substance  of  the  mercy  applied  to  a  wrong 
end,  and  by  corruption  made  another  thing,  being  deprived  of  its 
proper  soul,  this  Christ  admonisheth  them  to  keep  out  of  their 
estimation  and  affection.  He  meeteth  his  returning  messengers 
rejoicing  too  much  in  themselves  ;  and  this  proud,  inordinate,  self- 
ish joy  is  it  that  he  would  take  from  them  by  his  caution  or  prohi- 
bition. "  In  this  rejoice  not."  But  that  they  may  see  that  he 
doth  not  envy  them  their  comforts,  he  showeth  them  cause  of  a 
greater  joy,  which  he  alloweth  and  commandeth  them,  as  more 
suitable  to  his  ends  and  their  felicity  :  "  But  rather  rejoice  that 
your  names  are  written  in  heaven." 

For  better  understanding  of  this,  you  may  observe,  I.  What 
matter  of  joy  the  subjection  of  the  devils  might  afford  them. 
II.  What  manner  of  joy  they  were  affected  with,  which  Christ 
forbade  them.  III.  What  manner  of  joy  it  is  that  Christ  allow- 
eth them,  when  he  seemeth  to  restrain  it  wholly  to  their  heavenly 
interest. 

1.  No  doubt,  to  have  the  devils  subject  to  them  was  a  great 
mercy,  in  which  they  might  rejoice.     For,  1.  It   was  the  gift  of 
Christ ;  and  all  is  perfumed  that  hath  touched  his  hand.     Nothing 
but  good  can  come  from  him  that  is  so  good/r»y  way  of  gift. 

2.  It  was  a  gift  foretold   by  the  prophets,  as  reserved  for  the 
gospel  time,  that  is  eminently  called  the  kingdom  of  God ;  and  an 
extraordinary  gift  in  respect  to  the  precedent  and  subsequent  gen- 
erations.    It  was  no  usual  thing  for  men  to  exercise  such  authority 
over  the  very  devils,  as  to  command  them  to  come  forth,  and  to 
heal  the  bodies  that  they  had  long  afflicted. 

3.  It  was  a.  victory  over  the  strongest  enemy,  that  can  make 
more  effectual  resistance  than  the  most  numerous  armies  of  poor 
mortals,  and  would  laugh  at  your  horse  and  arms,  your  fire  and  sword, 
your  greatest  cannons  ;  and  cannot  be  expunged  but  by  the  power 
of  the  Almighty.     A  stronger  than  he  must  come  upon  him,  and 
bind  him,  and  cast  him  out  of  his  possession,  before  he  will  sur- 
render the  garrison,  goods,  and  prisoners,  which  he  hath  held  in 
peace  ;  Luke  xi.  21,  22. 

4.  It  was  a  victory  over  the  most  subtle  enemy,  that  is  not  con- 
querable by  any  stratagems  of  human  wit. 

5.  It  was  a  victory  over  the  most  malicious  enemy,  that  sought 
more  than  the  subversion  of  men's  temporal  peace,  and  by  afflict- 
ing the  body  intended  the  hurting  of  the  soul. 

6.  It  was  a  conquest  of  him  that  had  long  possession,  and  one 
way  or  other  kept  in  bondage  the  prisoners  that  justice  had  sub- 
jected to  his  rage. 

7.  It  was  a  victory  exceeding  honorable  to  Christ,  whose  very 
messengers,  by  his  name  alone,  could  make  the  powers  of  hell 
submit.     He  that  refused  to  be  made  a  king,  as  having  not  a  king- 


RIGHT    REJOICING.  359 

dom  of  this  world,  (John  xviii.  36.)  and  that  had  not  a  place  to 
lay  his  head  on,  (Matt.  viii.  20.)  commanded  him  that  had 
presumed  to  tempt  him  with  all  the  kingdoms  and  the  glory  of 
the  world  !  (Matt.  iv.  8, 9.)  and  that  not  only  by  the  bare  word  of 
his  mouth,  but  by  the  word  of  his  meanest,  most  despised  messen- 
gers; which  made  the  people  stand  amazed,  saying,  What  manner 
of  man  is  this  ? 

8.  It  was  a  victory  tending  to  the  successes  of  the  gospel,  to 
convince  the  unbelieving  world,  and  so  to  enlarge  the  kingdom  of 
Christ,  and  to  save  the  people's  souls. 

9.  And  also  from  so  great  a  work  it  was  no  small  honor  that 
accrued  to  the  instruments ;  an  honor  which,  in  its  proper  place, 
they  might  lawfully  regard. 

10.  And  all  this  was  aggravated  by  the  congruency  of  the  mer- 
cy to  the  low,  despised  condition   of  the   instruments,  (and  of 
Christ  himself,)  when  they  were  destitute  of  all  common  advan- 
tages and  means  for  the  carrying  on  of  so  great  and  necessary  a 
work,  surpassing  all  the  strength  of  flesh :  how  seasonable  was  it 
that  the  omnipotency  of  Heaven  should  then  appear  for  them,  and 
thus  engage  itself  for  their  success  !     So  that  in  all  this  you  may 
easily  see  that  here  was  abundant  matter  for  a  rational,  warrant- 
able joy  to  the  disciples. 

11.  But  where,  then,  was  their  fault  ?     And  what  was  that  joy 
which  Christ  forba^  them  ?     Answer.  Having  already  told  you 
in  general,  I  shall  fv you  more  particularly.     1.  They  looked  too 
much  at  the  matter  of  dominion  over  the  subjected  and  ejected 
devils,  and  relished  most  delightfully  the  external  part.     As  the 
Jews  looked  for  a  Messiah  that  should  come  in   grandeur,  and 
bring  the  nations  under  his  dominion,  so  the  disciples,  that  had 
yet  too  much  of  these  conceits,  began  to  be  lifted  up  with  the  ex- 
pectation of  some  earthly  glory,  when  they  saw  the  powers  of  hell 
submit,  and  Christ  thus  begin  with  the  manifestation  of  his  omnip- 
otency.    But  the  great  end  of  these  miracles  they  too  much  over- 
looked: they  too  much  left  out  of  their  rejoicings  the  appearances 
of  God,  the  advantages  of  faith,  the  promotion  of  the  spiritual 
kingdom  of  Christ,  and  the  greater  mercies  of  the  gospel,  as  to 
themselves  and  others. 

2.  They  took  too  great  a  share  of  honor  to  themselves,  being 
more  affected  to  see  what  great  things  they  were  made  the  instru- 
ments to  accomplish,  than  what  honor  did  thereby  accrue  to  God 
and  benefit  to  man ;  and  thus,  while  they  arrogate  too  much  to 
themselves,  and  withal  too  much  overlook  those  higher,  greater 
mercies,  to  which  all  their  miracles  were  but  means,  they  deserv- 
edly fall  under  Christ's  reproof;  and  he  is  employed  in  the  cure 
of  their  diseased  joys,  by  amputation  of  the  superfluities,  and  rec- 


360  RIGHT    REJOICING. 

tifying  the  irregularities,  and  supplying  the  defects, .  lest  Satan 
should  take  possession  of  their  souls,  by  carnality,  selfishness,  and 
pride,  when  they  thought  they  had  conquered  him,  by  dispossess- 
ing him  of  men's  bodies. 

III.  By  this  you  may  understand  what  joy  it  is  that  Christ  al- 
loweth  and  commandeth  them. 

1.  As  to  themselves,  to  kill  their  pride,  and  to  increase  their 
kindly  joy  and  thankfulness,  and  to  advance  thSir  estimation  of  the 
riches  of  the  gospel,  and  rectify  their  judgment  of  the  work  and 
kingdom  of  their  Lord,  he  calls  them  to  mind  that  higher  mercy, 
which  is  worthy  of  their  greatest  joy.     An  interest  in  heaven  is 
another  kind  of  mercy  than  healing  the  sick,  or  casting  out  devils 
here  on  earth. 

2.  In  reference  to  his  honor,  he  would  have  them  first  look  at 
the  greatest  of  his  gifts,  and  not  forget  the  glory  which  he  finally 
intends  them,  while  they  are  taken  up  with  these  wonders  in  the 
way ;  for  his  greatest  honor  ariseth  from  his  greatest  mercies. 

3.  As  to  the  degrees  of  their  rejoicing,  he  would  not  have  them 
give  the  greater  share  to  the  lesser  mercy,  but  to  rejoice  so  much 
more  in  their  heavenly  interest,  as  that  all  other  joy  should  be  as 
none  in  comparison  of  it ;  so  that  this  "  Rejoice  not  in  this,"  &tc. 
is  as  much  as  if  he  had  said,  '  Let  your  rejoicing  in  this  power 
over  the  devils  be  as  nothing  in  comparison  of  your  rejoicing  that 
'your  names  are  written  in  heaven.'     Just  as  he  forbiddeth  care 
and  labor  for  these  earthly  things,  when  he  sa$,  "  Care  not  what 
ye  shall  eat,"  &c.  (Matt.  vi.  25.)  "  Labor  not  for  the  meat  that 
perisheth,  but  for  that  which  endureth  to  everlasting  life,  which 
the  Son  of  man  will  give  you;  "  John  vi.  27.     Our  care  and  labor 
for  earthly  things  must  be  nothing,  in  comparison  of  the  care  and 
labor  we  are  at  for  heaven ;  and  so  our  joy,  in  the  greatest  of  these 
outward  mercies,  should  be  as  nothing,  in  comparison  of  our  joy 
in  higher  things. 

4.  As  to  the  nature  and  order  of  the  thing,  he  alloweth  them  no 
joy  in  this,  or  any  temporal  or  created  thing  whatsoever,  but  as  it 
proceedeth  from  God,  and  tendeth  to  him  as  our  ultimate  end. 
We  must  not  rejoice  in  our  victories  over  Satan,  or  any  other  en- 
emy, for  itself,  and  as  our  end,  but  as  it  is  a  means  to  the  glory  of 
God  and  men's  salvation.     In  all  which,  it  is  evident  that  Christ 
doth  but  regulate  and  advance  their  joy,  and  calleth  them  first  to 
rejoice  in  that  which  is  their  end  and  all,  and  animateth  all  their 
lower  mercies :  he  then  alloweth  and  requireth  them  to  rejoice, 
even  in  this,  which  he  seemed  to  forbid  them  to  rejoice  in,  viz. 
that  the  devils  were  subject  to  them,  so  they  do  it  in  due  subor- 
dination to  its  end. 

The  only  difficulty  in  the  preceptive  part  of  the  text  is,  what  is 


RIGHT   REJOICING.  361 

meant  here  by  the  ''writing  of  their  names  in  heaven."  In  a 
word,  the  meaning  is,  that  they  are  "  fellow  citizens  of  the  saints, 
and  of  the  household  of  God  ;  "  and,  having  a  room  among  the 
saints  on  earth,  have  a  title  to  the  celestial  glory.  As,  in  some 
well-ordered  cities,  there  were  rolls  kept  of  the  names  of  all  the 
citizens,  or  freemen,  as  distinct  from  all  the  inferior,  more  servile 
sort  of  subjects ;  and  as  muster-rolls  are  kept  of  the  listed  sol- 
diers of  the  army,  so  all  that  are  saints  are  enrolled  citizens  of 
heaven ;  that  is,  are  the  heirs  of  the  heavenly  felicity. 

We  are  decreed  to  this  state  before  the  foundations  of  the  world  ; 
we  are  redeemed  to  it  by  the  death  of  Christ ;  but  we  are  not 
actually  entered  into  it  till  we  are  sanctified  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  heartily  engaged  to  God  the  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  in  the 
holy  covenant. 

The  doctrine  of  the  text  is  contained  in  this  proposition — To 
have  our  names  written  in  heaven,  is  the  greatest  mercy,  and  first, 
and  chiefly,  and  only  for  itself  to  be  rejoiced  in ;  which  so  puts  the 
estimate  on  all  inferior  mercies  that,  further  than  they  refer  to  this, 
they  are  not  to  be  the  matter  of  our  joy. 

Though  we  had  seen  the  devils  subjected  to  our  ministration, 
departing  from  the  possessed,  when  we  command  them  in  the  name 
of  Christ,  and  the  bodies  of  the  afflicted  miraculously  relieved,  yet 
all  this  were  not,  comparatively  to  be  rejoiced  in.  nor  as  separated 
from  our  title  to  the^  heavenly  glory. 

When  I  have,  first,  given  you  the  reasons  of  the  prohibition — 
"  Rejoice  not  in  tiis  ;  "  and  then  of  the  command — "  But  rather 
rejoice,"  &c.,  you  may,  by  fuller  satisfaction  about  the  sense  and 
truth  of  the  proposition,  be  better  prepared  for  the  further  ap- 
plication. 

I.  "  Rejoice  not,"  though  the  devils  themselves  were  subject 
to  you,  further  than  as  this  refers  to  heaven ;  1.  Because  all  these 
common  mercies  may  possibly  consist  with  the  present  misery  of 
the  persons  that  receive  them.  A  man  may  be  the  slave  of  the 
devil,  as  to  his  soul,  when  he  is  casting  him  out  of  another  man's 
body.  He  may  be  conquered  by  his  own  concupiscence,  that  hath 
triumphed  over  many  an  enemy.  These  times  have  showed  it, 
to  our  grief,  that  heresy,  and  pride,  and  ambition,  and  self-conceit, 
may  conquer  those  that  have  been  famous  for  their  conquests. 
He  may  be  a  slave  to  himself  that  is  the  master  of  another. 

And  what  I  say  of  the  instance  in  my  text,  you  may,  upon  a 
parity  or  superiority  of  reason,  all  along  give  me  leave  to  apply  to 
the  great  occasion  of  the  day  ;  it  being  a  matter  of  much  greater 
glory  to  conquer  infernal  powers  than  mortal  enemies,  and  to  have 
the  devils  subject  to  us  than  men.  To  be  such  a  conqueror  of 
men,  or  devils,  is  no  sure  proof  of  the  pardon  of  sin,  the  favor  of 
VOL.  ii.  46 


RIGHT    REJOICING. 

God,  and  saving  of  your  souls.  Alas  !  how  many,  called  valiant, 
are  the  basest  cowards  in  the  warfare  that  their  everlasting  life  de- 
pendeth  on  !  How  many,  that  are  renowned  for  their  victories  by 
men,  are  wretches,  despised  and  abhorred  by  the  Lord  !  What 
Christian  so  poor  and  despicable  in  the  world  that  would  change 
his  state  with  a  Catiline  or  Sejanus,  yea,  with  a  Caesar  or  Al- 
exander, if  he  might !  Could  you  see  the  inside  of  a  glittering 
gallant,  or  an  adored  prince,  that  is  a  stranger  to  the  life  of  faith, 
what  a  sad  disparity  would  you  see !  The  vermin  of  the  most 
fjlthy  lusts  continually  crawling  in  the  soul,  while  the  body  is  set 
out  by  the  most  exquisite  ornaments  that  pride  can  invent,  and 
-  their  purses  can  procure,  for  the  increasing  of  their  esteem  in  the 
eyes  of  such  as  judge  of  souls  by  the  color  and  cover  of  the 
bodies.  To  see  the  same  man  sumptuously  feasted,  attended, 
honored,  magnified  by  men,  and  at  the  same  time  dead  in  sin, 
unacquainted  with  the  life  and  comforts  of  believers,  and  under  the 
curse  and  condemnation  of  the  law  of  God,  would  tell  you  that 
such  a  wretch  is  far  from  the  state  in  which  a  reasonable  man  is 
allowed  to  rejoice.  There  are  not  more  naked,  leprous  souls  in  the 
world,  than  some  that  are  covered  with  a  silken,  laced,  painted 
case  ;  nor  any  more  poor  and  sordid  than  such  as  abound  with 
earthly  riches.  And  for  such  a  one  to  rejoice  is  as  unseemly  as 
for  a  man  to  glory  that  his  gangrened  foot  hath  a  handsome  shoe  ; 
or  that  his  diseased,  pained  flesh  doth  suffer  in  the  fashion ;  or  that 
his  wounds  and  ulcers  are  searched  with  a  silver  instrument.  God 
seeth  the  rottenness  and  filth  that  is  within  these  painted  sepul- 
chres, and  therefore  judgeth  not  of  them  as  the  ignorant  spectator, 
that  seeth  no  farther  than  the  smoothed,  polished,  gilded  outside. 
And,  therefore,  we  find  his  language  of  such  to  differ  so  much 
from  the  language  of  the  world.  He  calls  those  poor,  and  misera- 
ble, and  blind,  and  naked,  and  foolish,  and  mad,  and  dead,  and 
cursed,  that,  perhaps,  hear  nothing  lower  from  the  world  than  hon- 
orable, worshipful,  rich,  and  wise ;  and  men  are  admiring  them, 
while  God  is  loathing  them  ;  and  men  are  applauding  them  while 
God  condemnelh  them.  And  hence  it  is  that  the  servants  of  the 
Lord  do  lament  the  case  of  those  that  worldlings  count  most  hap- 
py. What  Paul  speaks  of  those  "  whose  God  is  their  belly,  whose 
glory  is  their  shame,  and  who  mind  earthly  things,"  he  doth  it 
weeping;  (Phil.  iii.  18,  19.)  when  a  frantic  sensualist  would 
have  derided  his  compassionate  tears,  and  bid  him  keep  them  for 
himself. 

2.  Rejoice  not  in  these  outward,  common  things,  comparative- 
ly, or  for  themselves,  because  they  are  not  only  consistent  with 
most  deplorable  misery,  but  also  are  the  strong  and  ordinary  means 
of  making  men  miserable,  and  fixing  them  in  it.  and  increasing  it. 


UIGHT    REJOICING. 


Many  that  have  seemed  humble,  fruitful,  flourishing,  and  steadfast, 
while  they  dwelt  in  the  villevs  of  a  mean,  a  low,  afflicted  state,  have 
proved  sun-burnt,  weather-beaten  sinners,  apostates,  proud,  vain- 
glorious and  barren,  when  they  have  'removed  their  habitations  to 
the  mountains  of  prosperity.  Alas  !  we  find  it  hard  enough  to  be 
serious,  faithful  Christians,  under  the  less  and  ordinary  temptations 
of  a  poor,  or  mean,  or  suffering  condition.  And  I  should  rejoice 
if  I  were  but  to  pass  to  heaven  as  a  camel  must  pass  through  a 
needle's  eye.  We  have  difficulties  enough  already,  unless  our 
wisdom,  strength,  and  courage,  were  greater  to  encounter  them  ; 
and  shall  we  rejoice  if  these  difficulties  be  increased  to  impossibil- 
ities, (as  with  men,)  leaving  us  no  hope  but  that  human  impossi- 
bilities are  conquerable  by  Divine  Omnipotency  ?  Luke  xviii.  27. 
Is  it  not  hard  enough  to  have  a  lowly  mind  in  a  low  condition  ;  but 
much  more  in  a  high  ?  To  despise  the  world  when  the  world  da- 
spiseth  us  ?  To  walk  in  heaven  when  faith  is  not  interrupted  by 
the  noise  or  shows  of  the  distracted  actors  of  these  bedlam  trage- 
dies ?  And  to  converse  with  our  everlasting  company  when  we 
are  freest  from  these  crowds  and  tumults  ?  And  shall  we  rejoice 
that  we,  who  already  stumble  at  straw,  have  rocks  of  offense  and 
mountains  of  difficulty  cast  before  us  ?  How  few  are  advanced  to 
higher  measures  of  faith  and  holiness  by  their  advancements  in  the 
world  !  For  the  most  part,  if  they  seemed  to  have  something  of 
plain  honesty  and  fidelity  before,  when  they  come  to  be  advanced, 
it  is  drowned  in  carnal  policies,  self-love,  and  hypocritical  dissimu- 
lation. And  if  they  seemed  before  to  be  humble  and  heavenly, 
and  to  live  to  God,  and  to  his  interest  and  service,  how  strangely 
doth  prosperity  and  dignity  transform  them,  and  make  them  forget 
their  former  apprehensions,  their  convictions,  purposes,  and  vows, 
yea,  their  God,  their  happiness,  and  themselves.  And  should  we 
not  be  very  cautelous  how  we  rejoice  in  an  air  that  few  men  have 
their  health  in  ?  and  in  a  diet,  how  sweet  soever,  that  corrupts  and 
kills  the  most  that  use  it  ?  in  the  tables  that  prove  snares,  and  the 
sumptuous  houses  that  are  traps  to  the  inhabitants? 

3.  Rejoice  not  in  these  common  things,  for  they  are  but  such 
as  are  often  made  the  devil's  tools  to  do  his  work  by,  and  are  used 
against  the  Lord  that  gave  them,  to  the  hindrance  of  the  gospel, 
and  injury  of  the  church  of  Christ.  While  men  are  low,  and  live 
by  faith,  they  do  good  with  the  little  which  they  have  ;  and  have 
the  blessing  of  the  will,  (when  they  are  unable  for  the  deed,)  and 
of  hearts  disposed  to  do  good,  if  they  had  opportunity  ;  when, 
usually,  those  that  are  lifted  up,  having  more  of  power,  and  less 
of  will,  do  less  when  they  might  and  should  do  more  ;  and  use  their 
talents  to  aggravate  their  sin  and  condemnation  :  to  further  piety, 
or  charity,  they  have  power  without  will  ;  but  to  hinder  it,  they 


RIGHT    REJOICING, 


have  both  power  and  will.  And  while  the  poor  of  the  world,  that 
are  rich  only  in  faith,  would  help  on  the  work  of  God,  and  cannot, 
(by  the  great  assistances  which  the  great  might  give,)  and  the  rich 
and  honorable  can,  and  will  not,  but  can  and  will  promote  the 
interest  of  the  flesh,  you  may  easily  see  the  case  of  the  church, 
how  sure  it  is  to  know  adversity,  and  how  much  of  our  expecta- 
tion must  be  from  God,  and  how  little  from  any  of  the  sons  of  men. 
Is  it  as  common  for  one  that  is  very  rich  to  part  with  all  to  follow 
Christ  for  the  hopes  of  heaven,  as  it  is  for  one  that  hath  not  much 
in  the  world  to  part  with  ?  Is  it  as  common  for  one  that  hath 
many  thousands  a  year,  to  cast  all  his  substance  into  the  treasury, 
as  for  a  widow  to  do  it  that  hath  but  two  mites?  Luke  xxi.  2.  4. 
O,  how  much  easier  were  it  like  to  go  with  the  church  of  God,  if 
greatness  and  ungodliness  were  not  so  commonly  conjunct  !  But, 
usually,  as  riches,  and  dignities,  and  honors,  do  much  increase  their 
carnal  interest,  so  do  they  increase  their  carnal-mindedness,  and 
their  engagements  against  that  life  of  faith  and  holiness,  which  is 
contrary  to  their  interests  ;  so  that  none  are  such  malignant  adver- 
saries to  godliness,  and  none  have  such  advantage  to  execute  their 
malice.  Seeing,  then,  that  all  such  honors  and  advancements  are 
made,  by  corruption,  too  ordinary  instruments  of  the  vilest  works 
of  serving  Satan,  and  opposing  Christ,  and  oppressing  piety,  hon- 
esty, and  innocence,  rejoice  not  in  them,  as  for  themselves,  nor 
any  way  but  in  subservience  to  your  heavenly  rejoicings. 

4.  And  it  should  much  abate  our  carnal  joy  to  consider  that  all 
these  things  are  such  as  may  end  in  misery,  and  leave  the  owner 
in  everlasting  woe.  He  that  is  feasting  in  purple  and  fine  linen 
to-day,  may  be  to-morrow  in  remediless  torments,  and  want  a  drop 
of  water  to  cool  his  tongue  ;  Luke  xvi.  He  that  is  to-day  triumph- 
ing over  mortal  enemies,  may  to-morrow  be  led  in  triumph  to  hell- 
fire,  and  lie  in  chains  of  darkness  till  the  judgment  of  the  great 
day.  He  that  is  now  prophesying  in  the  name  of  Christ,  and 
casting  out  devils,  and  doing  many  great  and  wonderful  works, 
may  shortly  be  condemned  at  his  bar,  with  a  "  Depart  from  me, 
ye  workers  of  iniquity  ;  I  never  knew  you  ;  "  Matt.  vii.  22,  23. 
And  who  would  be  merry  at  a  feast  that  he  must  cast  up  again,  in 
griping  pain,  or  mortal  sickness  ?  You  see  now  where  the  great 
ones  of  the  world  do  take  their  places,  and  how  they  are  admired 
and  honored  by  men  ;  but  you  see  not  where  the  tide  will  leave 
them,  and  how  they  shall  be  used  by  infernal  spirits,  if  they  had 
not  a  better  preventive  and  security  than  all  the  renown  and 
dignities  of  the  world.  Be  cautelous,  therefore,  in  your  rejoicing 
for  that  which  may  end  in  everlasting  sorrows. 

Yea,  more  than  so  ;  these  outward  honors  and  successes  may 
plunge  men  deeper  in  perdition  than  ever  they  had  been  without 


RIGHT    REJOICING. 


365 


them.  And  thousands  shall  wish  that  they  had  never  known 
them ;  and  that  they  had  rather  been  the  lowest  and  obscurest 
persons,  than,  by  the  temptations  of  prosperity,  to  have  been  led 
into  that  misery.  And  should  you  not  be  very  cautelous  in  your 
rejoicing  in  that  which  you  may  possibly  wish  you  had  never 
known  ?  You  see  then  the  reasons  for  the  prohibition,  "  Re- 
joice not." 

II.  But,  on  the  contrary,  that  the  precept  "  Rejoice  that  your 
names  are  written  in  heaven,"  is  backed  with  such  reasons  from  the 
nature  of  the  thing,  as  should  much  excite  us  to  the  practice,  is  a 
truth  so  manifest,  that  a  tedious  demonstration  of  it  might  seem 
at  best  unnecessary,  and  so  an  error,  in  these  straits  of  time.  1. 
What  should  be  rejoiced  in,  if  not  the  Lord  of  life  himself,  who  is 
the  everlasting  joy  and  glory  of  the  saints  ?  If  felicity  itself  cannot 
make  us  happy,  and  life  itself  is  insufficient  to  quicken  us,  and  the 
sun  itself  cannot  illuminate  us,  it  is  in  vain  to  expect  this  light, 
this  life,  this  happiness  and  joy  from  any  other.  From  others 
we  may  have  joy  derivatively  at  the  second  hand,  but  only  from 
God  as  the  original  and  first  cause.  Other  things  may  be  means 
of  the  conveyance,  but  God  is  the  matter  of  our  joy.  A  creature 
may  be  his  medicine,  but  he  is  our  life  and  health  itself.  Comfort 
may  be  offered  by  others,  but  it  is  he  that  gives  it.  Others  may 
direct  us  to  it,  but  he  effecteth  it.  If  God  be  not  to  be  rejoiced  in, 
the  affection  of  joy  is  made  in  vain  ;  for  he  is  goodness  itself,  and 
there  is  nothing  lovely  or  delectable  but  what  is  in  him.  And 
what  is  heaven  but  the  fruition  of  God  ? 

2.  It  is  congruous  that  we  now  rejoice  in  that  which  we  must 
everlastingly  rejoice  in.  Heaven  is  the  state  of  everlasting  joy, 
and  therefore  the  foresight  of  it  by  faith  is  the  only  way  to  rational, 
solid  comfort  here.  If  you  knew  the  place  in  which  you  should 
live  but  an  hundred  years  in  earthly  pleasures,  or  the  friend  in 
whom  you  should  as  long  have  sweet  delight,  the  foreknowledge 
of  it  would  make  that  place  and  friend  more  delightful  to  you  than 
any  other.  Mutable  joys  are  the  shame  of  man,  and  show  his 
levity  or  folly  in  choosing  these  things  to  comfort  him  that  are 
insufficient  to  perform  it.  But  if  your  heavenly  interest  be  the 
matter  of  your  joy,  you  may  rejoice  to-morrow  as  well  as  to-day, 
and  the  next  day  as  well  as  to-morrow,  and  the  next  year  as  well 
as  this.  If  prosperity  be  your  joy,  your  joy  must  be  short,  for 
your  worldly  prosperity  will  be  so.  If  victory  and  dignity,  and 
overtopping  others,  be  your  joy,  it  will  be  short ;  for  death  is 
ready  to  leave  the  conqueror,  the  honorable,  the  prince,  with  the 
conquered  and  the  meanest  subject.  If  the  solemnity  and  feast- 
ing of  such  a  day  as  this  should  be  the  greatest  matter  of  your  joy, 
the  day  will  have  a  night,  and  the  feast  an  end,  and  so  will  your 


366  RIGHT    REJOICING. 

joy.  But  if  heaven  be  the  matter  of  your  joy,  you  may  go  on  in 
your  rejoicing,  and  every  day  may  be  your  festival ;  for  God  is 
the  same  both  yesterday,  and  to-day,  and  forever.  You  only 
have  the  day  that  hath  no  night,  and  the  feast  that  hath  no  end, 
or  intermission,  unless  as  it  is  caused  by  your  errors  and  misap- 
prehensions. There  can  nothing  fall  out  of  so  hurtful  a  nature  as 
to  turn  your  feast  into  gall  and  wormwood ;  for  God  will  be  still 
God,  and  Christ  still  your  Head,  and  heaven  will  be  heaven  ;  and 
nothing  is  of  any  considerable  moment  to  put  into  the  scales  against 
your  happiness.  If  once  you  have  a  God,  a  Christ,  a  heaven  to 
rejoice  in,  you  may  rationally  indulge  a  constant  joy,  and  may 
rationally  rejoice  in  poverty,  reproach,  contempt,  and  calumny,  in 
imprisonment,  banishment,  sickness,  or  in  death,  as  a  prosperous 
state;  and  you  transgress  the  laws  of  reason  if  you  do  not. 

3.  Rejoice  if  your  names  are  written  in  heaven ;  for  this  is  a 
divine,  a  pure,  a  profitable,  and  a  warrantable  joy.  When  God 
and  his  ministers  rebuke  your  mirth,  it  is  not  this  holy  mirth  that 
they  rebuke,  but  your  dreaming  mirth,  or  waking  folly.  As  we 
beat  down  your  presumption,  but  to  set  up  your  faith ;  and  beat 
down  men's  deceitful  hopes,  to  prepare  them  for  the  hopes  that 
will  not  fail  them,  and  not  to  bring  them  to  despair,  so  do  we  call 
you  from  your  frothy,  foolish,  childish  mirth,  that  we  may  lead  you 
to  the  highest  joys.  Here  is  joy  that  you  need  not  be  ashamed 
of;  of  which  you  can  scarcely  take  too  much ;  of  which  you  need 
not  to  repent.  Be  as  joyful  and  merry  as  you  will,  if  this  may 
but  be  the  matter  of  your  joy.  The  more  you  are  thus  joyful, 
the  more  acceptable  to  God.  It  is  Satan,  and  not  God,  that  is 
the  enemy  of  this  joy ;  that  pleads  against  it,  and  fills  a  Christian's 
mind  with  groundless  scruples,  and  doubts,  and  objections  against 
it.  O  that  our  souls  and  our  assemblies  did  more  abound  with  this 
holv  joy !  And  O  that  Christians  understood  the  excellency  and 
usefulness  of  it,  and  would  set  themselves  more  constantly  to  the 
promoting  and  maintaining  of  it  in  themselves !  Whoever  of  you 
that  is  most  joyful  in  the  Lord,  I  dare  persuade  you  to  be  more 
joyful  yet ;  and  so  far  should  you  be  from  checking  yourselves  for 
this  holy  joy,  that  the  rest  of  your  duties  should  intend  it,  and  you 
should  make  it  your  work  by  the  help  of  all  God's  ordinances  and 
mercies  to  increase  it.  He  is  the  best  Christian  that  hath  most 
love,  and  joy,  and  gratitude  ;  and  he  that  is  best  at  this,  is  like  to 
be  best  in  the  performance  of  his  other  duties,  and  in  the  conquest 
of  remaining  sins.  But  more  of  this  in  the  application. 

And  now  I  am  approaching  to  a  closer  application,  I  hope  I 
may  suppose  that  I  have  removed  the  objection  that  met  me  in 
the  beginning,  and  that  by  this  time  you  see  that  I  am  not  unsea- 
sonably suppressing  your  warrantable  joy ;  but,  1 .  Preventing 


RIGHT    REJOICING.  367 

that  which  is  unwarrantable ;  and,  2.  Showing  you  the  higher 
joys,  which  must  animate  these,  or  they  will  be  but  dead,  corrupt- 
ed things.  It  is  only  the  regulation  and  the  exaltation  of  your 
joys  that  I  am  endeavoring ;  and,  for  the  first,  my  text  affordeth 
me  so  full  instruction,  that  you  may  see  this  observation  meeting 
you  in  the  first  perusal  of  the  words. 

That  when  the  Lord  hath  vouchsafed  us  matter  of  rejoicing  in 
his  wonders  of  mercy,  and  our  great  successes,  the  best  of  us  are 
too  prone  to  take  up  a  selfish,  carnal  joy,  and  have  need  of  Christ's 
prohibition  or  caution,  "  Rejoice  not  in  this." 

The  soul  is  active,  and  will  be  doing ;  and  there  is  nothing  that 
it  is  more  naturally  inclined  to  than  delight.  Something  or  other, 
which  may  be  suitable  to  it,  and  sufficient  to  answer  its  desires,  it 
fain  would  be  rejoicing  in.  And  the  spiritual  part  of  all  our  mer- 
cies is  pure  and  refined,  and  too  subtle  for  the  discerning  of  our 
carnal  minds,  and,  therefore,  is  invisible  to  the  dark,  ungodly 
world  ;  and,  also,  it  is  contrary  to  the  interest  of  the  flesh,  and  to 
the  present  bent  of  man's  concupiscence  :  and  therefore  it  is  that 
spiritual  mercies  are  not  perceived,  nor  relished  by  the  flesh  ;  yea, 
that  they  are  refused,  as  food,  by  a  sick  stomach,  with  enmity  and 
loathing,  as  if  they  were  judgments  or  plagues,  and  not  mercies ; 
and  hence  it  is  that  a  carnal  mind  doth  as  unwillingly  accept  of 
any  mercies  of  this  sort,  as  if  it  were  some  heavy  service  that 
made  God  almost  beholden  to  him  to  accept  them.  But  the 
objects  of  sense,  the  matters  of  commodity,  or  honor,  or  sensual 
pleasure,  are  such  as  the  worst  of  men  are  more  eager  after  than 
any  other :  they  are  things  that  flesh  itself  doth  savor,  and  can 
judge  of,  and  is  naturally,  now,  too  much  in  love  with.  And, 
therefore,  there  being  too  much  of  this  concupiscence  yet  within 
us,  the  best  have  need,  as  to  be  excited  to  the  spiritual  part  of 
their  rejoicing,  so  to  be  warned  and  called  off  from  the  carnal  part. 
Our  successes,  and  our  other  common  mercies,  have  all  of  them 
both  a  carnal  and  a  spiritual  part ;  somewhat  that  is  suited  to  our 
bodies,  and  somewhat  to  our  souls.  And  as  we  are  all  too  prone 
to  be  sensible  and  regardful  of  our  bodily  affairs  and  interests,  and 
too  insensible  and  neglectful  of  the  matters  of  our  souls,  so  we  can 
easily  pick  out  so  much  of  providences  and  mercies  as  gratify  and 
accommodate  our  flesh  ;  and  there  we  would  stop  and  know  no 
more  ;  as  if  we  had  no  spiritual  part  to  mind,  nor  the  mercy  of 
any  spiritual  part  to  be  improved.  To  rejoice  in  mere  prosperity 
and  success  may  be  done  without  grace,  by  pride,  and  sensuality, 
as  easily  as  a  drunkard  can  be  merry  with  his  cups,  or  any  other 
sinner  in  his  sin.  Think  it  not  needless,  then,  to  hear  this  ad- 
monition, Take  heed  that  you  rejoice  not  carnally  in  the  carcass, 
or  out  de  only  of  your  mercies.  As  such  an  outside  religion, 


368  RIGHT    REJOICING. 

consisting  in  the  shell  of  duty,  without  God,  who  is  the  life  and 
kernel,  is  not  religion  indeed,  but  an  hypocritical,  self-deceiving 
show ;  so  you  may  turn  a  day  of  thanksgiving  into  a  day  of  fleshly 
mirth,  more  sinful  than  a  morris-dance  or  may-game,  because  of 
the  aggravation  of  conjunct  hypocrisy,  if  you  set  not  a  faithful 
guard  upon  your  hearts. 

For  the  rectifying,  therefore,  and  elevating  of  your  joys,  I  am 
first  to  tell  you,  that  there  is  matter  of  far  greater  joy  before  you 
than  all  the  successes  or  prosperity  of  the  world ;  and  if  it  be  not, 
yet  being  freely  offered  you,  your  acceptance  may  quickly  make 
it  such.  Eternal  joy  and  glory  is  at  hand  ;  the  door  is  open,  the 
promise  is  sure,  the  way  made  plain,  the  helps  are  many,  and  safe, 
and  powerful ;  you  may  have  the  conduct  of  Christ,  and  the  com- 
pany of  thousands,  (though  the  smaller  number,)  if  you  will  go 
this  way ;  there  are  passengers  every  day  going  on,  and  entering 
in ;  many  that  were  here  the  last  year,  are  this  year  in  heaven  ; 
yea,  many  that  were  yesterday  on  earth,  are  in  heaven  to-day. 
It  is  another  kind  of  assembly  and  solemnity  than  this  that  they 
are  now  beholding,  and  you  may  behold.  One  strain  of  that 
celestial  melody  doth  afford  more  ravishing  sweetness  and  delight 
than  all  that  ever  earth  could  yield.  If  a  day  in  God's  courts 
here  be  better  than  a  thousand  in  common  employments  or  de- 
lights, then,  sure,  a  day  in  heaven  is  better  than  ten  thousand. 
That  is  the  court;  and  (except  the  church,  which  is  a  garden 
that  hath  some  celestial  -plants,  and  is  a  seminary  or  nursery  for 
heaven)  this  world  is  the  dunghill.  There  all  is  spiritual,  pure, 
and  perfect ;  the  soul,  the  service,  and  the  joy  ;  but  here  they  are 
all  so  mixed  with  flesh,  and,  therefore,  so  imperfect  and  impure, 
that  we  are  afraid  of  our  very  comforts,  and  are  fain,  upon  the 
review,  to  sorrow  over  many  of  our  joys.  We  come  now,  from 
cares  and  troubles,  to  our  feasts ;  and  our  wedding  garments  smell 
of  the  smoke  ;  and  a  secret  disquietness  in  the  midst  of  our  delights 
doth  tell  us,  that  the  root  of  our  troubles  doth  remain,  and  that 
yet  we  are  not  where  we  should  be,  and  that  this  is  not  our  resting 
place.  We  lay  by  our  cares  and  sorrows  on  these  days,  with  our 
old  clothes,  to  take  them  up  again  to-morrow;  and,  alas!  they 
are  our  ordinary  week-day  habits :  and  it  were  well  if  it  were  only 
so ;  but  even  in  laughter  the  heart  is  sorrowful ;  and  in  our  sweet- 
est joys  we  feel  such  imperfections  as  threateneth  a  relapse  into 
our  former  troubles.  But  the  face  of  God  admitteth  no  such  im- 
perfections in  the  joy  of  the  beholders  :  there  we  shall  have  joy 
without  either  feeling  or  fear  of  sorrow,  and  praises  without  any 
mixtures  of  complaint.  Our  sweetest  love  to  the  Lord  of  love  will 
feel  no  bounds,  and  fear  no  end.  O,  what  unspeakable  delights 
will  fill  that  soul  that  now  walks  mournfully,  and  feedeth  upon 


RIGHT    REJOICING.  309 

complaints  and  tears  !  How  the  glory  of  God  will  make  that  face 
to  shine  forever,  that  now  looks  too  dejectedly,  and  is  darkened 
with  griefs,  and  worn  with  fears,  and  daily  wears  a  mourning 
visage  !  No  trouble  can  enter  into  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  ;  nor 
is  there  a  mournful  countenance  in  the  presence  of  our  King. 
Self-troubling  was  the  fruit  of  sin  and  weakness,  of  ignorance, 
mistakes,  and  passion,  and,  therefore,  is  unknown  in  heaven,  being 
pardoned  and  laid  by  with  our  flesh  among  the  rest  of  our  childish 
weaknesses  and  diseases.  That  poor,  afflicted,  wounded  soul, 
that  breathes  in  trouble  as  its  daily  air,  and  thinks  it  is  made  up 
of  grief  and  fear,  shall  be  turned  into  love  and  joy,  and  be  un- 
speakably higher  in  those  heavenly  delights  than  ever  it  was  low 
in  sorrow.  O  blessed  face  of  the  most  glorious  God  !  O  happy 
presence  of  our  glorified  head  !  O  blessed  beams  of  the  eternal 
love,  that  will  continually  shine  upon  us !  O  blessed  work !  to 
behold,  to  love,  to  delight,  and  praise !  O  blessed  company  of 
holy  angels,  and  perfect  saints,  so  perfectly  united,  so  exactly 
suited,  to  concord  in  those-  felicitating  works!  Where  all  these 
are  what  sorrow  can  there  be  ?  what  relics  of  distress,  or  smallest 
scars  of  our  ancient  wounds  ?  Had  I  but  one  such  friend  as  the 
meanest  angel  in  heaven  to  converse  with,  how  easily  could  I 
spare  the  courts  of  princes,  the  popular  concourse,  the  learned 
academies,  and  all  that  the  world  accounteth  pleasure,  to  live 
in  the  sweet  and  secret  converse  of  such  a  friend  !  How  delight- 
fully should  I  hear  him  discourse  of  the  ravishing  love  of  God,  of 
the  glory  of  his  face,  the  person  of  our  Redeemer,  the  continued 
union  of  the  glorified  human  nature  with  the  divine,  and  of  the 
Head,  with  all  the  glorified  members,  and  his  influences  on  his  im- 
perfect ones  below ;  of  the  dignity,  quality,  and  work  of  saints  and 
angels,  and  of  the  manner  of  their  mutual  converse  !  How  gladly 
would  I  retire  from  the  noise  of  laughter,  the  compliments  of 
comic  gallants,  the  clutter  and  vain-glory  of  a  distracted  world,  or 
any  of  the  more  manly  inferior  delights,  to  walk  with  one  such 
heavenly  companion !  O  how  the  beams  of  his  illuminated  intel- 
lect would  promote  my  desired  illumination !  and  the  flames  of 
his  love  to  the  most  glorious  God  would  reach  my  heart !  What 
1  fe  and  heavenly  sweetness  there  would  be  in  all  his  speeches! 
That  little  of  heaven  that  I  have  perceived  on  some  of  the  servants 
of  the  Lord,  that  are  conversant  above  in  the  life  of  faith,  doth 
make  them  more  amiable,  and  their  converse  much  more  delectable 
to  me,  than  all  the  feastings,  music,  or  merriments  in  the  world. 
O,  then,  what  a  world  of  joy  and  glory  will  that  be,  where  we  shall 
not  only  converse  with  them  that  have  seen  the  Lord,  and  are 
perfected  in  the  beatifical  vision  and  fruition,  but  also  shall  our- 
selves everlastingly  behold  him,  and  enjoy  him  in  perfection  ! 
VOL.  n.  47 


370  RIGHT    REJOICING. 

That  world  all  true  believers  see .  they  see  it  by  faith  in  the  holy 
glass  which  the  Spirit  in  the  apostles  and  prophets  hath  set  up ; 
and  they  have  the  earnest  and  first-fruits  of  it  in  themselves,  even 
that  Spirit  by  which  they  are  sealed  hereunto.  That  world  we 
are  ready  to  take  possession  of;  we  are  almost  there ;  we  are  but 
taking  our  leave  of  the  inhabitants  and  affairs  of  earth,  and  better 
putting  on  our  heavenly  robes,  and  we  are  presently  there.  A 
few  nights  more  to  stay  on  earth,  a  few  words  more  to  speak  to 
the  sons  of  men,  a  few  more  duties  to  perform,  and  a  few  more 
troublesome  steps  to  pass,  will  be  a  small,  inconsiderable  delay. 
This  room  will  hold  you  now  but  an  hour  longer,  and  this  world 
but  a  few  hours  more ;  but  heaven  will  be  the  dwelling-place  of 
saints  to  all  eternity.  These  faces  of  flesh  that  we  see  to-day 
we  shall  see  but  a  few  times  more,  if  any ;  but  the  face  of  God 
we  shall  see  forever.  That  glory  no  dismal  times  shall  darken  ; 
that  joy  no  sorrow  shall  interrupt,  no  sin  shall  forfeit,  no  enemy 
shall  endanger  or  take  from  us,  no  changes  shall  ever  dispossess 
us  of.  And  should  not  a  believer,  then,  rejoice  that  his  name  is 
written  in  heaven  ?  and  that  every  providence  wheels  him  on, 
and,  whether  the  way  be  fair  or  foul,  it  is  thither  that  he  is  travel- 
ing ?  O  sirs !  if  heaven  be  better  than  vanity  and  vexation ;  if 
endless  joy  be  better  than  the  laughter  of  a  child  that  ends  in 
crying;  and  if  God  be  better  than  a  delusory  world, — you  have 
then  greater  matters  set  before  you  to  be  the  matter  of  your  joy 
than  prosperity  and  success,  or  any  thing  that  flesh  and  blood 
delights  in. 

And  this  being  so,  I  am  next,  in  faithfulness  to  your  souls,  oblig- 
ed to  call  you  to  inquire,  whether  the  rejoicing  of  this  day,  and  the 
rejoicing  of  your  lives,  do  here  begin  ?  Is  God  the  beginning  and 
the  end  of  all  ?  O  that  the  Lord  would  awaken  you  to  perceive, 
in  all  your  mirth,  how  nearly  it  concerneth  you  to  know  first  wheth- 
er your  names  are  written  in  heaven,  and  whether  -your  chiefest 
joy  be  fetched  from  thence. 

Alas !  sirs,  it  is  a  most  pitiful  sight  to  see  men  frisk  about  in  jol- 
lity, with  the  marks  of  death  and  wrath  upon  them ;  and  to  see 
men  so  franticly  merry  in  their  sin,  as  to  forget  the  misery  that 
will  so  quickly  mar  their  mirth  ;  and  to  see  men  live  as  quietly 
and  pleasantly  as  if  all  were  well  with  them,  when  they  have  taken 
no  successful  care  for  their  precious  souls,  nor  made  any  considera- 
ble sure  provision  for  their  endless  life.  Poor  sinner!  the  Lord, 
who  sent  me  on  this  message  to  thee,  knows  that  I  envy  thee  not 
thy  mirth  or  pleasure,  but  only  would  have  it  better  for  thee,  or 
have  thee  set  thy  mind  on  better.  But  let  me  so  far  interrupt 
thee  in  thy  mirth  as  to  ask  thee  whether  thou  art  sure  of  heaven ; 
o :  Hf  Irast,  whether  thou  hast  given  diligence  to  make  it  sure ; 


ItlUHT    REJOICING.  371 

2  Pet.  i.  10.  If  this  night  thy  soul  be  called  away,  canst  thou 
truly  say  that  thou  art  an  heir  oflife,  and  hast  laid  up  thy  treasure 
there  beforehand  ?  If  thou  say  that  thou  hopest  well,  and  no  man 
can  do  more,  and  thus  dost  desperately  cast  thy  everlasting  life 
upon  a  careless  venture,  I  must  tell  thee  first  that  assurance  may 
be  had.  Would  God  bid  us  rejoice  that  our  names  are  writ- 
ten in  heaven,  if  it  were  a  thing  that  could  noj,  by  any  means  be 
known?  Would  he  bid  us  give  diligence  to  make  our  calling  and 
election  sure,  if  it  were  a  thing  that  could  not  by  any  diligence  be 
attained  ?  And  I  must  add  that  presumption  is  no  sign  of  a  safe 
condition.  It  shall  not  go  well  with  you,  because  you  imagine  it 
shall  go  well.  A  man  in  a  dropsy  or  consumption  will  not  live  by 
saying  he  hopes  he  shall  not  die.  Yea,  more,  I  must  add,  that  a 
careless  venlurousness  is  a  mark  of  misery.  For  a  man  that  valu- 
eth  God  and  his  salvation,  cannot  put  off  a  matter  of  such  eternal 
consequence  so  slightly  and  disregardfully.  And  a  fear  and  care 
about  your  salvation  would  be  a  far  better  sign.  For  the  most 
part,  they  are  safest  that  fear  their  danger,  and  they  are  in  the  sad- 
dest case  that  are  never  sad  at  the  consideration  of  their  case.  It 
is  not  your  bold  and  confident  conceits  that  will  open  heaven  to 
you ;  and  therefore,  I  beseech  you,  presently  look  out  for  surer 
grounds  of  peace  than  these. 

If  you  say,  How  can  it  be  known  to  me  whether  my  name  be 
written  in  heaven  or  not  ?  I  shall  briefly,  but  satisfactorily,  an- 
swer it. 

In  general,  if  thou  know  that  thou  art  one  that  God  hath  prom- 
ised heaven  to,  thou  mayest  know  thy  title,  which  is  meant  by  the 
writing  of  thy  name  in  heaven,  and  thou  mayest  know  that  this 
promise  shall  be  made  good. 

More  particularly,  1.  If  thou  hast  had  such  an  effectual  sight 
of  the  vanity  of  earth,  and  of  the  heavenly  felicity,  that  heaven 
hath  the  preeminence  in  thy  practical  estimation  and  choice,  and 
thou  hast  resolved  that  heaven  or  nothing  shall  be  thy  happiness, 
and  art  so  far  at  a  point  with  all  things  under  the  sun,  as  that  thou 
art  resolved  to  stick  closer  to  Christ  than  unto  them,  and.  whatever 
it  cost  thee,  to  take  the  fruition  of  God  forever  as  thy  portion ;  if, 
upon  consideration  of  the  difference  between  heaven  and  earth, 
God  and  the  creatures,  eternity  and  time,  thou  hast  heartily  devot- 
ed thyself  to  God,  and  art  willing  to  be  his  servant  upon  the  terms 
that  he  inviteth  thee  on,  thou  mayest  be  assured  that  thy  name  is 
written  in  heaven;  Matt.  vi.  19.  21.  and  xvi.  24 — 26.  and  x.iii. 
45,  46.  Luke  xviii.  33. 

But  if  earth  be  the  place  of  thy  highest  estimation  and  choice, 
where  thou  placest  thy  chief  affections,  and  which  thou  adherest 
to  more  resolutely  than  to  God,  and  which  thou  wilt  not  leave 


RIGHT    REJOICING. 

whatever  thou  lose  by  it,  then,  as  earth  hath  thy  heart,  so  earth  is 
thy  treasure,  and  thy  name  is  not  written  in  heaven,  but  in 
the  dust. 

2.  If  the  obtaining  of  heaven  be  the  principal  part  of  thy  care 
and  business,  the  principal  work  which  thou  mindest  in  the  world, 
it  is  certain  that  thy  name  is  written  in  heaven  ;  (Col.  iii.  1 — 4.) 
otherwise  not. 

3.  If,  finding  thyself  lost  and  filthy  in  thy  sin,  thou  see  the  ne- 
cessity and  sufficiency  of  Christ,  and,  being  desirous  of  his  grace 
and  righteousness,  dost  unfeignedly  take  him  for  thy  Savior  and 
Lord,  and  give  up  thyself  to  be  healed,  and  justified,  and  saved  by 
him,  as  the  only  physician  of  souls,  thou  art  then  his  member,  and 
thy  name  is  written  in  heaven;  John  i.  12.  and  iii.  16.  18. 

4.  If  the  heavenly  nature  be  most  amiable  in  thine  eyes,  and 
the  heavenly  life  be  it  that  thou  most  desirest ;  if  thou  hadst  rattier 
be  holy  than  be  unholy,  and  hadst  rather  perfectly  obey  the  Lord 
than  live  in  sin,  and  longest  to  be  better,  and  studiest  to  live  in 
obedience  to  the  Lord,  thy  name  is  in  heaven,  and  thither  thou  art 
passing,  and  it  will  be  thy  reward.     But  if  thou  love  not  holiness, 
but  hadst  rather  be  excused  from  it,  and  live  in  thy  sins,  thou  art 
as  yet  no  heir  of  heaven;    John  iii.   19.  and  xii.  26.    Psalm  i. 
and  cxix. 

5.  If  thy  name  be  written  in  heaven,  thou  hast  a  special  love 
to  the  heirs  of  heaven.     And  the  more  of  heaven  thou  findest  in 
their  hearts  and  lives,  the  more  amiable  they  are  unto  thee,  and 
the  sweeter  is  their  converse ;  1  John  iii.  14.     Psalm  xv.  4. 

I  shall  name  no  more.  These  evidences  are  sure.  By  these 
you  may  know,  while  you  sit  here  in  these  seats,  yea,  if  you  lay 
in  the  darkest  dungeon,  that  you  are  the  heirs  of  heaven,  and  your 
names  are  there. 

But  where  there  is  no  such  work ;  no  high  estimation  of  heaven, 
and  resolution  for  it ;  no  mortification  or  conquest  of  the  world ;  no 
prevalent  care  and  diligence  for  heaven ;  no  resignation  of  the  soul 
to  Christ,  that  by  faith  and  holiness  we  might  follow  him  to  that 
glory  ;  no  love  to  holiness,  and  no  delight  in  the  heirs  of  heaven, — 
such  persons  are  yet  aliens  to  the  heavenly  nature  and  inheritance, 
and  cannot  rejoice  that  their  names  are  written  in  heaven. 

And  now  I  have  set  the  glass  before  you,  I  earnestly  entreat  you 
that  you  will  here  seriously  view  the  complexion  of  your  souls. 
It  more  nearly  concerneth  you  to  know  whether  your  names  are 
written  in  heaven,  and  where  it  is  that  you  must  dwell  forever, 
than  to  know  how  to  manage  your  trades  and  business,  or  to  know 
whether  you  shall  stir  from  this  place  alive,  or  ever  see  another 
day.  O,  sirs,  take  heed  of  lining  in  self-deceit  till  your  trying  and 
recovering  time  is  past !  This  is  it  that  your  enemy  aims  at :  he 


RIGHT    REJOICING. 

will  do  all  that  malice  and  subtlety  can  do  to  keep  such  matters 
from  your  sober  thoughts,  or  to  make  you  groundlessly  presume 
that  you  are  safe,  or  securely  to  cast  your  souls  upon  a  desperate 
venture,  under  pretense  of  trusting  in  Christ,  till  he  hath  you  where 
he  would  have  you  ;  and  then  he  will  himsetf  take  off  the  veil,  and 
let  you  know  that  you  had  time  and  light  to  have  acquainted  you 
with  your  disease  and  misery,  while  you  might  have  had  a  free, 
and  sure,  and  full  remedy.  Then  you  shall  know  that  it  was  long 
of  your  self-deceit  if  you  would  not  understand  and  believe  in  time, 
that  if  you  lived  after  the  flesh,  you  should  die,  (Rom.  viii.  13.) 
and  that  it  is  the  pure  in  heart  that  shall  see  God ;  Matt.  v.  8. 
Know  ye  not  that  the  unrighteous  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God  ?  Be  not  deceived  ;  neither  fornicators,  nor  idolaters,  nor 
adulterers,  nor  effeminate,  nor  thieves,  nor  covetous,  nor  drunkards, 
nor  revilers,  nor  extortioners,  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  1 
Cor.  vi.  9,  10.  For  this  ye  know,  that  no  whoremonger,  nor  un- 
clean person,  nor  covetous  man,  who  is  an  idolater,  hath  any  in- 
heritance in  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  of  God.  Let  no  man  de- 
ceive you  with  vain  words,  for  because  of  these  things  cometh  the 
wratli  of  God  on  the  children  of  disobedience ;  Ephes.  v.  5,  6. 
And  can  any  thing  justify  the  rejoicing  of  men  in  so  sad  a  state  ? 

Give  me  leave,  therefore,  to  make  a  little  closer  application  of 
the  several  parts  of  my  text  to  the  several  sorts  of  persons  whom 
they  do  concern.  1.  And  first  to  all  that  yet  are  not  become  the 
heirs  of  heaven:  Rejoice  not  though  devils  were  subject  to  you, 
till  your  souls  are  subject  to  him  that  bought  them.  Rejoice  not 
though  you  had  conquered  all  the  world,  and  had  your  wills  of  all 
your  adversaries,  as  long  as  you  are  conquered  by  your  fleshly 
lusts,  and  Satan  leads  you  captive  at  his  will ;  2  Tim.  ii.  25,  26. 
Rejoice  not  though  you  had  all  the  riches  of  the  earth,  as  long 
as  you  are  void  of  the  riches  of  grace,  and  have  nothing  to  do  with 
the  riches  of  glory.  Rejoice  not  though  all  men  should  honor  you, 
and  bow  to  you.  and  proclaim  your  fame,  as  long  as  you  are  the 
drudges  of  the  devil  and  the  flesh,  and  the  God  .of  heaven  pro- 
claimeth  you  his  enemies,  and  resolveth  on  your  destruction,  if  you 
do  not  soundly  and  seasonably  repent ;  Luke  xix.  27.  and  xiii.  3.  5. 

Be  not  offended  with  me,  that,  on  a  day  of  thanksgiving,  I  thus 
far  forbid  you  to  rejoice,  for  it  is  not  you  that  are  qualified  for  it. 
or  "have  any  part  or  fellowship  in  this  business,  being  in  the  gall  of 
bitterness,  and  bonds  of  your  iniquity,  your  hearts  being  not  right 
in  the  sight  of  God.  Though  the  invitation  be  general,  it  suppos- 
eth  that  you  come  prepared,  and  therefore  even  he  that  calls  men 
to  his  joys,  will  find  out  him  that  hath  not  on  the  wedding  garment, 
"  and  will  bind  him,  and  cast  him'  into  outer  darkness,  where 
shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth;"  Matt.  xxii.  12,  13. 


374  K1GHT    KEJOICING. 

1.  Alas!  sirs,  if  God  would  allow  you  to  rejoice,  how  willingly 
could  I  allow  it  you  !  But  hear  whether  he  approve  it ;  Jam.  v. 
1.  3.  "  Go  to,  now,  ye  rich  men,  weep  and  howl  for  the  miseries 
that  are  coming  on  you.  Your  riches  are  corrupted  and  your  gar- 
ments moth-eaten  ;  your  gold  and  silver  is  cankered,  and  the  rust 
of  them  shall  be  a  witness  against  you,  and  shall  eat  your  flesh  as 
it  were  fire.  Ye  have  heaped  treasure  together  for  the  last  days  ;  " 
Luke  vi.  24 — 26.  "  Woe  unto  you  that  are  rich,  (if  you  have  no 
better  riches,)  for  ye  have  received  your  consolation.  Woe  unto 
you  that  are  full,  for  ye  shall  hunger.  Woe  unto  you  that  laugh 
now,  for  ye  shall  mourn  and  weep.  Woe  unto  you  when  all  men 
shall  speak  well  of  you,"  &c.  You  may  find  your  lesson,  Joel 
ii.  12,  13.  "  Therefore  also  now,  saith  the  Lord,  turn  ye  even 
to  me  with  all  your  heart,  with  fasting,  and  with  weeping,  and 
with  mourning;  and  rend  your  heart."  You  see  what  God 
calls  such  men  to.  And  if  he  allow  you  not  to  rejoice  till  you 
are  converted,  if  I  or  any  man  should  flatter  or  cheat  you  into  joy, 
it  would  be  but  a  curse  to  you,  and  not  a  benefit. 

2.  Were  your  joy  but  reasonable,  I  would  not  discourage  it. 
But  a  madman's  laughter  is  no  very  lovely  spectacle  to  yourselves. 
And  I  appeal  to  all  the  reason  in  the  world,  whether  it  be  rea- 
sonable for  a  man  to  live  in  mirth  that  is  yet  uhregenerate,  and  un- 
der the  curse  and  wrath  of  God,  and  can  never  say,  in  the  midst 
of  his  greatest  pomp  or  pleasure,  that  he  is  sure  to  be  an  hour  out 
of  hell,  and  may  be  sure  he  shall  be  there  forever,  if  he  die  before 
he  have  a  new,  a  holy  and  a  heavenly  nature,  though  he  should 
die  with  laughter  in  his  face,  or  with  a  jest  in  his  mouth,  or  in  the 
boldest  presumption  that  he  shall  be  saved ;  yet,  as  sure  as  the 
word  of  God  is  true,  he  will  find  himself  everlastingly  undone,  as 
soon  as  ever  his  soul  is  departed  from  his  body,  and  he  sees  the 
things  that  he  would  not  believe.  Sirs,  is  it  rational  to  dance  in 
Satan's  fetters,  at  the  brink  of  hell,  when  so  many  hundred  dis- 
eases are  all  ready  to  mar  the  mirth,  and  snatch  away  the  guilty 
soul,  and  cast  it  into  endless  desperation  ?  I  exceedingly  pity  the 
godly  in  their  unwarrantable,  melancholy  griefs ;  and  much  more 
an  ungodly  man  that  is  bleeding  under  his  wounds  of  conscience. 
But  a  man  that  is  merry  in  the  depth  of  misery,  is  more  to  be  pit- 
ied than  he.  Methinks  it  is  one  of  the  most  pitiful  sights  in  all 
the  world  to  see  a  man  ruffle  it  out  in  bravery,  and  spend  his  pre- 
cious lime  in  pleasures,  and  melt  into  sensual,  foolish  mirth,  that  is 
a  stranger  to  God,  and  within  a  step  of  endless  woe  !  When  I  see 
their  pomp,  and  feasting,  and  attendance,  and  hear  their  laughter, 
and  insipid  jests,  and  fiddlers  at  their  doors  or  tables,  and  all  things 
carried  as  if  they  had  made  sure  of  heaven,  it  saddeneth  my  heart  to 
think,  alas  !  how  little  do  these  sinners  know  the  state  that  they  are 


RIGHT    REJOICING.  375 

in,  the  God  that  now  beholdeth  them,  the  change  that  they  are  near  ! 
How  little  do  they  think  of  the  flames  that  they  are  hastening  to, 
and  the  outcries  and  lamentations  that  will  next  ensue  ! 

3.  Your  mirth  is  disingenuous  and  dishonest  as  long  as  you  are 
without  a  title  to  heaven.     You  slight  the  Lord  that  can  find  such 
matters  of  rejoicing,  when  you  have  not  his  favor  to  rejoice  in,  and 
are  under  his  displeasure.     While  you  are  refusing  Christ,  abusing 
grace,  resisting  the  Spirit,  serving  the  flesh,  and  undoing  your  own 
souls,  it  cannot  be  an  honest  or  ingenuous  thing  for  such  as  you  to 
live  in  joy. 

4.  If  your  mirth  were  truly  honorable  to  you,  it  were  the  more 
excusable.     But  to  laugh  in  sin  and  misery,  and  make  merry  so 
near  the  endless  woe,  is  a  greater  shame  to  your  understandings, 
than  to  make  sport  to  set  your  house  on  fire.     This  is  the  laughter 
of  which  Solomon  might  well  say,  "  Thou  art  mad,"  and  the  mirth 
of  which  he  saith,  "  What  doth  it?"  Eccl.  ii.  2. 

5.  Would  thy  mirth  do  thee  any  good,  we  would  not  discourage 
it,  yea,  if  it  did  not  do  thee  harm.     But,  O,  how  many  are  now  in 
sorrow  by  the  means  of  their  unseasonable,   sinful  mirth  !     They 
are  too  jocund  to  hear  the  preacher,  or  their  consciences,  or  to  ob- 
serve the  checks  and  motions  of  God's  Spirit,  or  to  spend  now  and 
then  an  hour  in  retired,  sober  thoughts  of  their  everlasting  state. 
Should  we  but  presume  to  call  them  to  exercise  their  reason,  and 
mind  them  of  these  most  needful  things,  and  tell  them,  "  O,  poor, 
distracted  mortals,  your  time  is  given  you  for  greater  things  than  to 
fiddle  and  dance,  and  drink,  and  jest,  and  prate,  and  compliment  it 
away  !  "  should  we  not  be  thought  morose,  or  melancholy,  or  fa- 
natics ?     And  should  we  not  have  some  such  answer  as  their  ances- 
tors in  Sodom  gave  to  Lot  ?  (Gen.  xix.  9.)  "  Stand  back.     This 
one  fellow  came  in  to  sojourn,  and  he  will  needs  be  a  judge :  now 
will  we  deal  worse  with  thee  than  with  them ;  "  we  will  take  a 
course  with  these  controllers.     Alas !  it  is  this  foolish  mirth  that 
casteth  men's  reason  and  conscience  asleep,  and  drowns  the  voice 
of  sober  words,  so  that  God  himself  cannot  be  beard.     Could  we 
but  get  men  to  retired  soberness  and  seriousness,  we  should  hope 
that  we  might  find  a  friend  within  them,  and  that  we  speak  to  men, 
and  that  reason  would  take  part  with  the  most  reasonable  motions 
that  are  made  to  them  from  the  Lord. 

6.  Lastly.     Would  your  groundless  mirth  endure,  we  would  not 
say  so  much  against  it.     Bui,  alas  !  to  be   merry   for  a  day,  and 
then  to  lie  in  misery  forever,  is  a  thing  deserving  no  encourage- 
ment.    We  see  it  is  a  merry   world  with  many  that  have  least 
cause  of  mirth  ;  but  how  long  will  they  continue  it?     To  see  a 
man  laugh,  and  play,  and  feast  in  a  chariot  that  drives  on  so  fast  to 
i!>  all),  in  a  vessel  that  is  on  so  swift  a  stream  that  ends  in  the  gulf 


376  RIGHT    REJOICING. 

of  endless  horror,  is  a  doleful  sight.  O,  how  quickly  will  that  mer- 
ry countenance  turn  sad ;  those  proud  looks  be  turned  to  an  earthy 
paleness ;  and  those  wanton  eyes  be  mouldered  to  dust,  and  leave 
the  empty  holes  to  warn  the  next  spectators  to  use  his  eyes  more 
wisely  while  he  hath  them  !  How  quickly  will  these  same  sensual 
persons  exchange  their  mirth  for  sighs  and  groans,  and  endless 
torments,  and  fruitless  lamentations,  when  they  shall  have  everlast- 
ing leisure  to  peruse  their  lives,  and  to  consider  their  ways,  which 
now  there  is  no  persuading  them  to  consider  of!  Who  can  en- 
courage such  hurtful  and  unseasonable  mirth  as  this  ?  "  Rejoice 
not,  O  Israel,  for  joy,  as  other  people,  for  thou  hast  gone  a  whor- 
ing from  thy  God;"  Hos.  ix.  1.  "Rejoice  not  in  a  thing  of 
nought,"  (Amos  vi.  13.)  much  less  in  the  sufferings  of  your  breth- 
ren ;  (Obad.  12.)  and  least  of  all,  in  any  hurt  that  befalls  the 
church.  If  enmity  to  holiness,  and  exalted  impiety,  should  lake 
occasion  to  triumph,  we  answer  as  Micah,  (vii.  8,  9.)  "Rejoice  not 
against  me,  O  mine  enemy ;  when  I  fall,  I  shall  arise  ;  when  I  sit  in 
darkness,  the  Lord  shall  be  a  light  unto  me;  I  will  bear  the  indig- 
nation of  the  Lord,  because  I  have  sinned  against  him,  until  he 
plead  my  cause,  and  execute  judgment  for  me  :  he  will  bring  me 
forth  to  the  light,  and  I  shall  behold  his  righteousness." 

If  you  think  I  have  stood  too  long  on  the  first  part  of  my  text, 
it  is  not  to  rebuke  your  holy  joy,  but  only  to  promote  it,  and  re- 
press that  carnal  joy  which  is  more  destructive  to  it  than  sorrow  it- 
self. As  you  must  "  seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  its  right- 
eousness, and  then  other  things  shall  be  added  to  you,"  (Matt.  vi. 
33.)  so  must  you  rejoice  first  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  the 
righteousness  that  is  the  way  thereto ;  and  then  you  may  add  a 
moderate  rejoicing  in  the  things  below,  in  a  due  subordination 
thereunto.  You  have  the  sum  in  the  words  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
"  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  let  not  the  wise  man  glory  in  his  wisdom, 
neither  let  the  mighty  man  glory  in  his  might ;  let  not  the  rich  man 
glory  in  his  riches  ;  but  let  him  that  glorieth  glory  in  this,  that 
he  understandeth  and  knoweth  me.  that  I  am  the  Lord,"  &c. 
Jer.  ix.  23,  24. 

My  next  address  must  be  to  them  whose  names  are  written  in 
heaven,  and  that  with  a  twofold  exhortation. 

I.  "  Rejoice  that  your  names  are  written  in  heaven."  It  is  you, 
Christians,  that  joy  of  right  belongs  to.  Little  know  the  lovers  of 
pleasure  more  than  God,  that  they  lose  a  thousand  fold  more  pleas- 
ure than  they  win ;  and  that  by  running  from  a  holy  life  for  pleas- 
ure, they  run  from  the  fire  into  the  water  for  heat,  and  from  the 
sun  into  a  dungeon  for  light.  O  show  the  unbelieving  world,  by 
your  rejoicing,  how  they  are  mistaken  in  their  choice !  Be 
ashamed  that  an  empty  sot,  and  one  that  must  be  forever  a  fire- 


RIGHT    REJOICING.  377 

brand  in  hell,  should  live  a  more  joyful  life  than  you  !  O  do  not 
so  wrong  your  Lord,  your  faith,  your  endless  joys,  as  to  walk  in 
heaviness,  and  cast  away  the  joy  of  the  Lord,  which  is  your  strength, 
and  to  be  still  complaining,  when  those  that  are  prepared  for  the 
slaughter  are  as  frolic  as  if  the  bitterness  of  death  were  past.  It 
is  well  that  you  have  so  much  life  as  to  feel  your  sicknesses ;  but 
it  is  not  well,  that,  because  you  are  yet  diseased,  the  life  of 
grace  and  of  glory  should  be  so  ineffectual  to  your  comfort.  And 
yet,  alas !  how  common  is  it  to  see  the  most  miserable  frisk  and 
fleer,  while  the  heirs  of  life  are  sinfully  vexing  themselves  with 
the  inordinate  fears  of  death  !  Lift  up  thy  head,  Christian,  and 
remember  whence  came  thy  graces,  even  thy  least  desires,  and 
whither  do  they  tend.  Where  is  thy  Father  and  thy  Head,  and 
the  most  dear  of  thy  companions  ?  Where  is  it  that  thou  must 
live  to  all  eternity  ?  Doth  it  beseem  a  companion  of  angels,  a 
member  of  Christ,  a  child  of  God,  an  heir  of  heaven,  to  be  grieved 
at  every  petty  cross,  and  to  lay  by  all  the  sense  of  his  felicity,  be- 
cause some  trifle  of  the  world  falls  cross  to  his  desires  and  com- 
modity ?  Is  it  seemly  for  one  that  must  be  everlastingly  as  full 
of  joy  as  the  sun  is  full  of  light,  to  live  in  such  a  self-troubling, 
drooping  state,  as  to  disgrace  religion,  and  frighten  away  the  un- 
godly from  the  doors  of  grace,  that,  by  your  joyful  lives,  might  be 
provoked  to  enter?  I  know,  as  to  your  happiness,  the  matter  is 
not  comparatively  great ;  because  if  mistakes  and  the  devil's  mal- 
ice should  keep  you  sad  here  a  hundred  years,  yet  Heaven  will 
wipe  away  all  tears,  and  those  joys  will  be  long  enough  when  they 
come  ;  and  as  the  joy  of  the  ungodly,  so  the  sorrows  of  the  hum- 
ble, upright  soul  will  be  but  for  a  moment ;  and  though  you  weep 
and  lament  when  the  world  rejoiceth,  as  their  joy  shall  be  turned 
into  sorrow,  so  your  sorrow  shall  be  turned  into  joy,  and  your  joy 
shall  no  man  take  from  .you.  But,  in  the  mean  time,  is  it  not 
shame  and  pity  that  you  should  live  so  unanswerable  to  the  mer- 
cies of  the  Lord?  that  you  should  sinfully  grieve  the  comforting 
Spirit  by  the  willful  grieving  of  yourselves,  and  that  you  should 
peevishly  cast  away  your  precious  mercies,  when  you  so  much 
need  them,  by  reason  of  the  troubles  of  a  vexatious  world,  which 
you  cannot  avoid  ?  That  you,  even  you,  that  are  saved  by  the 
Lord,  should  still  be  questioning  it,  or  unthankfully  denying  his 
great  salvation,  and  so  much  hinder  the  salvation  of  others?  For 
the  Lord's  sake,  Christians,  and  for  your  souls'  sake,  and  in  pity 
to  the  ungodly,  yield  not  to  the  tempter,  that  would  trouble  you 
when  he  cannot  damn  you.  Is  God  your  Father,  and  Christ 
your  Savior,  and  the  Spirit  your  Sanctifier,  and  heaven  your 
home  ?  And  will  you  make  all,  for  the  present,  as  nothing  to 
you,  by  a  causeless,  obstinate  denial  ?  If  you  are  in  doubt,  let  not 
VOL.  ii.  48 


378  RIGHT    IIEJOIC1NG. 

mere  passionate  fears  be  heard  ;  and  let  not  the  devil,  the  enemy 
of  your  peace,  be  heard  ;  but  peruse  your  evidences,  and  still  re- 
member, as  the  sum  of  all,  that  the  will  is  the  man,  and  what  you 
would  be  that  you  are  before  the  Lord.  If  you  cannot  see  the 
sincerity  of  your  hearts,  go  to  your  faithful,  able  guides,  and  open 
the  case  to  them,  and  let  not  passion  prevail  against  the  scripture 
and  reason  which  they  bring.  Yea,  if  in  your  trouble  you  cannot, 
by  all  their  helps,  perceive  the  uprightness  of  your  hearts,  I  must 
tell  you,  you  may  stay  yourselves  much  upon  their  judgment  of 
your  state.  Though  it  cannot  give  you  full  assurance,  it  may  justly 
help  to  silence  much  of  your  self-accusations,  and  give  you  the 
comfort  of  probability.  If  a  physician  that  feels  not  what  you 
feel,  shall  yet,  upon  your  speeches  and  other  evidences,  tell  you 
that  he  is  confident  your  disease  is  not  mortal,  nor  containeth  any 
cause  of  fear,  you  may  rationally  be  much  encouraged  by  his 
judgment,  though  it  give  you  no  certainty  of  life.  As  wicked  men 
through  contempt,  so  many  gqdly  people  through  melancholy,  do 
lose  much  of  the  fruit  of  the  office  of  the  ministry,  which  lieth 
much  in  this  assisting  men  to  judge  of  the  life  or  death  of  their 
souls.  'Alas!'  say  they,  'he  feels  not  what  I  feel:  he  used  to 
judge  charitably,  and  he  knoweth  not  me  so  well  as  I  know  my- 
self.' But  when  you  have  told  him  faithfully,  as  you  do  your 
physician,  what  it  is  that  you  know  by  yourself,  he  is  able  to  pass 
a  far  sounder  judgment  of  your  life  or  death  than  yourselves  can 
do,  for  all  your  feeling  ;  for  he  knows  better  what  those  symp- 
toms signify,  and  what  is  used  to  be  the  issue  of  such  a  case  as 
yours.  Be  not,  then,  so  proud  or  willful  as  to  refuse  the  judgment 
of  your  faithful  pastors,  about  the  state  of  your  souls,  in  a  confi- 
dence on  your  own. 

And  look  not  for  more,  as  necessary  to  your  comforts,  than  God 
hath  made  necessary.  Is  it  nothing  to  have  a  title  to  eternal  life, 
unless  you  be  also  as  holy  as  you  desire  ?  Yea,  is  it  nothing  to 
have  a  desire  to  be  more  holy  ?  Will  you  have  no  comfort,  as 
long  as  you  have  distractions,  or  dullness,  or  such  like  imperfection 
in  duty  ;  and  till  you  have  no  disease  of  soul  to  trouble  you,  that 
is,  till  you  have  laid  by  flesh,  and  arrived  at  your  perfect  joy  ? 
Dare  not  to  disobey  the  voice  of  God  :  "  Be  glad  in  the  Lord, 
and  rejoice,  ye  righteous  ;  and  shout  for  joy,  all  ye  that  are  upright 
in  heart;"  Psalm  xxxii.  11.  "  Rejoice  evermore ;"  1  Thess.  v. 
16.  Let  it  be  something  that  heaven  cannot  weigh  .down  that 
shall  suppress  thy  joy.  Art  thou  in  poverty,  and  is  not  heaven  suf- 
ficient riches  ?  Art  thou  in  disgrace,  and  shalt  thou  not  have  honor 
enough  in  heaven  ?  Art  thou  in  danger  from  the  injustice  or  the 
\vratli  of  man,  and  is  he  not  almighty  that  hath  undertaken  -  to 
justify  tliee?  Rom.  viii.  33,  34.  Dost  thou  languish  under  pain- 


RIGHT    RE.JOrCJ.VG,  379 

ing  sicknesses,  and  is  there  not  everlasting  health  iu  heaven  ?  Art 
thou  weak  in  knowledge,  in  memory,  in  grace,  in  duty ;  troubled 
with  uncommanded  thoughts  and  passions ;  and  was  it  not  so  on 
earth  with  all  who  are  now  m  heaven  ?  O,  Christians  !  make 
conscience  of  obeying  this  command  :  "  Rejoice  thai  your  names 
are  written  in  heaven."  Did  you  but  know  how  God  approveth 
such  rejoicing,  and  how  much  it  pleaseth  him  above  your  pining 
sorrows ;  and  how  it  strengthened  the  soul,  and  sweeteneth  duty, 
andeaseth  suffering,  and  honoreth  religion,  and  encourageth  others, 
and  how  suitable  it  is  to  gospel  grace,  and  to  your  high  relations 
and  ends,  and  how  much  better  it  serves  to  subdue  the  very  sins 
that  trouble  you,  than  your  fruitless,  self-weakening  complainings 
do — I  say,  did  you  well  consider  all  these  things,  it  would  sure 
revive  your  drooping  spirits. 

And  do  not  say  now,  '  I  would  rejoice  if  I  were  sure  that  my 
name  were  written  in  heaven  ;  but  I  am  not  sure.'  For,  1.  Who 
is  it  long  of  that  you  are  not  sure  ?  You  may  be  sure  that  he  that 
valueth  and  seeketh  heaven  as  better  than  earth,  and  that  loveth 
the  holy  way  to  heaven,  and  the  most  heavenly  people,  is  indeed 
an  heir  of  heaven  ;  and  you  may  be  sure,  if  you  will,  that  this  is 
your  own  case ;  and  yet  you  say  you  are  not  sure  that  your  names 
are  written  in  heaven.  If  God  give  you  his  grace,  and  you  deny 
it,  will  you  therefore  deny  your  right  to  glory,  and  make  one  sin 
the  excuse  for  another  ? 

2.  And  if  you  are  not  sure,  is  it  nothing  to  have  your  probabili- 
ties, and  hopes,  and  the  judgment  of  your  able,  faithful  pastors, 
that  your  souls  are  in  a  safe  condition  ?  We  dare  not  say  so  to 
the  careless  world,  nor  to  the  most  of  men,  as  we  do  to  you. 

Especially,  take  heed  lest  melancholy  habituate  you  to  fears  and 
griefs ;  and  then  religion  must  bear  the  blame,  and  you  undergo  a 
calamitous  life,  though  you  are  the  heirs  of  heaven.  To  this  end, 
1.  Use  not  musing,  serious  thoughts  beyond  the  strength  of  your 
brain  and  intellect.  2.  Place  not  too  much  of  your  religion  in  the 
perusal  and  study  of  your  hearts  ;  but  (for  such  as  are  inclined  to 
melancholy)  it  is  the  fruitfulest  way  to  be  much  in  expending 
duties  abroad,  and  laboring  to  do  good  to  others.  Such  duties 
have  less  of  self,  and  have  much  of  God,  and  divert  the  troubling, 
melancholy  thoughts,  and  bring  in  more  comfort  by  way  of  re- 
ward, than  is  usually  got  by  more  direct  inquiry  after  comfort. 
3.  Use  not  too  much  solitariness  and  retiredness :  man  is  a  sociable 
creature ;  and  as  his  duty  lieth  much  with  others,  so  his  comfort 
lieth  in  the  same  way  as  his  duty.  4.  Take  heed"  of  worldly  sor- 
rows, and  therefore  of  overvaluing  worldly  things.  5.  Take  heed 
of  idleness,  or  of  thinking  that  the  duties  of  holiness  are  all  that  you 
have  to  mind  ;  but  make  conscience  of  being  diligent  in  a  particu- 


380  RIGHT    REJOICING. 

lar  calling,  which  diverts  the  hurtful,  troubling  thoughts,  and  is 
pleasing  unto  God.  6.  Take  not  every  sickness  of  your  souls  for 
death,  but  rejoice  in  that  life  which  enableth  you  to  be  troubled  at 
your  diseases.  Keep  under  melancholy  by  these  means,  (and  the 
advice  of  the  physician,)  and  you  will  escape  a  very  great  hin- 
drance to  this  high  and  holy  duty  of  heavenly  rejoicing. 

11.  But  you  think,  perhaps,  that  I  have  all  this  while  forgotten 
the  duty  proper  to  the  day  :  No ;  but  I  was  not  fit  to  speak  for  it, 
nor  you  fit  to  hear  and  practice  it,  till  the  impediment  of  carnal 
rejoicing  was  removed,  and  till  we  had  begun  with  heavenly  joy. 
It  is  heaven  that  must  animate  all  our  comforts.  They  are  so  far 
sweet  as  heaven  is  in  them,  and  no  further.  Now,  therefore,  if 
you  first  rejoice  for  your  heavenly  interest,  I  dare  safely  then  per- 
suade you  to  rejoice  in  the  mercies  which  we  are  to  be  thankful 
for  this  day.  And  though  some  of  them  are  but  yet  in  the  birth, 
if  not  in  the  womb,  and  we  are  yet  uncertain  what  they  will  prove, 
that  will  not  excuse  us  for  any  unthankfulness  for  the  first  concep- 
tion or  infancy  of  our  mercies.  And  though  Satan  seek  to  get  ad- 
vantage by  them,  that  will  not  excuse  us  for  our  overlooking  the 
mercy  in  itself.  And  though  there  are  yet  abundance  of  fears 
and  troubles  on  the  hearts  of  many  of  Christ's  servants  through 
the  land,  we  cannot  by  any  such  accidents  be  excused  from  the 
thankful  observation  of  the  workings  of  the  Lord.  All  mercies  on 
earth,  even  spiritual  mercies,  have  their  mixtures  of  trouble,  and 
their  .imperfections ;  but  must  not  therefore  be  denied  or  exten- 
uated. And  though  many  that  are  dear  to  us,  smarting  by  the 
change,  will  be  offended  and  grieved  at  our  most  moderate  thanks- 
giving, we  must  not  therefore  offend  the  Lord  by  our  disregard- 
fulness  of  his  works. 

There  are  these  things  to  be  commemorated  by  us  this  day, 
which  I  dare  not  overlook.  J.  That  God  hath  so  honored  his 
justice  and  impartiality  as  to  show  how  he  hateth  sin  in  whom- 
soever. And  indeed  the  justice  of  God  itself  would  seem  more 
amiable  to  us,  were  we  not  so  selfish  as  to  think  hardly  of  all  that 
is  hurtful  unto  us.  Justice  demonstrated!  the  holiness  of  God, 
and  all  the  appearances  of  his  holiness  are  lovely  in  themselves. 

2.  That  the  holy  God  hath  disowned  heresy  and  divisions  on 
the  one  side,  as  well  as  impiety  and  profaneness  on  the  other ; 
and  that  his  wisdom  thought  meet  to  acquaint  us  experimentally 
with  the  hurtfulness  of  both,  and  our  danger  of  both,  as  he  did  in 
former  ages  of  the  church.  We  first  found  the  serpentine  malice 
of  the  ungodly,  and  God  delivered  us  when  they  would  have 
swallowed  us  up.  But  while  we  only  heard  and  read  of  heresy 
and  schism,  and  that  too  often  abusively  applied  to  many  of  the 
most  peaceable  servants  of  the  Lord,  we  understood  not  the  mis- 


RIGHT    REJOICINO;.  381 

chief  of  those  evils,  but  were  ready  to  take  the  very  names  to 
be  but  the  reproaches  of  piety  itself.  But  God  saw  meet  to  let 
out  a  flood  of  this  sort  of  calamities,  and  to  suffer  heresy  to  dis- 
grace itself  by  its  unrighteous  fruits,  that  by  those  fruits  we 
might  the  better  know  it.  We  never  knew  before  how  much  we 
are  beholden  to  him  for  saving  us  from  this  sort  of  evils,  and 
should  never  have  sufficiently  hated  them,  if  we  had  not  smarted 
by  them. 

3.  It  is  a  mercy  to  be  thankful  for,  that  thus  the  church  is  no- 
tably fortified  against  ever  relapsing  into  heresy  or  schism  for  the 
time  to  come. 

4.  And  that  the  frailties  of  men  professing  godliness  having  so 
lamentably  appeared,  they  are  taught  to  take   heed  of  spiritual 
pride,  and  to  know  and  distrust  themselves,  and  not  to  be  high- 
minded,  but  to  fear. 

5.  It  is  a  very  great  mercy,  for  which  I  must  profess  I  was 
thankful  from  the  first  appearance  of  it,*  that  so  many  that  I  hope 
are  dear  to  God,  have  the  advantage  of  his  frowns  to  further  their 
conviction,  and  repentance,  and  salvation.     As  prosperity  was  the 
temptation  by  which  ambition  got  advantage,  and  Providence  mis- 
understood was  pleaded  against  the  holy  rule,  what  a  mercy  it  is 
that  Providence  also  should  undeceive  them,  and  vindicate  itself, 
and  teach  men  hereafter  by  the  example  of  this  age  to  stay  till  the 
end  before  they  take  the  sense  of  Providence,  or  rather  to  adhere 
to  the  holy  word  because  the  longest  liver  shall  be  too  short-lived 
to  see  the  end,  so  far  as  to  furnish  him  for  such  an  interpretation ! 
And  therefore  that  word  that  is  the  glass  in  which  we  can  foresee 
the  end  must  be  our  guide.     I  had  rather  have  my  friend  poor 
and  penitent,  than  wealthy  and  impenitent ;  and  rather  in  a  prison 
than  in  the  chains  of  pride.     And  am  glad  that  God   hath  taken 
away  the  snare  that  brought  so  many  souls  to  so  sad  a  pass ;  and 
hath   undeceived  them  in  part,  that  had  carnal  thoughts  of  the 
happiness  of  saints,  and   looked  for  temporal  reign  and  dignity  ; 
forgetting   that  rich   men   must  pass   through  a  needle's  eye   to 
heaven,  and  that  lowliness,  meekness,  humility,  patience,  forbear- 
ing, forgiving,  self-denial,  contempt  of  this  world,  and  living  all 
upon  things  unseen,  is  the  life  that  Christ  by  his  doctrine  and  ex- 
ample taught  us,  and  how  ill   prosperity  befriendeth  these.     I  am 
in  far  more  hope  to  see  many  Peters  go  out  and  weep  bitterly, 
than  I  was   when   they  prospered  in  a  sinful  way.     And  if  yet 
any  be  so  far  unhurnbled  as  to  deny  it  to  have  been  a  sinful  way, 

*  We  kept  this  thanksgiving  voluntarily  in  Worcestershire,  by  agreement 
among  the  associated  ministers,  as  we  do  here  this  day.  See  the  agreement  pub- 
lished by  The  Weekly  Mercury. 


382  RIGHT    HEJOICING. 

I  am  in  far  greater  hope  of  their  conviction  now  than  heretofore. 
In  their  greatness  few  durst  tell  them  of  their  crimes ;  and  those 
of  us  that  did  it  were  voluminously  reproached,  threatened,  calum- 
niated, and  represented  as  turbulent  to  the  world.  (It  being  usual 
with  base-spirited  men  to  take  the  judgment  of  the  greatest  for 
their  rule,  and  to  think  all  suffering  to  be  just  and  honorable 
that  is  inflicted  by  such  as  few  dare  to  contradict.)  But  now,  I 
hope,  plain  dealing  may  recover  many  that  before  lived  under 
flatteries,  and  were  above  reproof.  I  must  profess  that  my 
hopes  of  the  saving  of  many  that  are  dear  to  me,  by  the  further- 
ance of  this  providence,  is  matter  of  so  much  thankfulness  to  me, 
that  were  I  sure  to  suffer  with  them,  I  would  yet  give  thanks. 

6.  It  is  matter  of  thanksgiving  to  me,  that  God  hath  so  far 
owned  an  unanimous,  painful,  faithful  ministry,  (for  all  their  many 
sad  infirmities,)  as  first  to  break  the  profane  opposers  of  them,  and 
then  to  scatter  the  adversaries  on  the  other  side.     Ever  since  I 
heard  it  so  familiar  among  them  to  call  Christ's  faithful  servants 
by  so  many  reproachful  names,  as  priests,  (in   scorn,)  presbyters, 
drivines,  jack-presbyters,  black-coats,  pulpiteers,  &cc.  ;  and  their 
friends  priest-ridden  ;  to  surfer  quakers,  openly,  in  the  streets,  to  re- 
vile them  as  deceivers,  dogs,  wolves,  hirelings,  false  prophets,  liars, 
and  all  the  names  that  hell  could  teach  them,  I  waited  in  fear  for 
the  judgments  of  the  Lord  ;  which  he  hath  executed  in  our  sight, 
and  caused  us  to  know,  that  his  delays  are  no  desertions  of  his  ser- 
vants, nor  justification  of  our  revilers.     And  let  it  stand  as  a  warn- 
ing to  you  that  have  seen  it,  and  you  that  have  executed  the  pun- 
ishments of  God  upon  the  reproachers,  that  you  take  heed  of  fall- 
ing into  the  same  crime,  and  dashing  on  the    rock  on  which  they 
have  been  broken ;  but  let  all  England  hear  and  fear,  and  do  no 
more  so  malignantly  or  presumptuously. 

And  O  that  the  unworthy  ministers  of  Christ  may  remember  that 
we  are  not  vindicated  and  delivered  to  contend,  or  to  imitate  our 
afflieters,  in  seeking  greatness  to  ourselves,  nor  to  live  in  idleness, 
and  neglect  the  souls  committed  to  our  care. 

7.  It  is  very  great  cause  of  thankfulness  in  my  eyes,  that  from 
first  to  last  God  hath  been  so  tender  of  the  honor  of  his  unani- 
mous sober  people,  and  his  cause,  of  the  innocency  and  consciences 
of  his  servants,  as  to  execute  his  afflictions  mostly  by  the  hands 
of  erring  men,  and  to  keep  the  rest,  by  imprisonments,  seclusions, 
and  other  means,  so  far  from  all  appearance  of  consent  or  irregu- 
larities ;  and  that  at  last  he  hath  put  an  opportunity  into  their 
hands  to  declare  to  the  world  their  innocency  in  things  with  which 
they  were  reproached  ;  and  that  while  profane  opposers  of  religion 
did  boast  and  vapor,  and  swear  and  curse,  and  drink  healths  for 


RIGHT    REJOICING.  383 

his  Majesty's  restitution,  it  is  those  whom  they  reproached  that 
have  silently  and  effectually  accomplished  it,  and  that  with  speed 
as  soon  as  they  had  power. 

8.  Itjs  some  matter  of  thankfulness  to  me,  that  whereas,  to  our 
perpetual  shame,  we  could  not  in  so  many  years  compose  the  disa- 
greements in  church  affairs  among  us,  we  are  not  altogether  with- 
out hope  that  agreement  may  be  now  more  effectually  procured  ; 
not  only  because  those  carnal  advantages  that  hindered  it  with 
some  are  taken  fjom  them,  and  suffering  will  dispose  some  more  to 
peace,  but  because  we  are  persuaded  the  disposition,  and  we  are 
sure  the  interest,  of  His   Majesty  standeth  for  our  reconciliation 
and  unity.     And  verily  we  are  the  most  inexcusable  people  in  the 
world,  if  our  own  long  and  sad  experience  do  not  resolve  us  to  do 
the  utmost  in  that  work  ourselves,  which,  if  we  are  not  horridly 
proud  and  willful,  is  easy  to  accomplish. 

9.  And  it  is  matter  of  thanksgiving  that  God  hath  been  all  along 
so  wonderfully  seen  in  the  work ;  which  makes  us  hope  that  the 
issue  will  yet  be  for  our  good.     The  first  sparks  that  set  fire  on 
the  last  foundation  are  yet  much  unknown,  but  were  so  little  as 
makes  it  the  more  strange.     The  wonderful  whirlwind  that  sudden- 
ly finished  the  subversion  was  marvelous,  though   sad,  because  of 
the  wickedness  of  men.     The  introducing  of  the  remnant  of  the 
members ;  the  stop  that  was  given  them,  when  they  had  voted  in 
a  committee  a  liberty  in  religion  that  excepted  not  Popery  ;    the 
casting  them  out  by  those  that  set  them  up  ;  the  discoveries  of  the 
fallaciousness  of  some  of  their  chiefs,  who  were  then  tempted  into 
a  compliance  with  the  army,  and  were  fabricating  a  new  form  of  a 
commonwealth  ;  the  breaking  of  them  and  of  the  army,  in  part  by 
the  returning  members  ;  the  unexpected  stop  that  was  given  first 
to  their  proceedings  by  His  Excellency  in  the  North ;  the  expedi- 
tiousness,  the  constancy,  the  unanimity,  and  strange  successful  ness 
of  that  attempt,  that  an  army  who  thought  themselves  only  fit  to 
be  the  nation's  security  for  liberty  and  religion,  and  were  thought 
necessary  to  be  entailed  upon  us  to  that  end  ;  that  were  so  height- 
ened in  their  own  and  other  men's  esteem,  by  their  many  and 
wonderful  successes,  should  in  a  moment  (we  scarce  know  how)  fly 
all  into  pieces  as  a  grenado  that  is  fired ;  that  Ireland  at  the  same 
time  should  be  so  strangely  and  easily  reduced,  and  that  by  sober, 
faithful  hands,  and  by  so  few,  and  with  such  speed ;  that  this  famous 
city  should  be  so  unanimously  excited  to  concur  so  eminently, 
and  contribute   very  much  to  the  success ;  that  His  Excellency 
should  conquer  without  any  blows,  and  all  be  despatched  that  since 
is  done  with  no  considerable  resistance  ;  all  this,  and  much  more, 
do  make  us  wonder  at  the  hand  of  God.     And  seldom  is  there  so 


,384 


K1GHT    REJOICING. 


wonderful  an  appearance  of  the  Lord,  but  it  holds  forth  matter 
that  is  amiable  as  well  as  admirable  to  his  church. 

Lastly.  That  all  this  is  done  with  little  or  no  effusion  at  all  of 
blood,  when  so  much  blood  was  shed  in  the  foregoing  changes,  ad- 
vanceth  the  wonder  to  a  greater  height ;  and  I  hope  His  Majesty 
and  the  two  Houses  of  Parliament  will  take  notice  how  God  hath 
gone  before  them  in  a  tender  and  unbloody  change,  and  will  not 
hearken  to  them  that  protest  against  revenge,  while  they  would  use  it 
under  the  name  of  justice.  When  the  wheel  of  Providence  turn- 
eth  so  fast,  if  all  that  have  the  advantage  of  executing  their  wills 
under  the  name  of  justice,  should  take  their  advantage,  you  know 
what  names  and  sufferings  multitudes  of  the  most  useful  members 
in  such  nations,  in  the  several  vicissitudes,  must  incur  to  the  detri- 
ment of  the  commonwealth  and  governors. 

HI.  You  see  what  cause  we  have  of  thankfulness  ;  but  1  must 
tell  you  that  these,  as  all  inferior  mercies,  are  imperfect  things,  and 
being  but  means  to  greater  matters,  (the  heavenly  interest  first 
treated  on,)  they  are  no  further  significant  or  valuable  than  they 
have  some  tendency  to  their  end  :  and  I  must  further  tell  you,  that 
it  is  much  committed  into  the  hands  of  man,  under  God,  whether 
such  beginnings  shall  have  a  happy  or  unhappy  end.  If  Christ 
become  to  many  a  stumbling-stone,  and  be  set  for  the  fall  of  many 
in  Israel,  (Luke  ii.  34.)  and  if  the  gospel  itself  prove  the  savor  of 
death  to  some,  no  wonder  if  it  be  yet  possible  and  too  easy  for  a 
sinful  land  to  turn  these  forernentioned  mercies  and  successes  into 
most  heavy  judgments,  and  to  rob  themselves  of  all  the  honor  and 
the  benefit.  And,  therefore,  above  all,  for  the  Lord's  sake,  and 
for  a  poor,  tired,  yet  hoping  nation's  sake,  and  for  the  sake  of  the 
cause  of  Christ  through  the  world,  I  beseech  you  all,  from  the 
highest  to  the  lowest,  that  you  will  be  awakened  to  an  holy  vigi- 
lancy,  and  look  about  you  in  your  several  places,  lest  the  enemy 
of  .Christ  and  you  should  play  his  after  game  more  successfully 
than  now  you  can  foresee  ;  and  lest  the  return  of  a  sinful  nation  to 
their  vomit  should  make  the  end  yet  worse  than  the  beginning. 
It  is  not  enough  to  have  begun  ;  the  fruit  of  all  is  yet  bghind.  I 
must  here  deal  plainly  with  you,  however  it  be  taken,  lest  I  be 
charged  with  unfaithfulness  at  the  dreadful  tribunal  to  which  both 
you  and  I  are  hastening.  If  these  beginnings,  through  your  neg- 
lects, or  any  others  that  have  been  the  instruments,  should  now  be 
turned  to  the  reviving  and  strengthening  of  profaneness,  and  malig- 
nity against  the  holy  ways  of  God;  to  the  introduction  of  mere 
formality  in  religion  ;  to  the  casting  out  or  weakening  the  hands 
of  the  faithful  ministers  in  the  land ;  to  the  destruction  of  order 
and  discipline  in  the  churches ;  to  the  suppression  of  orderly  and 


RIGHT    REJOICING.  385 

edifying  meetings  for  mutual  assistance  in  the  matters  of  salvation  ; 
or  to  the  cherishing  of  ignorance  or  Popery  ;  in  the  people  it  will 
blast  the  glory  of  all  that  you  have  done,  and  turn  the  mercy  into 
gall.  Believe  it,  the  interest  of  Christ  and  holiness  will  be  found 
at  last  the  surest  ground  for  any  prince  to  build  his  interest  upon ; 
and  the  owning  of  corrupt  and  contrary  interests  that  engage  men  in 
quarrels  with  the  interest  of  Christ,  is  it  that  hath  undone  so  many 
princes  and  states  already,  that  it  should  make  the  greatest  learn, 
at  last,  to  account  it  their  highest  honor  to  be  the  servants  of  the 
King  of  Saints,  and  to  devote  their  power  to  the  accomplishment 
of  his  will.  I  need  not  tell  you  that  it  is  the  sober,  godly,  con- 
scionable  sort  of  men  who  know  what  they  do,  and  why,  that  will 
be  the  honor  of  their  governors,  and  the  most  useful  of  their  sub- 
jects, and  not  the  barbarous,  malignant  rabble,  that  understand  not 
what  belongs  to  the  pleasing  of  God,  the  happiness  of  themselves, 
the  good  of  the  commonwealth,  or  the  honor  of  their  king.  And 
do  you  not  think  that  remissness,  to  say  no  worse,  of  magistrates, 
who  should  restrain  the  insolencies  of  such,  is  a  great  dishonor  to 
our  nation,  and  a  great  temptation  to  many  in  the  country,  that 
stand  at  a  distance  from  the  fountain  of  affairs,  to  continue  their 
fears  lest  we  have  changed  for  the  worse  ?  Put  yourselves  in  their 
cases,  and  tell  me  whether  you  could,  with  equal  cheerfulness,  keep 
this  d_ay,  if  you  were  used,  as  many  able,  faithful  ministers  and 
people  are  in  the  cities  and  countries  of  the  land,  who  have  their 
persons  assaulted,  their  windows  battered,  their  ministrations  open- 
ly reviled,  and  that  go  in  danger  of  their  lives  from  the  brutish 
rabble  that  were  formerly  exasperated  by  the  magistrates'  punishing 
them,  or  the  ministers'  reproof,  or  crossing  them  in  their  sins.  As 
physicians  are  judged  of,  not.  so  much  by  the  excellency  of  their 
remedies,  as  by  their  success,  and  the  people  think  of  them  as  they 
see  the  patients  live  or  die,  so  will  they  do  by  your  great  perform- 
ances, which  you  mention  before  the  Lord  this  day.  Should  they 
prove  to  the  suppression  of  serious  godliness,  and  the  setting  up 
of  the  wicked  of  the  land,  I  need  not  tell  you  what  a  name  it  will 
leave  unto  tne  actors  to  all  generations.  But  if  you  vigilantly  im- 
prove them  as  you  have  given  us  abundant  reason  to  expect,  then 
the  issue  shall  be  the  healing  concord  of  the  churches,  the  curbing 
of  profaneness,  the  promoting  of  a  plain  and  serious  ministry,  and 
of  the  diligent  service  of  the  Lord.  This  is  it  that  will  make 
your  names  immortal,  that  have  been  the  happy  instruments  of  so 
blessed  a  work.  How  joyfully,  then,  will  the  subjects  commemo- 
rate the  happy  introduction  of  their  sovereign  !  With  what  love 
and  honor  will  they  hear  his  name !  How  readily  will  they  obey 
him  !  How  heartily  will  they  pray  for  him  !  How  precious 
VOL.  n.  49 


. 

»  *£ 

386  RIGHT    REJOICING. 

your  memory  be !  And  this  will  be  numbered  among  the  won- 
derful deliverances  of  England.  If  godliness  be  persecuted,  or 
made  a  common  scorn  in  the  land,  the  holy  God  will  vindicate 
his  honor,  and  make  their  names  a  scorn  and  curse  that  shall  pro- 
cure it ;  but  if  you  exalt  him,  he  will  exalt  you.  Protect  his  lambs, 
and  he  will  be  your  Protector.  He  is  with  you  while  you  are 
with  him ;  2  Chron.  xv.  2.  "  Those  that  honor  him  he  will  hon- 
or ;  and  those  that  despise  him  shall  be  lightly  esteemed ; "  1 
Sam.  ii.  30. 


THE   LIFE   OF   FAITH. 


A   SERMON, 


FORMERLY  PREACHED  BEFORE  HIS  MAJESTY,  AND  PUBLISHED 
BY  HIS  COMMAND; 


WITH    ANOTHER, 


ADDED    FOR    THE    FULLER    APPLICATION. 


THE  two  Sermons  which  follow  constitute  the  First  Part  of  a  work,  en- 
titled The  Life  of  Faith,  which  fills  a  volume  of  six  hundred  pages.  As 
these  two  sermons  are  a  complete  work  by  themselves,  and  as  their  value  is 
independent  of  their  connection  with  the  larger  treatise  to  which  they  were 
attached,  it  will  be  deemed  no  injustice  to  the  subject,  or  to  the  author,  that 
they  are  here  separately  inserted. — EDITOR. 


THE    LIFE   OF   FAITH 


HEBREWS  xi.  1. 

NOW    FAITH    IS    THE    SUBSTANCE    OP   THINGS     HOPED    FOR,    THE     EVI- 
DENCE   OF   THINGS    NOT    SEEN. 

THOUGH  the  wicked  are  distinguished  into  hypocrites  and  un- 
believers, yet  hypocrites  themselves  are  unbelievers  too.  They 
have  no  faith  which  they  can  justify,  by  its  prevailing  efficacy  and 
works ;  and  therefore  have  no  faith  by  which  they  can  be  justified. 
Because  their  discovery  is  needful  to  their  recovery,  and  all  our 
salvation  depends  on  the  sincerity  of  our  faith.  I  have  chosen 
this  text,  which  is  a  description  of  Faith,  that  the  opening  of  it 
may  help  us  for  the  opening  of  our  hearts,  and  resolving  the  great 
question,  on  which  our  endless  life  depends. 

To  be  a  Christian,  and  to  be  a  believer  in  Christ,  are  words  in 
Scripture  of  the  same  signification.  If  you  have  not  faith,  you 
are  not  Christians.  This  faith  hath  various  offices  and  objects.- 
By  it  we  are  justified,  sanctified  and  saved.  We  are  justified,  not 
by  believing  that  we  are  justified,  but  by  believing  that  we  may 
be  justified ;  not  by  receiving  justification  immediately,  but  by 
receiving  Christ  for  our  justification  ;  nor  by  mere  accepting  the 
pardon  in  itself,  but  by  first  receiving  him  that  procureth  and  be- 
stoweth  it,  on  his  terms ;  not  by  mere  accepting  health,  but  by 
receiving  the  Physician  and  his  remedies,  for  health. 

Faith  is  the  practical  believing  in  God  as  promising,  and  Christ 
as  procuring  justification  and  salvation ;  or  the  practical  belief 
and  acceptance  of  life,  as  procured  by  Christ,  and  promised  by 
God  in  the  gospel. 

•  The  everlasting  fruition  of  God  in  heaven  is  the  ultimate  object. 
No  man  believeth  in  Christ  as  Christ,  that  believeth  not  in  him 
for  eternal  life.  As  Faith  looks  at  Christ  as  the  necessary  means, 
and  at  the  divine  benignity  as  the  fountain,  and  at  his  veracity  as 
the  foundation  or  formal  object,  and  at  the  promise  as  the  true 
signification  of  his  will,  so  doth  it  ultimately  look  at  our  salvation 
(begun  on  earth,  and  perfected  in  heaven)  as  the  end,  for  which 
it  looketh  at  the  rest. 

No  wonder  therefore   if  the  Holy  Ghost,  here  speaking  of  the 


390  LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

dignity  and  power  of  faith,  do  principally  insist  on  that  part  of  its 
description,  which  is  taken  from  this  final  object. 

As  Christ  himself  in  his  humiliation  was  rejected  by  the  Gen- 
tiles, and  a  stumbling-stone  to  the  Jews,  despised  and  not  esteem- 
ed ;  (Isa.  liii.  2,  3.)  having  "  made  himself  of  no  reputation ; " 
(Phil.  ii.  7.)  so  faith  in  Christ  as  incarnate  and  crucified,  is  de- 
spised and  counted  foolishness  by  the  world.  But  as  Christ  in  his 
glory,  and  the  glory  of  believers,  shall  force  them  to  an  awful 
admiration,  so  faith  itself,  as  exercised  on  that  glory,  is  more 
glorious  in  the  eyes  of  all.  Beltevers  are  never  so  reverenced  by 
the  world  as  when  they  converse  in  heaven,  and  "  the  Spirit  of 
Glory  resteth  on  them  ;  "  1  Pet.  iv.  14. 

How  faith,  by  beholding  this  glorious  end,  doth  move  all  the 
faculties  of  the  soul,  and  subdue  the  inclinations  and  interests  of 
the  flesh,  and  make  the  greatest  sufferings  tolerable,  is  the  work 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  this  chapter  to  demonstrate,  which,  beginning 
with  the  description,  proceeds  to  the  proof  by  a  cloud  of  witnesses. 
There  are  two  sorts  of  persons  (and  employments)  in  the  world, 
for  whom  there  are  two  contrary  ends  hereafter.  One  sort  subjects 
their  reason  to  their  sensual  or  carnal  interest.  The  other  subjects 
their  senses  to  their  reason,  cleared,  conducted  and  elevated  by 
faith.  Things  present  or  possessed  are  the  riches  of  the  sensual, 
and  the  bias  of  their  hearts  and  lives :  things  absent,  but  hoped  for, 
are  the  riches  of  believers,,  which  actuate  their  chief  endeavors. 
.  This  is  the  sense  of  the  text  which  I  have  read  to  you  ;  which, 
setting  things  hoped  for  in  opposition  to  things  present,  and  things 
unseen  to  those  that  sense  doth  apprehend,  assureth  us  that  faith 
(which  fixeth  on  the  first)  doth  give  to  its  object  a  subsistence, 
presence  and  evidence ;  that  is,  it  seeth  that  which  supplieth  the 
want  of  presence  and  visibility.  The  i>n6aaaig  is  that  which, 
'  quoad  effectum,'  is  equal  to  a  present  subsistence.  And  the 
t).f--t'%o;,  the  evidence  is  somewhat  which, '  quoad  efFectum,'  is  equal 
to  visibility.  As  if  he  had  said,  Though  the  glory  promised  to 
believers,  and  expected  by  them,  be  yet  to  come,  and  only  hoped 
for,  and  be  yet  unseen  and  only  believed,  yet  is  the  sound  believer 
as  truly  affected  with  it,  and  acted  by  its  attractive  force,  as  if  it 
were  present  and  before  his  eyes,  as  a  man  is  by  an  inheritance, 
or  estate  in  reversion,  or  out  of  sight  if  well  secured,  and  not  only 
by  that  which  is  present  to  his  view.  The  Syriac  interpreter, 
instead  of  a  translation,  gives  us  a  true  exposition  of  the  words, 
viz.  '  Faith  is  a  certainty  of  those  things  that  are  in  hope,  as  if 
they  did  already  actually  exist,  and  the  revelation  of  those  things 
that  are  not  seen.' 

Or  you  may  take  the  sense  in  this  proposition,  which  I  am  next 
to  open  further,  and  apply,  viz.  That  the  nature  and  use  of  faith 


LIFE    OF    FAITH.  391 

is  to  be  as  it  were  instead  of  presence,  possession,  and  sight ;  or 
to  make  the  things  that  will  be,  as  if  they  were  already  in  existence  ; 
and  the  things  unseen  which  God  revealeth,  as  if  our  bodily  eyes 
beheld  them. 

1.  Not  that  faith  doth  really  change  its  object. 

2.  Nor  doth  it  give  the    same  degree  of  apprehensions    and 
affections,   as    the   sight  of  present   things  would    do.     But,    1. 
Things   invisible  are  the  objects  of  our  faith.     2.  And   faith   is 
effectual  instead  of  sight  to  all  these  uses  :    1 .  The  apprehension 
is  as  infallible,  because  of  the  objective  certainty,  (though  not  so 
satisfactory  to  our  imperfect  souls,)  as  if  the  things  themselves  were 
seen.     2.  The  will   is  determined   by  it  in  its  necessary  consent 
and  choice.     3.  The  affections  are  moved  in  the  necessary  degree. 
4.  It  ruleth  in  our  lives,  and  bringeth  us  through  duty  and  suffer- 
ing, for  the  sake  of  the  happiness  which  we  believe. 

3.  This  faith  is  a  grounded,  wise  and  justifiable  act ;  an  infallible 
knowledge  ;  and  often  called  so  in  Scripture  ;  John  vi.  69.     Cor. 
xv.  58.     Rom.  viii.  28,  &c.     And  the  constitutive  and  efficient 
causes  will  justify  the  name. 

We  know  and  are  infallibly  sure  of  the  truth  of  God,  which  we 
believe ;  as  it  is  said,  "  We  believe  and  are  sure  that  thou  art  that 
Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God ; "  (John  vi.  69.)  "  We  know 
that  if  our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved,  we  have 
a  building  of  God,  an  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the 
heavens ; "  (2  Cor.  v.  1.)  "  We  know  that  all  things  work  together 
for  good  to  them  that  love  God ; "  (Rom.  viii.  28.)  "  You  know 
that  your  labor  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord ; "  (1  Cor.  xv.  58.) 
"  We  know  God  spake  to  Moses  ; "  &c.  (John  ix.  29.)  "  We 
know  God  heareth  not  sinners ;  "  (John  ix.  31.)  "  We  know  thou 
art  a  teacher  come  from  God  ; "  John  iii.  2.  So  1  John  iii.  5.  15. 
and  1  Pet.  iii.  17.  and  many  other  Scriptures  tell  you,  that  be- 
lieving God,  is  a  certain  infallible  sort  of  knowledge. 

I  shall,  in  justification  of  the  work  of  faith,  acquaint  you  briefly 
with,  1.  That  in  the  nature  of  it:  2.  And  that  in  the  causing  of  it, 
which  advanceth  it,  to  be  an  infallible  knowledge.  ' 

1 .  The  believer  knows  (as  sure  as  he  knows  there  is  a  God) 
that  God  is  true,  and  his  word  is  true,  it  being  "  impossible  for 
God  to  lie ; "  Heb.  vi.  18.     "  God  that  cannot  lie  hath  promised  ; " 
Tit.  i.  2. 

2.  He  knows  that  the  Holy  Scripture  is  the  word  of  God ;  by 
his  image  which  it  beared),  and  the  many  evidences  of  divinity 
which  it  containeth,  and  the  many  miracles  (certainly  proved) 
which  Christ,  and  his  Spirit  in  his  servant-,  wrought  to  confirm 
the  truth.     3.  And  therefore  he  knoweth  assuredly  the  conclusion, 
that  all  this  word  of  God  is  true. 


; 

392  LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

-.» 

And  for  the  surer  effecting  of  this  knowledge,  God  doth  not 
only  set  before  us  the  ascertaining  evidence  of  his  own  veracity, 
and  the  Scripture's  divinity,  but,  moreover,  1.  He  giveth  us  to 
believe ;  Phil.  i.  29.  2  Pet.  i.  3.  For  it  is  "  not  of  ourselves, 
but  is  the  gift  of  God  ;  "  Ephes.  ii.  8.  Faith  is  one  of  the  "  fruits 
of  the  Spirit ; "  Gal.  v.  22.  By  the  drawing  of  the  Father,  we 
come  to  the  Son.  And  he  that  hath  knowledge  given  from  heaven, 
will  certainly  know ;  and  he  that  hath  faith  given  him  from  heaven, 
will  certainly  believe.  The  heavenly  light  will  dissipate  our 
darkness,  and  infallibly  illuminate.  Whilst  God  sets  before  us  the 
glass  of  the  gospel,  in  which  the  things  invisible  are  revealed,  and 
also  gives  us  eyesight  to  behold  them,  believers  must  needs  be  a 
heavenly  people,  as  walking  in  that  light  which  proceeded!  from, 
and  leadeth  to  the  celestial,  everlasting  light. 

2.  And  that  faith  may  be  so  powerful  as  to  serve  instead  of 
sight  and  presence,  believers  have  the  Spirit  of  Christ  within  them, 
to  excite  and  actuate  it,  and  help  them  against  all  temptations  to 
unbelief,  and  to  work  in  them  all  other  graces  that  concur  to  pro- 
mote the  works  of  faith  ;  and  to  mortify  those  sins  that  hinder  our 
believing,  and  are  contrary  to  a  heavenly  life.     So  that  as  the 
exercise  of  our  sight,  and  taste,  and  hearing,  and  feeling,  is  caused 
by  our  natural  life ;  so  the  exercise  of  faith  and  hope,  and  love, 
upon  things  unseen,  is  caused  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  is  the 
principle  of  our  new  life :  "  We  have  received  the  Spirit,  that  we 
might  know  the  things  that  are  given  us  of  God;"   1  Cor.  ii.  12. 
This  Spirit  of  God  acquainteth  us  with  God,  with  his  veracity  and 
his  word :  "  We  know  him  that  hath  said,  I  will  never  fail  thee, 
nor  forsake  thee  ;  "  Heb.  x.  30.     This  Spirit  of  Christ  acquainteth 
us  with  Christ,  and  with  his  grace  and  will;  1  Cor.  ii.  10 — 12. 
This  heavenly  Spirit  acquainteth  us  with  heaven,  so  that  "  we 
know  that  when   Christ  appeareth,  we  shall  be  like  him,  for  we 
shall  see  him  as  he  is  ;  "    1  John  iii.  2.     And  "  we  know  that  he 
was  manifested  to  take  away  sin  ;  "    1  John  iii.  5.     And  will  per- 
fect his  work,  and  present  us  spotless  to  his  Father;   Eph.  v.  26, 
27.     This  heavenly  Spirit  possesseth  the  saints  with  such  heavenly 
dispositions  and  desires,  as  much  facilitate  the  work  of  faith.     It 
bringeth  us  to  a  heavenly  conversation ;  and  maketh  us  live  as 
"  fellow-citizens  of  the  saints,"  and  "  in  the  household  of  God  ; " 
Eph.  ii.  19.     Phil.  iii.  20.     It  is  within  us  a  Spirit  of  supplication, 
breathing   heavenward,  with  sighs  and  groans  which  cannot  be 
expressed ;  and  as  God  knoweth  the  meaning  of  the  Spirit,  so  the 
Spirit  knows  the  mind  of  God;  Rom.  viii.  37.     1  Cor.  ii.  11. 

3.  And  the  work  of  faith  is  much   promoted  by  the  spiritual 
experiences  of  believers.     When  they  find  a  considerable  part  of 
the   Holy  Scriptures  verified  on  themselves,  it  much  confirmeth 


LIFE    OF    FAITH.  393 

their  faith  as  to  the  whole.  They  are  really  possessed  of  that  heav- 
enly disposition,  called  The  Divine  Nature,  and  have  felt  the 
power  of  the  word  upon  their  hearts,  renewing  them  to  the  image 
of  God,  mortifying  their  most  dear  and  strong  corruptions,  showing 
them  a  greater  heauty  and  desirableness  in  the  objects  of  Faith, 
than  is  to  be  found  in  sensible  things  :  they  have  found  many  of 
the  promises  made  good  upon  themselves,  in  the  answers  of  pray- 
ers, and  in  great  deliverances,  which  strongly  persuadeth  them  to 
believe  the  rest  that  are  yet  to  be  accomplished.  And  experience 
is  a  very  powerful  and  satisfying  way  of  conviction.  He  that 
feeleth,  as  it  were,  the  first-fruits,  the  earnest,  and  the  beginnings 
of  heaven  already  in  his  soul,  will  more  easily  and  assuredly  be- 
lieve that  there  is  a  heaven  hereafter.  "  We  know  that  the  Son 
of  God  is  come,  and  hath  given  us  an  understanding,  that  we  may 
know  him  that  is  true,  and  we  are  in  him  that  is  true,  even  in  the 
Son  Jesus  Christ :  this  is  the  true  God  and  eternal  life  ;  "  1  John 
v.  20.  "  He  that  belie veth  on  the  Son  hath  the  witness  in  him- 
self; "  ver.  10.  There  is  so  great  a  likeness  of  the  holy  and 
heavenly  nature,  in  the  saints,  to  the  heavenly  life  that  God  hath 
promised,  that  makes  it  the  more  easily  believed. 

4.  And  it  exceedingly  helpeth  our  belief  of  the  life  that  is  yet 
unseen,  to  find  that  nature  affordeth  us  undeniable  arguments  to 
prove  a  future  happiness  and  misery,  reward  and  punishment,  in 
the  general;  yea.  and  in  special,  that  the  love  and  fruition  of  God 
is  this  reward  ;  and  that  the  effects  of  his  displeasure  are  this  pun- 
ishment :  nothing  more  clear  and  certain  than  that  there  is  a  God, 
(he  must  be  a  fool  indeed  that  dare  deny  it ;)  Psal.  xiv.  1.  As 
also  that  this  God  is  the  Creator  of  the  rational  nature,  and  hath 
the  absolute  right  of  sovereign  government ;  and  therefore  a  ra- 
tional creature  oweth  him  the  most  full  and  absolute  obedience, 
and  cleserveth  punishment  if  he  disobey.  And  it  is  most 
clear  that  Infinite  Goodness  should  be  loved  above  all  finite  and 
imperfect  created  good  :  and  it  is  clear  that  the  rational  nature  is 
so  fonned,  that,  without  the  hopes  and  fears  of  another  life,  the 
world  neither  is  nor  ever  was,  nor  (by  ordinary  visible  means)  can 
be  well  governed ;  (supposing  God  lo  work  on  man  according  to 
his  nature.)  And  it  is  most  certain  that  itconsisteth  not  with  in- 
finite wisdom,  power,  and  goodness,  to  be  put  to  rule  the  world,  in 
all  ages,  by  fraud  and  falsehood.  And  it  is  certain  that  heathens 
do,  for  the  most  part,  through  the  world,  by  the  light  of  nature, 
acknowledge  a  life  of  joy  or  misery  to  come  ;  and  the  most  hard- 
ened atheists  of  infidels  must  confess,  that  '  for  aught  they  know 
there  may  be  such  a  life;'  it  being  impossible  they  shonld  know 
or  prove  the  contrary.  And  it  is  most  certain  that  the  mere  prob- 
ability or  possibility  of  a  heaven  and  hell  (being  matters  of  such 
VOL.  ii.  50 


394  LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

unspeakable  concernment)  should  in  reason  command  our  utmost 
diligence  to  the  hazard  or  loss  of  the  transitory  vanities  below  ; 
and  consequently  that  a  holy,  diligent  preparation  for  another  life, 
is  naturally  the  duty  of  the  reasonable  creature.  And  it  is  as  sure 
that  God  hath  not  made  our  nature  in  vain,  nor  set  us  on  a  life  of 
vain  employments,  nor  made  it  our  business  in  the  world  to  seek 
after  that  which  can  never  be  attained. 

These  things,  and  much  more,  do  show  that  nature  affordeth  us 
so  full  a  testimony  of  the  life  to  come  that  is  yet  invisible,  that  it 
exceedingly  helpeth  us  in  believing  the  supernatural  revelation  of 
it,  which  is  more  full. 

5.  And  though  we  have  not  seen  the  objects  of  our  faith,  yet 
those  that  have  given  us  their  infallible  testimony  by  infallible 
means,  have  seen  what  they  testified.  Though  "  no  man  hath 
seen  God  at  any  time,  yet  the  only-begotten  Son,  which  is  in  the 
bosom  of  the  Father,  hath  declared  him  ; "  John  i.  18.  "  Verily, 
verily,  (saith  our  Lord,)  we  speak  that  we  know,  and  testify  that 
we  have  seen  ;  "  John  iii.  11.  "  He  that  cometh  from  heaven  is 
above  all,  and  what  he  hath  seen  and  heard,  that  he  testifieth;" 
ver.  31,  32.  Christ,  that  hath  told  us,  saw  the  things  that  we 
have  not  seen,  and  you  will  believe  honest  men  that  speak  to  you 
of  what  they  were  eye-witnesses  of.  And  the  disciples  saw  the 
person,  the  transfiguration,  and  the  miracles  of  Christ.  Insomuch 
that  John  thus  beginneth  his  Epistle  :  "  That  which  was  from  the 
beginning,  which  we  have  heard,  which  we  have  seen  with  our 
eyes,  which  we  have  looked  upon,  and  our  hands  have  handled,  of 
the  word  of  life,  (for  life  was  manifested,  and  we  have  seen  it, 
and  bear  witness,  and  show  it  to  you,  that  eternal  life  which  was 
with  the  Father,  and  was  manifested  unto  us :)  That  which  we 
have  seen  and  heard  declare  we  unto  you  ;  "  1  John  i.  1 — 3. 
So  Paul,  1  Cor.  ix.  1.  "Am  I  not  an  apostle?  Have  I  not 
seen  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord?"  "He  was  seen  of  Cephas, 
then  of  the  twelve :  after  that  he  was  seen  of  above  five 
hundred  brethren  at  once,  of  whom  the  greater  part  remain 
unto  this  present:"  1  Cor.  xv.  5 — 7.  "  This  great  salvation 
at  first  began  to  be  spoken  by  the  Lord,  and  was  confirmed  to 
us  by  them  that  heard  him  ;  God  also  bearing  them  witness,  both 
with  signs  and  wonders,  and  with  divers  miracles  and  gifts  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  according  to  his  own  will;"  Heb.  ii.  3,  4.  "For 
we  have  not  followed  cunningly-devised  fables,  when  we  made 
known  unto  you  the  power  and  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  but  were  eye-witnesses  of  his  majesty ;  for  he  received 
from  God  the  Father  honor  and  glory,  when  there  came  such  a 
roice  to  him,  from  the  excellent  glory  ;  This  is  my  beloved  Son, 
in  whom  1  am  well  pleased.  And  this  voice,  which  came  from 


LIFE    OF    FAITH.  395 

heaven,  \ve  heard  when  we  were  with  him  in  the  holy  mount ; " 
2  Pet.  i.  16,  17.  And  therefore  when  the  apostles  were  command- 
ed by  their  persecutors  not  "  to  speak  at  all,  or  teach  in  the  name 
of  Jesus,"  they  answered,  "  We  cannot  but  speak  the  things  which 
we  have  seen  and  heard;  "  Acts  iv.  18.  20.  So  that  much  of  the 
objects  of  our  faith,  to  us  invisible,  have  yet  been  seen  by  those 
that  have  instrumentally  revealed  them ;  and  the  glory  of  heaven 
itself  is  seen  by  many  millions  of  souls  that  are  now  possessing  it. 
And  the  tradition  of  the  testimony  of  the  apostles  unto  us  is  more 
full  and  satisfactory,  than  the  tradition  of  any  laws  of  the  land,  or 
history  of  the  most  unquestionable  affairs  that  have  been  done 
among  the  people  of  the  earth,  (as  I  have  manifested  elsewhere.) 
So  that  faith  hath  the  infallible  testimony  of  God,  and  of  them 
that  have  seen,  and  therefore  is  to  us  instead  of  sight. 

6.  Lastly,  even  the  enemy  of  faith  himself  doth  against  his  will 
confirm  our  faith,  by  the  violence  and  rage  of  malice  that  he  stir- 
reth  up  in  the  ungodly  against  the  life  of  faith  and  holiness  ;  and 
by  the  importunity  of  his  oppositions  and  temptations,  discovering 
that  it  is  not  for  nothing  that  he  is  so  maliciously  solicitous,  indus- 
trious, and  violent. 

And  thus  you  see  how  much  faith  hath,  that  should  fully  satisfy 
a  rational  man,  instead  of  presence,  possession,  and  sight. 

If  any  shall  here  say,  c  But  why  would  not  God  let  us  have  a 
sight  of  heaven  or  hell,  when  he  could  not  but  know  that  it  would 
more  generally  and  certainly  have  prevailed  for  the  conversion 
and  salvation  of  the  world?  Doth  he  envy  us  the  most  effectual 
means  ? ' 

I  answer,  1.  "Who  art  thou,  O  man,  that  disputes!  against 
God?  Shall  the  thing  formed  say  to  him  that  formed  it,  Why 
hast  thou  made  me  thus  ?  "  Must  God  come  down  to  the  bar  of 
man,  to  render  an  account  of  the  reason  of  his  works  ?  Why  do 
ye  not  also  ask  him  a  reason  of  the  nature,  situation,  magni- 
tude, order,  influences,  &tc.  of  all  the  stars,  and  superior  orbs,  and 
call  him  to  an  account  for  all  his  works  ?  When  yet  there  are  so 
many  things  in  your  own  bodies,  of  which  you  little  understand  the 
reason.  Is  it  not  intolerable  impudency,  for  such  worms  as  we,  so 
low,  so  dark,  to  question  the  eternal  God,  concerning  the  reason 
of  his  laws  and  dispensations  ?  Do  we  not  shamefully  forget  our 
ignorance  and  our  distance  ? 

2.  But  if  you  must  have  a  reason,  let  this  suffice  you.  It  is  fit 
that  the  government  of  God  be  suited  to  the  nature  of  the  reason- 
able subject.  And  reason  is  made  to  apprehend  more  than  we 
see,  and  by  reaching  beyond  sense,  to  carry  us  to  seek  things  high- 
er and  better  than  sense  can  reach.  If  you  would  have  a  man  un» 


396  LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

derstand  no  more  than  he  sees,  you  would  almost  equalize  a  wise 
man  and  a  fool,  and  make  a  man  too  like  a  beast.  Even  in  world- 
ly matters,  you  will  venture  upon  the  greatest  cost  and  pains  for 
the  things  that  you  see  not,  nor  ever  saw.  He  that  hath  a  jour- 
ney to  go  to  a  place  that  he  never  saw,  will  not  think  that  a  suffi- 
cient reason  to  stay  at  home.  The  merchant  will  sail  a  thou- 
sand miles  to  a  land,  and  for  a  commodity  that  he  never  saw. 
Must  the  husbandman  see  the  harvest  before  he  plough  his  land, 
and  sow  his  seed  ?  Must  the  sick  man  feel  that  he  hath  health 
before  he  use  the  means  to  get  it  ?  Must  the  soldier  see  that  he 
hath  the  victory  before  he  fight  ?  You  would  take  such  conceits 
in  worldly  matters  to  be  the  symptoms  of  distraction.  And  will 
you  cherish  them  where  they  are  most  pernicious?  Hath  God 
made  man  for  any  end,  or  for  none  ?  If  none,  he  is  made  in  vain  : 
if  for  any,  no  reason  can  expect  that  he  should  see  his  end  before 
he  use  the  means,  and  see  his  home  before  he  begin  to  travel  tow- 
ards it.  When  children  first  go  to  school,  they  do  not  see  or  enjoy 
the  learning  and  wisdom  which  by  time  and  labor  they  must  attain. 
You  will  provide  for  the  children  which  you  are  like  to  have  be- 
fore you  see  them.  To  look  that  sight,  which  is  our  fruition  itself, 
should  go  before  a  holy  life,  is  to  expect  the  end  before  we  will 
use  the  necessary  means.  You  see  here  in  the  government  of  the 
world,  that  it  is  things  unseen  that  are  the  instruments  of  rule,  and 
motives  of  obedience.  Shall  no  man  be  restrained  from  felony  or 
murders,  but  he  that  seeth  the  assizes  or  the  gallows  ?  It  is  enough 
that  he  foreseeth  them,  as  being  made  known  by  the  laws. 

It  would  be  no  discrimination  of  the  good  and  bad,  the  wise 
and  foolish,  if  the  reward  and  punishment  must  be  seen.  What 
thief  so  mad  as  to  steal  at  the  gallows,  or  before  the  judge  ?  The 
basest  habits  would  be  restrained  from  acting,  if  the  reward  and 
punishment  were  in  sight.  The  most  beastly  drunkard  would  not 
be  drunk  ;  the  filthy  fornicator  would  forbear  his  lust ;  the  mali- 
cious enemy  of  godliness  would  forbear  their  calumnies  and  persecu- 
tions, if  heaven  and  hell  were  open  to  their  sight.  No  man  will 
play  the  adulterer  in  the  face  of  the  assembly :  the  chaste  and  un- 
chaste seem  there  alike ;  and  so  they  would  do  if  they  saw  the 
face  of  the  most  dreadful  God.  No  thanks  to  any  of  you  all  to  be 
godly  if  heaven  were  to  be  presently  seen  ;  or  to  forbear  your 
sin  if  you  saw  hell-fire.  God  will  have  a  meeter  way  of  trial. 
You  shall  believe  his  promises,  if  ever  you  will  have  the  benefit ; 
and  believe  his  threatenings,  if  ever  you  will  escape  the  threat- 
ened evil. 


LIFE    OF    FAITH.  397 

CHAPTER  II. 

Some   Uses. 

Use  1.  THIS  being  the  nature  and  use  of  Faith,  to  apprehend 
things  absent  as  if  they  were  present,  and  things  unseen  as  if  they 
were  visible  before  our  eyes,  you  may  hence  understand  the  na- 
ture (/Christianity,  and  what  it  is  to  be  a  true  believer.  Verily, 
it  is  another  matter  than  the  dreaming,  self-deceiving  world  imagin- 
eth.  Hypocrites  think  that  they  are  Christians  indeed,  because 
they  have  entertained  a  superficial  opinion  that  there  is  a  Christ, 
an  immortality  of  souls,  a  resurrection,  a  heaven,  and  a  hell ;  though 
their  lives  bear  witness,  that  this  is  not  a  living  and  effectual  faith  ; 
but  it  is  their  sensitive  faculties  and  interest  that  are  predominant, 
and  are  the  bias  of  their  hearts.  Alas !  a  little  observation  may 
tell  them,  that  notwithstanding  their  most  confident  pretensions  to 
Christianity,  they  are  utterly  unacquainted  with  the  Christian  life. 
Would  they  live  as  they  do,  in  worldly  cares,  and  pampering  of 
the  flesh,  and  neglect  of  God,  and  the  life  to  come,  if  they  saw  the 
things  which  they  say  they  do  believe  ?  Could  they  be  sensual, 
ungodly,  and  secure,  if  they  had  a  faith  that  served  instead  of 
sight  ? 

Would  you  know  who  it  is  that  is  the  Christian  indeed  ?  1. 
He  is  one  that  liveth  (in  some  measure)  as  if  he  saw  the  Lord ; 
believing  in  that  God  that  dwelleth  in  the  inaccessible  light,  that 
cannot  be  seen  by  mortal  eyes,  he  liveth  as  before  his  face.  He 
speaks,  he  prays,  he  thinks,  he  deals  with  men,  as  if  he  saw  the 
Lord  stand  by.  No  wonder r  therefore,  if  he  do  it  with  reverence 
and  holy  fear.  No  wonder  if  he  make  lighter  of  the  smiles  or 
frowns  of  mortal  man,  than  others  do  that  see  none  higher  ;  and 
if  he  observe  not  the  lustre  of  worldly  dignity,  or  fleshly  beauty, 
wisdom  or  vain-glory,  before  the  transcendent,  incomprehensible 
Light,  to  which  the  sun  itself  is  darkness.  When  "  he  awaketh 
he  is  still  with  God  ;  "  Psal.  cxxxix.  18.  "  He  sets  the  Lord  al- 
ways before  him,  because  he  is  at  his  right  hand,  he  is  not  moved  ;  " 
Psal.  xvi.  8.  And  therefore  the  life  of  believers  is  oft  called  a 
walking  with  God,  and  a  walking  before  God,  as  Gen.  v.  22.  24. 
vi.  9.  xvii.  1.  in  the  case  of  Enoch,  Noah,  and  Abraham.  "  All 
the  day  doth  he  wait  on  God ; "  Psal.  xxv.  5.  Imagine  your- 
selves what  manner  of  person  he  must  be  that  sees  the  Lord  ;  and 
conclude  that  such  (in  his  measure)  is  the  true  believer.  For  "  by- 
faith  he  seeth  him  that  is  invisible,"  (to  the  eye  of  sense,)  and 
therefore  can  forsake  the  glory  and  pleasures  of  the  world,  and 
feareth  not  the  wrath  of  princes,  as  it  is  said  of  Moses  ;  Heb.  xi.  27. 


398  LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

2.  The  believer  is  one  that  liveth  on  a  Christ  whom  he  never 
saw,  and  trusteth  in  him,  adhereth  to  him,  acknowledged  his  ben- 
efits, loveth  him,  and  rejoiceth  in  him,  as  if  he  had  seen  him  with 
his  eyes.     This  is  the  faith  which  Peter  calls  "  more  precious  than 
perishing  gold  ;  "  that  inaketh  us  "  love  him   whom  we  have  not 
seen,  and  in  whom,  though  now  we  see  him  not,  yet  believing,  we 
rejoice,  with  unspeakable  and  glorious  joy  ;  "   1  Pet.  i.  8.  "  Christ 
dwelleth  in  his  heart  by  faith  ;  "  not  only  by  his  Spirit,  but  object- 
ively as  our  dearest  absent  friend  doth  dwell  in  our  estimation   and 
affection ;   Ephes.  iii.  17.     O   that   the   miserable  infidels  of  the 
world  had  the  eyes,  the  hearts,  the  experiences,  of  the  true  be- 
liever !     Then  they  that  with  Thomas  tell  those  that  have  seen  him, 
"  Except  I  may  see  and  feel,  I  will  not  believe,"  will  be  forced  to 
cry  out,  "  My  Lord  and  my  God  ; "  John  xx.  25,  &c. 

3.  A  believer  is  one  that  judgeth  of  the  man  by  his  invisible  in- 
side, and  not  by  outward  appearances,  with  a  fleshly,  worldly  judg- 
ment.    He  seeth  by  faith  a  greater  ugliness  in  sin  than  in  any  the 
most  deformed  monster.     When  the  unbeliever  saith,  What  harm 
is  it  to  please  my  flesh  in  ease,  or  pride,  or  meat  and  drink,  or 
lustful  wantonness  ?  the  believer  takes  it  as  the  question  of  a  fool, 
that  should  ask,  '  What  harm  is  it  to  take  a  drachm  of  mercury  or 
arsenic  ? '     He  seeth  the  vicious  evil,  and  foreseeth  the  consequent 
penal  evil  by  the  eye  of  faith.     And  therefore  it  is  that  he  piti- 
eth  the  ungodly,  when  they  pity  not  themselves,  and  speaks  to 
them  oft  with  a  tender  heart  in  compassion  of  their  misery,  and 
perhaps  weeps  over  them  (as  Paul,  Phil.  iii.  18,  19.)  when  he 
cannot  prevail ;  when  they  weep  not  for  themselves,  but  hate  his 
love,  and  scorn  his  pity,  and  bid  him  keep  his  lamentations  for  him- 
self;  because  they  see  not  what  he  sees. 

He  seeth  also  the  inward  beauty  of  the  saints,  (as  it  shineth 
forth  in  the  holiness  of  their  lives,)  and  through  all  their  sordid  pov- 
erty and  contempt  beholdeth  the  image  of  God  upon  them.  For 
he  judgeth  not  of  sin  or  holiness  as  they  now  appear  to  the  dis- 
tracted world ;  but  as  they  will  be  judged  of  at  the  day  which  he 
foreseeth,  when  sin  will  be  the  shame,  and  holiness  the  honored 
and  desired  state. 

He  can  see  Christ  in  his  poor,  despised  members,  and  love  God 
in  those  that  are  made  as  the  scorn  and  offscouring  of  all  things  by 
the  malignant,  unbelieving  world.  He  admireth  the  excellency 
and  happiness  of  those  that  are  made  the  laughing-stock  of  the  un- 
godly, and  accounteth  the  saints  the  most  excellent  on  earth  ; 
(Psal.  xvi.  2.)  and  had  rather  be  one  of  their  communion  in 
rags,  than  sit  with  princes,  that  are  naked  within,  and  void  of  the 
true  and  durable  glory.  He  judgeth  of  men  as  he  perceiveth  them 
to  have  more  or  less  of  Christ.  The  worth  of  a  man  is  not  obvi- 


LIFE    OF    FAITH.  399 

ous  to  the  sense.  You  see  his  stature,  complexion,  and  his 
clothes;  but  as  you  see  not  his  learning  or  skill  in  any  art  what- 
soever, so  you  see  not  his  grace  and  heavenly  mind.  As  t\ie 
soul  itself,  so  the  sinful  deformity,  and  the  holy  beauty  of  it, 
are  to  us  invisible,  and  perceived  only  by  their  fruits,  and  by  the 
eye  of  faith,  which  seeth  things  as  God  reveals  them :  and  there- 
fore in  the  eyes  of  a  true  believer,  "  a  vile  person  is  contemn- 
ed ;  but  he  honoreth  those  that  fear  the  Lord  ; "  Psal.  xv.  4. 

4.  A  true  believer  doth  seek  a  happiness  which  he  never  saw, 
and  that  with  greater  estimation  and  resolution  than  he  seeks  the 
most  excellent  things  that  he  hath  seen.     In  all  his  prayers,  his 
labors  and  his  sufferings,  it  is  an  unseen  glory  that  he  seeks.     He 
seeth  not  the  glory  of  God,  nor  the  glorified  Redeemer,  nor  the 
world  of  angels  and  perfected  spirits  of  the  just ;  but  he  knoweth, 
by  faith,  that  such  a  God,  such  a  glory,  such  a  world  as  this  there 
is,  as  certain  as  if  his  eyes  had  seen  it ;  and  therefore  he  provides, 
he  lives,  he  hopes,  he  waits  for  this  unseen  state  of  spiritual  bliss, 
contemning  all  the  wealth  and  glory  that  sight  can  reach  in  com- 
parison thereof.     He  believes  what  he  shall  see,  and  therefore 
strives  that  he  may  see  it.     It  is  something  above  the  sun,  and  all 
that  mortal  eyes  can  see,  which  is  the  end,  the  hope,  the  portion 
of  a  believer,  without  which  all  is  nothing  to  him,  and  for  which  he 
trades  and  travels  here,  as  worldlings  do  for  worldly  things ;  Matt, 
vi.  20,  21.    Col.  iii.  1.     Phil.  iii.  20. 

5.  A  true  believer  doth  all  his  life  prepare  for  a  day  that  is  yel 
to  come,  and  for  an  account  of  all  the  passages  of  his  life,  though 
he  hath  nothing  but  the  word  of  God  to  assure  him  of  it ;   and 
therefore  he  lives  as  one  that  is  hastening  to  the  presence  of  his 
Judge  ;    and  he  contriveth  his  affairs,  and  disposeth  of  his  worldly 
riches,  as  one  that  looks  to  hear  of  it  again,  and  as  one  that  re- 
membereth  the  "Judge  is  at  the  door;"  James  v.  9.     He  rather 
asketh,  '  What  life,  what  words,  what  actions,  what  way  of  using 
my  estate  and  interest,  will  be  sweetest  to  me  in  the  review,  and 
will  be  best  at  last,  when  I  must  accordingly  receive  my  doom  ? ' 
than  'What  is  most  pleasant  to  my  flesh,  and  what  will  ingratiate 
me  most  with  men  ?  and  what  will  accommodate  me  best  at  pres- 
ent, and  set  me  highest  in  the  world  ? '     And  therefore  it  is  that 
he  pitieth  the  ungodly,  even  in  the  height  of  their  prosperity ;  and 
is  so  earnest  (though  it  offend  them)  to  procure  their  recovery,  as 
knowing  that  how  secure  soever  they  are  now,  they  "  must  give  an 
account  to  him  that  is  ready  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead  : " 
(1  Pet.  iv.  5.)  and  that  then  the  case  will  be  altered  with  the  pre- 
sumptuous world. 

6.  Lastly,  a  true  believer  is  careful  to  prevent  a  threatened  misery 


400  LIFE    OF    FAITfT. 

' 

which  he  never  felt ;  and  is  awakened  by  holy  fear  to  fly  from  the 
wrath  to  come,  and  is  industrious  to  escape  that  place  of  torment 
which  he  never  saw,  as  if  he  had  seen  it  with  his  eyes.  When  he 
heareth  but  the  "sound  of  the  trumpet,  lie  takes  warning  that  he 
may  save  his  soul ;"  Ezek.  xxxiii.  4.  The  evils  that  are  here  felt 
and  seen  are  not  so  dreadful  to  him  as  those  he  never  saw  or  felt. 
He  is  not  so  careful  and  resolute,  to  avoid  the  ruin  of  his  estate  or 
name,  or  to  avoid  the  plague,  or  sword,  or  famine,  or  the  scorching 
flames,  or  death,  or  torments,  as  he  is  to  avoid  the  endless  tor- 
ments which  are  threatened  by  the  righteous  God.  It  is  a  great- 
er misery,  in  his  esteem,  to  be  really  undone  forever  than  seem- 
ingly only  for  a  time,  and  to  be  cast  off  by  God  than  by  all  the 
world  ;  and  to  lie  in  hell  than  to  suffer  any  temporal  calamity. 
And  tlierefore  he  fears  it  more,  and  doth  more  to  avoid  it ;  and  is 
more  cast  down  by  the  fears  of  God's  displeasure  than  by  the  feel- 
ings of  these  present  sufferings.  As  Noah  did  for  his  preservation 
from  the  threatened  deluge,  so  doth  the  true  believer  for  his  pres- 
ervation from  everlasting  wrath.  "By  faith  Noah,  being  warned 
of  God  of  things  not  seen  as  yet.  moved  with  fear,  prepared  an 
ark,  to  the  saving  of  his  house,  by  the  which  he  condemned  the 
world,  and  became  heir  of  the  righteousness  which  is  by  faith ; " 
Heb.  xi.  7.  God  first  giveth  warning  of  the  flood  ;  Noah  believ- 
eth  it ;  not  with  a  lifeless,  but  a  working  faith,  that  first  moved  in 
him  a  self-preserving  fear.  This  fear  moved  Noah  to  obey  the 
Lord  in  the  use  of  means,  and  to  prepare  the  ark ;  and  all  this  was 
to  save  himself  and  his  house  from  a  flood  that  was  as  yet  un- 
seen, and  of  which  in  nature  there  was  no  appearance.  Thus  doth 
God  warn  the  sinful  world  of  the  day  of  judgment  and  the  fire  that 
is  unquenchable  ;  and  true  believers  take  his  warning,  and  believing 
that  which  they  cannot  see,  by  fear  they  are  moved  to  fly  to  Christ, 
and  use  his  means  to  escape  the  threatened  calamity.  By  this 
they  become  the  "  heirs  of  that  righteousness  which  is  by  faith," 
and  condemn  the  unbelieving,  careless  world,  that  take  not  the 
warning  and  use  not  the  remedy. 

By  this  time  you  may  see  that  the  life  of  faith  is  quite  another 
thing  than  the  lifeless  opinion  of  multitudes  that  call  themselves 
believers.  To  say,  '  I  believe  there  is  a  God,  a  Christ,  a  heaven, 
a  hell,'  is  as  easy  as  it  is  common ;  but  the  faith  of  the  ungodly  is 
but  an  ineffectual  dream.  To  dream  that  you  are  fighting,  wins  no 
victories.  To  dream  that  you  are  eating,  gets  no  strength.  To 
dream  that  you  are  running,  rids  no  ground.  To  dream  that  you 
are  ploughing,  or  sowing,  or  reaping,  procureth  but  a  fruitless  har- 
vest. And  to  dream  that  you  are  princes,  may  consist  with  beg- 
gary. If  you  do  any  more  than  dream  of  heaven  and  hell,  how  is 


LIFE    OF    FAITH.  401 

it  that  you  stir  not,  and  make  it  not  appear,  by  the  diligence  of  your 
lives,  and  the  fervor  of  your  duties,  and  the  seriousness  of  your 
endeavors,  that  such  wonderful,  inexpressible,  overpowering  things, 
are  indeed  the  matters  of  your  belief?  As  you  love  your  souls, 
take  heed  lest  you  take  an  image  of  faith  to  be  the  thing  itself. 
Faith  sets  on  work  the  powers  of  the  soul,  for  the  obtaining  of  that 
joy  and  the  escaping  of  that  misery  which  you  believe.  But  the 
image  of  faith  in  self-deceivers  neither  warms  nor  works;  it  con- 
quereth  not  difficulties  ;  it  stirs  not  up  to  faithful  duty.  It  is  blind, 
and  therefore  seeth  not  God  ;  and  how  then  should  he  be  feared 
and  loved  ?  It  seeth  not  hell,  and  therefore  the  senseless  soul  goes 
on  as  fearlessly  and  merrily  to  the  unquenchable  fire  as  if  he  were 
in  the  safest  way.  This  image  of  faith  annihilated!  the  most  po- 
tent objects,  as  to  any  due  impression  on  the  soul.  God  is  as  no 
God,  and  heaven  as  no  heaven  to  these  imaginary  Christians.  If 
a  prince  be  in  the  room,  an  image  reverenceth  him  not.  If  music 
and  feasting  be  there,  an  image  finds  no  pleasure  in  them.  If  fire 
and  sword  be  there,  an  image  fears  them  not.  You  may  perceive 
by  the  senseless,  neglectful  carriage  of  ungodly  men,  that  they  s^e 
not  by  faith  the  God  that  they  should  love  and  fear ;  the  heaven  that 
they  should  seek  and  wait  for,  or  the  hell  that  they  should  with  all 
possible  care  avoid.  He  is  indeed  the  true  believer  that  (allowing 
the  difference  of  degrees)  doth  pray  as  if  he  saw  the  Lord  ;  and 
speak  and  live  as  always  in  his  presence ;  and  redeem  his  time  as 
if  he  were  to  die  to-morrow,  or  as  one  that  seeth  death  approach, 
and  ready  to  lay  hands  upon  him  ;  that  begs  and  cries  to  God  in 
prayer,  as  one  that  foreseeth  the  day  of  judgment,  and  the  endless 
joy  or  misery  that  followeth  ;  that  bestirred!  him  for  everlasting 
life,  as  one  that  seeth  heaven  and  hell  by  the  eye  of  faith.  Faith 
is  a  serious  apprehension,  and  caused)  a  serious  conversation  ;  for  it 
is  instead  of  sight  and  presence. 

From  all  this  you  may  easily  and  certainly  infer,  1 .  That  true 
faith  is  a  jewel,  rare  and  precious ;  and  not  so  common  as  nominal, 
careless  Christians  think.  '  What,'  say  they,  '  are  we  not  all  be- 
lievers? Will  you  make  infidels  of  all  that  are  not  saints?  Are 
none  Christian?;  but  those-  that  live  so  strictly  ? '  Answ.  I  know 
they  are  not  infidels  by  profession  ;  but  what  they  are  indeed,  and 
what  God  will  take  them  for,  you  may  soon  perceive,  by  compar- 
ing the  description  of  faith  with  the  inscription  legible  on  their 
lives.  It  is  common  to  say,  '  1  do  believe  ;'  but  is  it  common  to 
find  men  pray  and  live  as  those  that  do  believe  indeed  ?  It  is  both 
in  works  of  charity  and  of  piety,  that  a  living  fakh  will  show  itself. 
I  will  not  therefore  contend  about  the  name.  If  you  are  ungodly, 
unjust,  or  uncharitable,  and  yet  will  call  yourselves  believers,  you 
may  keep  the  name,  and  see  whether  it  will  save  you.  Have  you 

VOL.  II.  51 


402 


LIFE    OF    FAITH. 


forgotten  how  this  case  is  determined  by  the  Holy  Ghost  himself? 
"What  doth  it  profit,  my  brethren,  if  a  man  say,  he  hath  faith  arid 
hath  not  works  ?  Can  faith  save  him  ?  Faith,  if  it  hath  not  works, 
is  dead,  being  alone.  Thou  believest  that  there  is  one  God :  thou 
dost  well :  the  devils  also  believe  and  tremble ;"  James  ii.  14.  &c. 
If  such  a  belief  be  it  that  thou  gloriest  in,  it  is  not  denied  thee. 
"  But  wilt  thou  know,  O  vain  man  !  that  faith  without  works  is 
dead  ?  "  &tc.  Is  there  life  where  there  is  no  motion  ?  Had  you 
that  faith  that  is  instead  of  sight,  it  would  make  you  more  solicitous 
for  the  things  unseen  than  you  are  for  the  visible  trifles  of  this  world. 
2.  And  hence  you  may  observe  that  most  true  believers  are 
weak  in  faith.  Alas!  how  far  do  we  all  fall  short  of  the  love,  and 
zeal,  and  care,  and  diligence,  which  we  should  have  if  we  had  but 
once  beheld  the  things  which  we  do  believe  !  Alas !  how  dead 
are  our  affections !  how  flat  are  our  duties  !  how  cold  and  how 
slow  are  our  endeavors !  how  unprofitable  are  our  lives,  in  com- 
parison of  what  one  hour's  sight  of  heaven  and  hell  would  make 
them  be !  O,  what  a  comfortable  converse  would  it  be,  if  I  might 
but  join  in  prayer,  praise  and  holy  conference  one  day  or  hour, 
with  a  person  that  had  seen  the  Lord,  and  been  in  heaven,  and 
borne  a  part  in  the  angelic  praises  !  Were  our  congregations  com- 
posed of  such  persons,  what  manner  of  worship  would  they  per- 
form to  God !  How  unlike  would  their  heavenly,  ravishing  ex- 
pressions be  to  these  our  sleepy,  heartless  duties  !  Were  heaven 
open  to  the  view  of  all  this  congregation  while  I  am  speaking  to 
you,  or  when  we  are  speaking  in  prayer  and  praise  to  God,  imagine 
yourselves  what  a  change  it  would  make  upon  the  best  of  us  in  our 
services  !  What  apprehensions,  what  affections,  what  resolutions 
it  would  raise ;  and  what  a  posture  it  would  cast  us  all  into!  And 
do  we  not  all  profess  to  believe  these  things,  as  revealed  from  heav- 
en by  the  infallible  God  ?  Do  we  not  say,  that  such  a  divine  rev- 
elation is  as  sure  as  if  the  things  were  in  themselves  laid  open 
to  our  sight?  Why,  then,  are  we  no  more  affected  with  them? 
Why  are  we  no  more  transported  by  them  ?  Why  do  they  no 
more  command  our  souls,  and  stir  up  our  faculties  to  the  most 
vigorous  arid  lively  exercise  ?  and  call  them  off  from  things  that 
are  not  to  us  considerable,  nor  lit  lo  have  one  glance  of  the  eye  of 
our  observation,  nor  a  regardful  thought,  nor  the  least  affection, 
unless  as  they  subserve  these  greater  things  ?  When  you  observe 
how  much  in  yourselves  and  others,  the  frame  of  your  souls  in  holy 
duty,  and  the  tenor  of  your  lives  towards  God  and  man  do  differ 
from  what  they  would  be,  if  you  had  seen  the  things  that  you  be- 
lieve, let  it  mind  you  of  the  great  imperfection  of  faith,  and  hum- 
ble us  all  in  the  sense  of  our  imbecility.  For  though  I  know  that 
the  most  perfect  faith  is  not  apt  to  raise  such  high  affections  in  de- 


lAt'F.    OF    FAITH.  403 

gree  as  shall  be  raised  by  the  beatifical  vision  in  the  glorified,  and 
as  present  intuition  now  would  rai^e  if  we  could  attain  it ;  yet  see- 
ing faith  hath  as.  sure  an  object  and  revelation  as  sight  itself,  though 
the  manner  of  apprehension  be  less  affecting,  it  should  do  much 
more  with  us  than  it  doth,  and  bring  us  nearer  to  such  affections 
and  resolutions  as  sight  would  cause. 

Use  '2.  If  faith  be  given  us  to  make  things  to  come  as  if  they 
were  at  hand,  and  things  unseen  as  if  we  saw  them,  you  may  see 
from  hence,  1.  Tiie  reason  of  that  holy  seriousness  of  believers, 
which  the  ungodly  want.  2.  And  the  reason  why  the  ungodly 
want  it.  3.  And  why  they  wonder  at,  and  distaste  and  deride  this 
serious  diligence  of  the  saints. 

1.  Would  you  make  it  any  matter  of  wonder,  for  men  to  be  more 
careful  of  their  souls,  more  fervent  in  their  requests  to  God,  more 
fearful  of  offending  him,  and  more  laborious  in  all  holy  preparation 
for  eternal  life,  than  the  holiest  and  most  precise  person  that  you 
know  in  all  the  world,  if  so  be  that  heaven  and  hell  were  seen  to 
them  ?     Would  you  not  rather  wonder  at  the  dullness,  and  cold- 
ness, and  negligence  of  the  best,  and   that  they  are  not  far  more 
holy  and  diligent  than  they  are,  if  you  and  they  did  see  these 
things  ?     Why,  then,  do  you  not  cease  your  wondering  at  their  dil- 
igence ?     Do  you  not  know  that  they  are  men  that  have  seen  the 
Lord  whom  they  daily  serve  ;  and  seen  the  glory  which  they  daily 
seek  ;  and  seen  the  place  of  torments  which  they  fly  from  ?     By 
faith  in  the  glass  of  divine  revelation  they  have  seen  them. 

2.  And  the  reason  why  the  careless  world  are  not  as  diligent 
and  holy  as  believers,  is,  because  they  have  not  this  eye  of  faith, 
and  never  saw  those  powerful  objects  that  believers  see.     Had 
you  their  eyes,  you  would  have  their  hearts  and  lives.     O  that 
the  Lord  would  but  illuminate  you,  and  give  you  such  a  sight  of 
the  things  unseen  as  every  true  believer  hath !     What  a  happy 
change  would  it  make  upon  you  !     Then,  instead  of  your  deriding 
or  opposing  it,  we  should  have  your  company  in  the  holy  path. 
You  would   then  be  such  yourselves  as  you  now  deride.     If  you 
saw  what  they  see,  you  would  do  as  they  do.     When  the  heavenly 
light  had  appeared  unto  Saul,  he  ceaseth  persecuting,  and  inquires 
what  Christ  would  have  him  to  do,  that  he  might  be  such  an  one 
as  he  had  persecuted.     And  when  the  scales  fell  from  his  eyes,  he 
falls  to  prayer,  and  gets  among  the  believers  whom  he  had  perse- 
cuted, and  laboreth  and  suffereth  more  than  they. 

But  till  this  light  appear  to  your  darkened  souls,  you  cannot  see 
the  reasons  of  a  holy,  heavenly  life.  And  therefore  you  will  think 
it  hypocrisy,  or  pride,  or  fancy,  and  imagination,  or  the  foolishness 
of  crack-brained,  self-conceited  men.  If  you  see  a  man  do  rev- 
erence to  a  prince,  and  the  prince  himself  were  invisible  to  you, 


404  LfFE    OF    FAITH. 

would  you  not  take  him  for  a  madman  ;  ana  say  that  he  cringed 
to  the  stools  or  chairs,  or  bowed  to  a  post,  or  complimented  with 
his  shadow?  If  you  saw  a  man's  action  in  eating  and  drinking^ 
and  see  not  the  meat  and  drink  itself,  would  you  not  think  him 
mad?  If  you  heard  men  laugh,  and  hear  not  so  much  as  the  voice 
of  him  that  gives  the  jest,  would  you  not  imagine  them  to  be  brain- 
sick ?  If  you  see  men  dance,  and  hear  not  the  music  ;  if  you  see  a 
laborer  threshing,  or  reaping,  or  mowing,  and  see  no  corn  or  grass 
before  him  ;  if  you  see  a  soldier  fighting  for  his  life,  and  see  no 
enemy  that  he  spends  his  strokes  upon  ;  will  you  not  take  all  these 
for  men  distracted  ?  Why,  this  is  the  case  between  you  and  the 
true  believers.  You  see  them  reverently  worship  God,  but  you 
see  not  the  majesty  which  they  worship,  as  they  do.  You  see 
them  as  busy  for  the  saving  of  their  souls  as  if  a  hundred  lives  lay 
on  it ;  but  you  see  not  the  hell  from  which  they  fly,  nor  the  heav- 
en they  seek  ;  and  therefore  you  marvel  why  they  make  so  much 
ado  about  the  matters  of  their  salvation  ;  and  why  they  cannot  do 
as  others,  and  make  as  light  of  Christ  and  heaven  as  they  that 
desire  to  be  excused,  and  think  they  have  more  needful  things  to 
mind.  But  did  you  see  with  the  eyes  of  a  true  believer,  and  were 
the  amazing  things  that  God  hath  revealed  to  us  but  open  to  your 
sight,  how  quickly  would  you  be  satisfied,  and  sooner  mock  at  the 
diligence  of  a  drowning  man,  that  is  striving  for  his  life,  or  at  the 
labor  of  the  city  when  they  are  busily  quenching  the  flames  in 
their  habitations,  than  mock  at  them  that  are  striving  for  the  ever- 
lasting life,  and  praying  and  laboring  against  the  ever-burning 
flames. 

How  soon  would  you  turn  your  admiration  against  the  stupidity 
of  the  careless  world,  and  wonder  more  that  ever  men  that  hear 
the  Scriptures,  and  see  with  their  eyes  the  works  of  God,  can 
make  so  light  of  matters  of  such  unspeakable,  eternal  consequence. 
Did  you  but  see  heaven  and  hell,  it  would  amaze  you  to  think  that 
ever  many,  yea,  so  many  and  so  seeming  wise,  should  willfully  run 
into  everlasting  fire,  and  sell  their  souls  at  so  low  a  rate,  as  if  it 
were  as  easy  to  be  in  hell  as  in  an  alehouse,  and  heaven  were  no 
better  than  a  beastly  lust.  O,  then,  with  what  astonishment  would 
you  think,  '  Is  this  the  fire  that  sinners  do  so  little  fear  ?  Is  this 
the  glory  that  is  so  neglected  ? '  You  would  then  see  that  the 
madness  of  the  ungodly  is  the  wonder. 

Use  3.  By  this  time  I  should  think  that  some  of  your  own  con- 
sciences have  prevented  me,  in  the  use  of  examination,  which  I 
am  next  to  call  you  to.  1  hope  while  I  have  been  holding  you  the 
glass,  you  have  not  turned  away  your  faces,  nor  shut  your  eyes  ; 
but  that  you  have  been  judging  yourselves  by  the  light  which  Lath 
been  set  up  before  you.  Have  not  some  of  your  consciences  said 


LIFE    OF     FAITH.  405 

by  this  time,  '  If  this  be  the  nature  and  use  of  faith,  to  make  things 
unseen,  as  if  \ve  saw  them,  what  a  desolate  case  then  is  my  soul 
in  !  How  void  of  faith  !  How  full  of  infidelity  !  How  far  from 
the  truth  and  power  of  Christianity  !  How  dangerously  have  I 
long  deceived  myself  in  calling  myself  a  true  Christian,  and  pre- 
tending to  be  a  true  believer  ;  when  I  never  knew  the  life  of  faith, 
but  took  a  dead  opinion,  bred  only  by  education,  and  the  custom  of 
the  country  instead  of  it :  little  did  I  think  that  I  had  been  an  in- 
fidel at  the  heart,  while  I  so  confidently  laid  claim  to  the  name  of 
a  believer !  Alas  !  how  far  have  I  been  from  living  as  one  that 
seeth  the  things  that  he  professeth  to  believe  ! '  If  some  of  your 
consciences  be  not  thus  convinced,  and  perceive  not  yet  your 
want  of  faith,  I  fear  it  is  because  they  are  seared  or  asleep. 

But  if  yet  conscience  .have  not  begun  to  plead  this  cause  against 
you,  let  me  begin  to  plead  it  with  your  consciences.  Are  you  be- 
lievers ?  Do  you  live  the  life  of  faith,  or  not?  Do  you  live 
upon  things  that  are  unseen,  or  upon  the  present  visible  baits  of 
sensuality  ?  That  you  may  not  turn  away  your  ears,  or  hear  me 
with  a  sluggish,  senseless  mind,  let  me  tell  you,  first,  how  nearly  it 
concerneth  you  to  get  this  question  soundly  answered  ;  and  then, 
that  you  may  not  be  deceived,  let  me  help  you  towards  the  true 
resolution. 

1.  And  for  the  first,  you  may  perceive,  by  what  is  said,  that 
saving  faith  is  not  so  common  as  those  that  know  not  the  nature 
of  it  do  imagine.     "  All  men  have   not  faith  ;  "  2  Thess.  iii.  2. 
O,  what  abundance  do  deceive  themselves  with  names,  and  shows, 
and  a  dead  opinion,  and  customary  religion,  and  take  these  for  the 
life  of  faith  ! 

2.  Till  you  have  this  faith,  you   have  no  special  interest  in 
Christ.     It  is  only  believers  that  are  united  to  him,  and   are  his 
living  members.     And  it  is  by  faitli  that  he  dwelled)  in  our  hearts, 
and  that  we  live  in  him;  Ephes.  iii.  17.  Gal^ii.  20.     In  vain  do 
you  boast  of  Christ,  if  you  are  not  true  believers.     You  have  no 
part  or  portion  in  him.     None  of  his  special  benefits  are  yours,  till 
you  have  this  living,  working  faith. 

3.  You  are  still  in  the  state  of  enmity  to  God,  and  unreconciled 
to  him  while  you  are  unbelievers.     For  you  can  have  no  peace 
with  God,  nor  access  unto  his  favor,  but  by  Christ;  Rom.  v.  1 — 4. 
Ephes.  ii.  14,  15.  17.     And  therefore  you  must  come  by  faith  to 
Christ,  before  you  can  come  by  Christ  unto  the  Father,  as  those 
that  have  a  special  interest  in  his  love. 

4.  Till  you  have  this  faith,  you  are  under  the  guilt  and  load  of 
all  your  sins,  and  under  the  curse  and  condemnation  of  the  law  ; 
for  there  is  no  justification  or  forgiveness  but  by  faith ;  Acts  xxvi. 
13.    Rom.  iv.  v.  &c. 


406  LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

5.  Till  you  have  this  sound  belief  of  things  unseen,  you  will  be 
carnal-minded,  and  have  a  carnal  end  to  all  your  actions,  which 
will  make  those  to  be  evil,  that,  materially,  are  good,  and  those  to 
be  fleshly,  that,  materially,  are  holy.     "  Without  faith,  it  is  impos- 
sible to  please  God;"  Rom.  viii.  5.  8,  9.    Prov.  xxviii.  9.    Heb. 
xi.  6. 

6.  Lastly,  till  you  have  this  living  faith,  you  have  no  right  to 
heaven,  nor  could  be  saved  if  you  die  this  hour.     "  Whoever  be- 
lieveth  shall  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.     He  that  believ- 
eth  on  him  is  not  condemned ;  but  he  that  believeth  not  is  con- 
demned already.     He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting 
life ;  and  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son,  shall  not  see  life ;  but  the 
wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him  ; "  John  iii.  16.  18.  36. 

You  see,  if  you  love  yourselves,  it  concerned!  you  to  try  wheth- 
er you  are  true  believers :  unless  you  take  it  for  an  indifferent  thing, 
whether  you  live  forever  in  heaven  or  hell,  it  is  best  for  you  to  put 
the  question  close  to  your  consciences  betimes.  Have  you  that 
faith  that  serves  instead  of  sight  ?  Do  you  carry  within  you 
"the  evidence  of  things  unseen,  and  the  substance  of  the  things" 
which  you  say  you  "hope  for '"  Did  you  know  in  what  manner 
this  question  must  be  put  and  determined  at  judgment,  and  how  all 
your  comfort  will  then  depend  upon  the  answer,  and  how  near  that 
day  is,  when  you  must  all  be  sentenced  to  heaven  or  hell,  as  you 
are  found  to  be  believers  or  unbelievers,  it  would  make  you  hear- 
ken to  my  counsel,  and  presently  try  whether  you  have  a  sav- 
ing faith. 

2.  But  lest  you  be  deceived  in  your  trial,  and  lest  you  mistake 
me,  as  if  I  tried  the  weak  by  the  measure  of  the  strong,  and  laid 
all  your  comfort  upon  such  strong  affections  and  high  degrees  as 
sight  itself  would  work  within  you,  I  shall  briefly  tell  you  how  you 
may  know  whether  you  have  any  faith  that  is  true  and  saving, 
though  in  the  least  degree.  Though  none  of  us  are  affected  to 
that  height  as  we  should  be  if  we  had  the  sight  of  all  that  we  do 
believe,  yet  all  that  have  any  saving  belief  of  invisible  things  will 
have  these  four  signs  of  faith  within  them. 

1.  A  sound  belief  of  things  unseen  will  cause  a  practical  estima- 
tion of  them,  and  that  above  all  earthly  things.  A  glimpse  of  the 
heavenly  glory,  as  in  a  glass,  will  cause  the  soul  deliberately  to 
say,  '  This  is  the  chief  desirable  felicity ;  this  is  the  crown,  the 
pearl,  the  treasure  ;  nothing  but  this  can  serve  my  turn.'  It  will 
debase  the  greatest  pleasures,  or  riches,  or  honors  of  the  world  in 
your  esteem.  How  contemptible  will  they  seem,  while  you  see 
God  stand  by,  and  heaven,  as  it  were,  set  open  to  your  view  !  You 
will  see  there  is  little  cause  to  envy  the  prosperous  servants  of 
the  world  ;  you  will  pity  them,  as  miserable  in  their  mirth,  and  bound 


LIFE    OF    FAITH.  407 

in  the  fetters  of  their  folly  and  concupiscence,  and  as  strangers  to 
all  solid  joy  and  honor.  You  will  be  moved  with  some  compassion 
to  them  in  their  misery,  when  they  are  braving  it  among  men,  and 
domineering  for  a  little  while  ;  and  you  will  think,  Alas !  poor 
man !  is  this  all  thy  glory  ?  Hast  thou  no  better  wealth,  no 
higher  honor,  no  sweeter  pleasures  than  these  husks  ?  With  such 
a  practical  judgment  as  you  value  gold  above  dirt,  and  jewels  above 
common  stones,  you  will  value  heaven  above  all  the  riches  and 
pleasures  of  this  world,  if  you  have  indeed  a  living,  saving  faith  ; 
Phil.  Hi.  7—9. 

2.  A  sound  belief  of  the  things  unseen  will  habitually  incline 
your  wills  to  embrace  them,  with  consent,  and  complacence,  and 
resolution,  above  and  against  those  worldly  things  that  would  be 
set  above  them  and  preferred  before  them.     If  you  are  true  be- 
lievers, you  have  made  your  choice,  you  have  fixed  your  hopes, 
you  have  taken  up  your  resolutions,  that  God  must  be  your  por- 
tion, or  you  can  have  none  that  is  worth  the  having  ;  that  Christ 
must  be  your  Savior,  or  you  cannot  be  saved ;  and,  therefore,  you 
are  at  a  point  with  all  things  else.     They  may  be  your  helps,  but 
not  your  happiness.     You  are  resolved  on  what  rock  to  build,  and 
where  to  cast  anchor,  and  at  what  port  and  prize  your  life  shall 
aim.     You  are  resolved  what  to  seek,  and  trust  to ;  God  or  none  ; 
heaven  or  nothing;  Christ  or  none,  is  the  voice  of  your  rooted, 
stable  resolutions.     Though  you  are  full  of  fears,  sometimes,  wheth- 
er you  shall  be  accepted,  and  have  a  part  in  Christ,  or  no ;  and 
whether  ever  you  shall  attain  the  glory  which  you  aim  at ;  yet  you 
are  off  all  other  hopes ;  having  seen  an  end  of  all  perfections,  and 
read  vanity  and  vexation  written  upon  all  creatures,  even  on  the 
most  flattering  state  on  earth,  and  are  unchangeably  resolved  not 
to  change  your  Master,  and  your  hopes,  and  your  holy  course,  for 
any  other  life  or  hopes.     Whatever  come  of  it,  you  are  resolved 
that  here  you  will  venture  all ;  knowing  that  you  have  no  other 
game  to  play,  at  which  you  are  not  sure  to  lose,  and  that  you  can 
lay  out  your  love,  and  care,  and  labor  on  nothing  else  that  will 
answer  your  expectations  :  nor  make  any  other  bargain  whatsoever, 
but  what  you  are  sure  to  be  utterly  undone  by;  Psal.  Ixxiii.  25. 
iv.  6,  7.  Matt.  vi.  20,  21.  xiii.  45,  46.  Luke  xviii.  33. 

3.  A  sound  belief  of  things  invisible  will  be  so  far  an  effectual 
spring  of  a  holy  life,  as  that  you  will  "  seek  first  the  kingdom  of 
God,  and  his  righteousness ;  "  (Matt.  vi.  33.)  and  not  in  your  res- 
olutions only,  but  in  your  practices,  the  bent  of  your  lives  will  be 
for  God,  and  your  invisible  felicity.     It  is  not  possible  that  you 
should  see,  by  faith,  the  wonders  of  the   world  to  come,  and   yet 
prefer  this  world  before  it.     A  dead,  opinionative  belief  may  stand 
with  a  worldly,  fleshly  life  ;  but  a  working  faith  will  make  you  stir, 


LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

and  make  the  things  of  God  your  business.  And  the  labor  and 
industry  of  your  lives  will  show  whether  you  soundly  believe  the 
things  unseen. 

4.  If  you  savingly  believe  the  invisible  things,  you  will  purchase 
them  at  any  rate,  and  hold  them  faster  than  your  worldly  accom- 
modations ;  and  will  suffer  the  loss  of  all  things  visible,  rather  than 
you  will  cast  away  your  hopes  of  the  glory,  which  you  never  saw. 
A  human  faith  and  bare  opinion  will  not  hold  fast  when  trial  comes. 
For  such  men  take  heaven  but  for  a  reserve,  because  they  must 
leave  earth  against  their  wills,  and  are  loath  to  goto  hell.  But 
they  are  resolved  to  hold  the  world  as  long  as  they  can,  because 
their  faith  apprehendeth  no  such  satisfying  certainty  of  the  things 
unseen  as  will  encourage  them  to  let  go  all  that  they  see,  and  have 
in  sensible  possession.  But  the  weakest  faith  that  is  true  and 
saving,  doth  habitually  dispose  the  soul  to  let  go  all  the  hopes  and 
happiness  of  this  world,  when  they  are  inconsistent  with  our  spir- 
itual hopes  and  happiness  ;  Luke  xiv.  33. 

And  now  I  have  gone  before  you  with  the  light,  and  showed  you 
what  a  believer  is,  will  you  presently  consider  how  far  your  hearts 
and  lives  agree  to  this  description  ?  To  know  whether  you  live 
by  faith  or  not,  is  consequently  to  know  whether  God  or  the  world 
be  your  portion  and  felicity,  and  so  whether  you  are  the  heirs  of 
heaven  or  hell.  And  is  not  this  a  question  that  you  are  most 
nearly  concerned  in  ?  O,  therefore,  for  your  souls'  sakes,  and  as 
ever  you  love  your  everlasting  peace,  "  Examine  yourselves,  wheth- 
er you  are  in  the  faith  or  not.  Know  you  not  that  Christ  is  in 
you,  (by  faith,)  except  you  be  reprobates?"  2  Cor.  xiii.  5.  Will 
you  hearken  now  as  long  to  your  consciences  as  you  have  done  to 
me?  As  you  have  heard  me  telling  you  what  is  the  nature  of  a 
living,  saving  faith,  will  you  hearken  to  your  consciences,  while 
they  impartially  tell  you  whether  you  have  this  life  of  faith  or 
not  ?  It  may  be  known,  if  you  are  willing,  and  diligent,  and  im- 
partial ;  if  you  search  on  purpose,  as  men  that  would  know  wheth- 
er they  are  alive  or  dead,  and  whether  they  shall  live  or  die  for- 
ever ;  and  not  as  men  that  would  be  flattered  and  deceived,  and 
are  resolved  to  think  well  of  their  state,  be  it  true  or  false. 

Let  conscience  tell  you.  What  eyes  do  you  see  by,  for  the 
conduct  of  the  chief  employment  of  your  lives  ?  Is  it  by  the  eye 
of  sense  or  faith  ?  I  take  it  for  granted  that  it  is  by  the  eye  of 
reason.  But  is  it  by  reason  corrupted  and  biased  by  sense,  or  is 
it  by  reason  elevated  by  faith  ?  What  country  is  it  that  your  hearts 
converse  in?  Is  it  in  heaven  or  earth?  WThat  company  is  it  that 
you  solace  yourselves  with  ?  Is  it  with  angels  and  saints  ?  Do 
you  walk  with  them  in  the  Spirit,  and  join  your  echoes  to  their 
triumphant  praises,  and  say,  Amen,  when  by  faith  you  hear  them 


LIFE    OF    FAITH.  409 

ascribing  honor,  and  praise,  and  glory  to  the  Ancient  of  Days, 
the  Omnipotent  Jehovah,  that  is,  and  that  was,  and  is  to  come? 
Do  you  fetch  your  joys  from  heaven  or  earth  ?  From  things  un- 
seen or  seen  ?  Things  future  or  present  ?  Tilings  hoped  for  or 
things  possessed  ?  What  garden  yieldeth  you  your  sweetest  flowers  ? 
Whence  is  the  food  that  your  hopes  and  comforts  live  upon  ? 
Whence  are  the  spirits  and  cordials  that  revive  you,  when  a  frown- 
ing world  doth  cast  you  into  a  fainting  fit  or  swoon  ?  Where  is  it 
that  you  repose  your  souls  for  rest,  when  sin  or  suffering  have 
made  you  weary  ?  Deal  truly  ;  is  it  in  heaven  or  earth  ?  Which 
world  do  you  take  for  your  pilgrimage,  and  which  for  your  home  ? 
I  do  not  ask  you  where  you  are,  but  where  you  dwell  ?  Not 
where  are  your  persons,  but  where  are  your  hearts?  In  a  word, 
are  you  in  good  earnest,  when  you  say,  you  believe  a  heaven  and 
hell  ?  And  do  you  think,  and  speak,  and  pray,  and  live,  as  those 
that  do  indeed  believe  it  ?  Do  you  spend  your  time,  and  choose 
your  condition  of  life,  and  dispose  of  your  affairs,  and  answer 
temptations  to  worldly  things,  as  those  that  are  serious  in  their  be- 
lief? Speak  out :  do  you  live  the  life  of  faith  upon  things  unseen? 
or  the  life  of  sense  on  the  things  that  you  behold  ?  Deal  truly  ; 
for  your  endless  joy  or  sorrow  doth  much  depend  on  it.  The  life 
of  faith  is  the  certain  passage  to  the  life  of  glory.  The  fleshly 
life  on  things  here  seen,  is  the  certain  way  to  endless  misery.  "If 
ye  live  after  the  flesh,  ye  shall  die;  but  if  ye,  by  the  Spirit,  do 
mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body,  ye  shall  live;"  Rom.  viii.  13. 
"  Be  not  deceived  ;  God  is  not  mocked  ;  for  whatsoever  a  man  sow- 
eth, that  shall  he  also  reap.  For  he  that  soweth  to  the  flesh  shall 
of  the  flesh  reap  corruption  ;  but  he  that  soweth  to  the  Spirit 
shall  of  the  Spirit  reap  everlasting  life  ;  "  Gal.  vi.  7,  8.  If  you 
would  know  where  you  must  live  forever,  know  how,  and  for  what, 
and  upon  what  it  is  that  you  live  here. 

Use  4.  Having  inquired  whether  you  are  .believers,  I  am  next 
to  ask  you  what  you  will  be  for  the  time  ,to  come.  Will  you  live 
upon  things  seen  or  unseen?  Will  you  arrogate  the  name  and 
honor  of  being  Christians  ?  Will  you  bethink  you  what  Christianity 
is  ?  And  will  you  be  indeed  what  you  say  you  are,  and  would  be 
thought  to  be?  O,  that  you  would  give  credit  to  the  word  of  God  ! 
that  the  God  of  heaven  might  be  but  heartily  believed  by  you! 
and  that  you  would  but  take  his  word  to  be  as  sure  as  sense !  and 
what  he  hath  told  you  is,  or  will  be,  to  be  as  certain  as  if  you  saw 
it  with  your  eyes  !  O,  what  manner  of  persons  would  you  then 
be  !  How  carefully  and  fruitfully  would  you  speak  and  live!  How 
impossible  were  it  then  that  you  should  be  careless  and  profane! 
And  here,  that  1  may,  by  seriousness,  bring  you  to  be  serious,  in 
so  serious  a  business,  I  shall  first  put  a  few  suppositions  to  you, 
VOL.  ii.  52 


410  I.1FK    OK    FAITH. 

about  the  invisible  objects  of  faith,  and  then  I  shall  put  some  ap- 
plicatory  questions  to  you,  concerning  your  own  resolutions  and 
practice  thereupon. 

1.  Suppose  you  saw  the  Lord  in  glory  continually  before  you, 
when  you  are  hearing,  praying,  talking,  jesting,  eating,  drinking, 
and  when  you  are  tempted  to  any  willful  sin.  Suppose  you  saw 
the  Lord  stand  over  you,  as  verily  as  you  see  a  man ;  (as  you 
might  do  if  your  eyes  could  see  him ;  for  it  is  most  certain  that  he 
is  still  present  with  you;)  suppose  you  saw  but  such  a  glimpse  of 
his  back  parts  as  Moses  did,  (Exod.  xxxiv.)  when  God  put  him 
into  a  cleft  of  the  rock,  and  covered  him  while  he  passed  by,  (Ex- 
od. xxxiii.  23.)  when  the  face  of  Moses  did  shine  with  the  sight, 
that  he  was  fain  to  veil  it  from  the  people ;  Exod.  xxxiv.  33 — -35. 
Or  if  you  had  seen  but  what  the  prophet  saw,  when  he  "  beheld 
the  Lord  upon  a  throne,  high  and  lifted  up,"  &c.  and  "  heard  the 
seraphim  cry,  Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the  Lord  of  hosts;  the  whole 
earth  is  full  of  his  glory."  When  he  said,  "  Woe  is  rne,  for  I 
am  undone,  because  I  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips,  and  dwell  in  the 
midst  of  a  people  of  unclean  lips  ;  for  mine  eyes  have  seen  the 
King,  the  Lord  of  hosts  ;"  Isa.  vi.  1 — 6.  Or  if  you  had  seen  but 
what  Job  saw,  when  he  said,  "  I  have  heard  of  thee  by  the 
hearing  of  the  ear ;  but  now  mine  eye  seeth  thee ;  wherefore  I  ab- 
hor myself,  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes  ;  "  Job  xlii.  5,  6.  What 
course  would  you  take,  what  manner  of  persons  would  you  be, 
after  such  a  sight  as  this?  If  you  had  seen -but  Christ  appearing 
in  his  glory,  as  the  disciples  on  the  holy  mount ;  Matt.  xvii.  Or 
as  Paul  saw  him  at  his  conversion,  when  he  was  smitten  to  the 
earth;  Acts  ix.  Or  as  John  saw  him,  (Rev.  i.  13.)  where  he 
saith,  "  He  was  clothed  with  a  garment  down  to  the  foot,  and  girt 
with  a  golden  girdle  ;  his  head  and  his  hairs  were  white  like  wool 
or  snow,  and  his  eyes  were  as  a  flame  of  fire,  and  his  feet  like  unto 
fine  brass,  as  if  they  burned  in  a  furnace,  and  his  voice  as  the 
sound  of  many  waters  ;  and  he  had  in  his  right  hand  seven  stars, 
and  out  of  his  mouth  went  a  sharp  two-edged  sword,  and  his  coun- 
teinnce  was  as  the  sun  shining  in  his  strength.  And  when  I  saw 
him,  I  fell  at  his  feet, as  dead;  and  he  laid  his  right  hand  upon  me, 
saying  unto  me,  Fear  not  ;  I  am  the  first  and  the  last  >  I  am  he 
that  livet'i  and  was  dead ;  and,  behold,  t  am  alive  for  evermore, 
Amen  ;  and  have  the  keys  of  hell  and  of  death.''  What  do  you 
think  you  should  be  and  do,  if  you  had  seen  but  such  a  sight  as 
this?  Would  you  be  godly  or  ungodly  after  it?  As  sure  as  you 
live,  and  see  one  another,  God  always  seeth  you.  He  seeth  your 
secret  filthiness,  and  deceit,  and  malice,  which  'you  think  is  hid: 
he  seeth  you  in  the  dark ;  the  locking  of  your  doors,  the  drawing 
of  your  curtains,  the  setting  of  the  sun,  or  the  putting  out  of  the 


1  liT.    Of     FAIT  If.  411 

candle,  doth  hide  nothing  from  him  that  i  <x;  n's-  \r,t.  ''Under- 
stand, O  ye  brutish  among  the  people  !  anil  ye  !bo!^,  when  will  ye 
be  wise?  He  that  planted  the  ear,  shall  he  not  he-.r?  He  that 
formed  the  eye,  shall  he  not  see  ?  "  Psal.  xciv.  8,  9.  The  lust, 
and  filthiness,  and  covetousness,  and  envy,  and  vanity  of  your  very 
thoughts  are  as  open  to  his  view  as  the  sun  at  noon.  And,  there- 
fore, you  may  well  suppose  him  present  that  cannot  be  absent; 
and  you  may  suppose  you  saw  him  that  still  seeth  you,  and  whom 
you  must  see.  O,  what  a  change  a  glimpse  of  the  glory  of  his 
majesty  would-  make  in  this  assembly!  O,  what  amazements, 
what  passionate  workings  of  soul  would  it  excite  !  Were  it  but 
an  angel  that  did  thus  appear  to  you,  what  manner  of  hearers 
would  you  be!  how  serious  !  how  affectionat3  !  how  sensible  !  And 
yet  are  you  believers,  and  have  none  of  this,  when  faith  makes 
unseen  things  to  be  as  seen  ?  If  thou  have  faith  indeed,  thou  seest 
him  that  is  invisible  ;  thou  speakest  to  him  ;  thou  nearest  him  in 
his  word  ;  thou  seest  him  in  his  works ;  thou  walkest  with  him  ; 
he  is  the  life  of  thy  comforts,  thy  converse  and  thy  life. 

2.  Suppose  you  had  seen  the  matters  revealed  in  the  gospel  to 
your  faith,  as  to  what  is  past  and  done  already.  If  you  had  seen 
the  deluge,  and  the  ark,  and  preservation  of  one  righteous  family  ; 
the  burning  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  with  fire  from  heaven;  and 
the  saving  of  Lot,  whose  righteous  soul  was  grieved  at  their  sins, 
and  hunted  after  as  a  prey  to  their  ungodly  rage,  because  he  would 
have  hindered  them  from  transgressing.  Suppose  you  had  seen 
the  opening  of  the  Red  sea,  the  passage  of  the  Israelites,  the 
drowning  of  Pharaoh  and  his  Egyptians  ;  the  manna  and  the  quails 
that  fell  from  heaven,  the  flaming  mount,  with  the  terrible  thunder, 
when  God  delivered  the  law  to  Moses  ;  what  manner  of  people 
would  you  have  been?  What  Ijves  would  you  have  led  after  such 
sights  as  all  or  any  of  these  ?  Suppose  you  had  seen  Christ  in  his 
state  of  incarnation,  in  his  examples  of  lowliness,  meekness,  con- 
tempt of  all  the  glory  and  vanities  of  this  world,  and  had  heard 
him  speak  his  heavenly  doctrine  with  power  and  authority,  as  never 
man  spake!  Suppose  you  had  seen  him  heal  the  blind,  the  lame, 
the  sick,  and  raise  the  dead  ;  and  seen  him,  after  all  this,  made 
the  scorn  of  sinners,  buffeted,  spit  upon,  when  they  had  crowned 
him  with  thorns,  and  arrayed  him  gorgeously  in  scorn ;  and  then 
nailed,  between  malefactors,  on  a  cross,  and  pierced,  and  die  a 
shameful  death,  and  this  for  such  as  you  and  I !  Suppose  you  had 
seen  the  sun  darkened  without  any  eclipse;  the  veil  of  the  temple 
rent ;  the  earth  tremble  ;  the  angels  terrifying  the  keepers,  and 
Christ  rise  again!  Suppose  you  had  been  among  the  disciples 
when  he  appeared  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  with  Thomas  had  put 


412  UFE    OF    FAITH. 

your  fingers  into  his  wounded  side ;  and  had  seen  him  walking  on  the 
waters,  and  at  last  seen  him  ascending  up  to  heaven.  Suppose  you 
had  seen  when  the  Holy  Ghost  came  down  on  the  disciples  in  the 
similitude  of  cloven  tongues,  and  had  heard  them  speak  in  the 
various  languages  of  the  nations,  and  seen  the  variety  of  miracles 
by  which  they  convinced  the  unbelieving  world  ;  what  persons 
would  you  have  been  ?  What  lives  would  you  have  led,  if  you 
had  been  eye-witnesses  of  all  these  things?  And  do  you  not  pro- 
fess to  believe  all  this,  and  that  these  things  are  as  certain  truths 
as  if  you  had  seen  them?  Why,  then,  doth  not  your  belief  affect 
you,  or  command  you  more  ?  Why  doth  it  not  do  what  sight 
would  do,  in  some  good  measure,  if  it  were  but  a  lively,  saving 
faith  indeed,  that  serveth  instead  of  sense  ?  Yea,  I  must  tell  you, 
faith  must  do  more  with  you  in  this  case  than  the  sight  of  Christ 
alone  could  do,  or  the  sight  of  his  miracles  did  on  most.  For 
many  that  saw  him,  and  saw  his  works,  and  heard  his  word,  yet 
perished  in  their  unbelief. 

3.  Suppose  you  saw  the  everlasting  glory  which  Christ  hath 
purchased  and  prepared  for  his  saints ;  that  you  had  been  .^CP 
with  Paul,  rapt  up  into  the  third  heavens,  and  seen  the  things  that 
are  unutterable  ;  would  you  not,  after  that,  have  rather  lived  like- 
Paul,  and  undergone  his  sufferings  and  contempt,  than  to  have 
lived  like  the  brain-sick,  brutish  world  ?  If  you  had  seen  what 
Stephen  saw  before  his  death,  "  the  glory  of  God,  and  Christ 
standing  at  his  right  hand,"  ([Acts  vii.  55,  56;)  if  you  had  seen 
the  thousands  and  millions  01  holy,  glorious  spirits,  that  are  con- 
tinually attending  the  Majesty  of  the  Lord  ;  if  you  had  seen  the 
glorified  spirits  of  the  just,  that  were  once  in  flesh,  despised  by  the 
blind,  ungodly  world,  while  they  waited  on  God  in  faith,  and  holi- 
ness, and  hope,  for  that  blessed  crown  which  now  they  wear ;  if 
you  had  felt  one  moment  of  their  joys  ;  if  you  had  seen  them  shine 
as  the  sun  in  glory,  and  made  like  unto  the  angels  of  God  ;  if  you 
had  heard  them  sing  the  song  of  the  Larab,  and  the  joyful  halle- 
lujahs, and  praise  to  their  eternal  King,  what  would  you  be,  and 
what  would  you  resolve  on,  after  such  a  sight  as  this?  If  the  rich 
man  (Luke  xvi.)  had  seen  Lazarus  in  Abraham's  bosom,  in  the 
midst  of  his  bravery,  and  honor,  and  feasting,  and  other  sensual 
delights,  as  afterwards  he  saw  it,  when  he  was  tormented  in  the 
flames  of  hell,  do  you  think  such  a  sight  would  not  have  cooled  his 
mirth  and  jollity,  and  helped  him  to  understand  the  nature  and 
value  of  his  earthly  felicity  ;  and  have  proved  a  more  effectual  ar- 
gument than  a  despised  preacher's  words  ?  At  least  to  have  brought 
him  to  a  freer  exercise  of  his  reason,  in  a  sober  consideration  of  his 
state  and  ways?  Had  you  seen  one  hour  what  Abraham,  David, 


LIFE    OF     FAITH.  413 

Paul,  and  all  the  saints  now  see,  while  sin  and  flesh  doth  keep  us 
here  in  the  dark,  what  work  do  you  think  yourselves  it  would 
make  upon  your  hearts  and  lives? 

4.  Suppose  you  saw  the  face  of  death,  and  that  you  were  now 
lying  under  the  power  of  some  mortal  sickness,  physicians  luivii:  * 
forsaken  you,  and  said,  '  There  is  no  hope  ; '  your  friends  weeping 
over  you.  and  preparing  your  winding-sheet  and  coilin,  digging 
your  graves,  and  casting  up  the  skulls,  and  bones,  and   earth,  that 
must  again  be  cast  in,  to  be  your  covering  and  company.    Suppose 
you  saw  a  messenger  from  God  to  tell  you  that  you  must  d.e  to- 
morrow; or  heard  but  what  one  of  your  predecessors  heard  ;  '-'Thou 
fool,  this  night  shall  thy  soul  be  required  of  thee :  thai,  whose 
shall  these  things  be  that  thou   hast  provided  \ "   Luke  xii.  20. 
How  would  such  a  message  work  with  you  ?     Would  it  leave  you 
as  you  are?     If  you  heard  a  voice  from  God   this  night  in  your 
chamber  in  the  dark,  telling  you  that  this  is  the  last  night  that  you 
shall  live  on  earth,  and  before  to-morrow  your  souls  must  be  in  an- 
other world,  and  come  before  the   dreadful  God,  what  would  be 
the  effect  of  such  a  message  ?     And  do  you  not  verily  believe  dial 
all  this  will  very  shortly  be  ?     Nay,  do  you  not  know,  without  be- 
lieving, that  you  must  die,  and  leave  your  worldly  glory  ?     And 
that  all  your  pleasures  and  contents  on  earth  will  be  as  if  they  had 
never  been  (and  much  worse  ? )     O,  wonderful  !  that  a  change  so 
sure,  so  great,  so  near,  should  no  more  affect  you,  and  no  more  be 
forethought  on,  and  no  more  prepared  for!  and  that  you  be  not 
awakened  by  so  full  and  certain  a  foreknowledge,  to  be  in  good 
sadness  for  eternal  life,  as  you  seem  to  be  when  death  is  at  hand ! 
5.  Suppose  you  saw  the  great  and  dreadful  day  of  judgment,  as 
it- is  described  by  Christ  himself  in  Matt.  xxv.     "  When  the  Son 
of  Man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels  with  him, 
then  shall  lie  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory  ;  and  before  him  shall 
be  gathered  all  nations  ;  and  he  shall  separate  them  one  from  an- 
other, as  a  shepherd  divideth  his  sheep  from  the  goats  ;  and  he  shall 
set  the  sheep  on  his  right  hand,  but  the  goals  on   the  left;  "  ver. 
31 — 33.,  and  shall  sentence  the  righteous  to  eternal  life,  and  the 
rest  into  everlasting  punishment :  if  you  did  now  behold  the  glory 
and  terror  of  that  great  appearance,  how  the  saints  will  be  mag- 
nified and  rejoice,  and  be  justified  against  all  the  accusations  of 
Satan,  and  calumnies  of  wicked  men;  and  how  the  ungodly  then 
would  fain  deny  the  words  and  deeds  that  now  they  glory  in  ;  and 
wrhat  horror  and  confusion  will  then  overwhelm  those  wretch- 
ed souls,  that  now  outface  the  messengers  of  the  Lord  !     Had 
you   seen    them  trembling  before  the  Lord  that  now  are  braving 
it    out  in    the   pride    and    arrogancy  of    their   hearts ;    had   you 
heard  how  then  they  will  change  their  tune,  and  wish  they  had 


414  LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

never  known  their  sins,  and  wish  they  had  lived  in  greater  holi- 
ness than  those  whom  they  derided  for  it ;  what  would  you  say, 
and  do,  and  be,  after  such  an  amazing  sight  as  tin's  ?  Would  you 
sport  it  out  in  sin,  as  you  have  done  ?  Would  you  take  no  better 
care  for  your  salvation  ?  If  you  had  seen  those  sayings  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  fulfilled,  "  When  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from  heav- 
en with  his  mighty  angels,  in  flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance  on  them 
that  know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ;  who  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord,  and  'from  the  glory  of  his  power  ;  "  (Jude  14, 
15.  2  Thess.  i.  7 — 9.)  what  mind  do  you  think  you  should  be  of? 
What  course  would  you  take,  if  you  had  but  seen  this  dreadful 
day  ?  Could  you  go  on  to  think,  and  speak,  and  live  as  sensually, 
stupidly  and  negligently  as  now  you  do  ?  "  The  day  of  the  Lord 
will  come  as  a  thief  in  the  night,  in  the  which  the  heavens  shall 
pass  away  with  a  threat  noise,  and  the  elements  shall  melt  with 
fervent  heat;  the  earth,  also,  and  the  works  that  are  therein,  shall 
be  burnt  up  ;"  2  Pet.  iii.  10 — 12.  Is  it  possible  soundly  to  be- 
lieve such  a  day,  so  sure,  so  near,  and  no  more  regard  it,  nor  make 
ready  for  it,  than  the  careless  and  ungodly  do  ? 

6.  Suppose,  at  that  day,  you  had  heard  the  devil  accusing  you 
of  all  the  sins  that  you  have  committed,  and  set  them  out  in  the 
most  odious  aggravations,  and  call  for  justice  against  you  to  your 
Judge :  if  you  heard  him  pleading  all  those  sins  against  you  that 
now  he  daily  tempts  you  to  commit,  and  now  maketh  you  believe 
are  harmless,  or  small,  inconsiderable  things  :  if  you  heard  him 
saying,  '  At  such  a  time  this  sinner  refused  grace,  neglected  Christ, 
despised  heaven,  and  preferred  earth  ;  at  such  a  time  he  derided 
godliness,  and  made  a  mock  of  the  holy  word  and  counsels  of  the 
Lord ;  at  such  a  time  he  profaned  the  name  of  God  ;  he  coveted 
his  neighbor's  wealth ;  he  cherished  thoughts  of  envy,  or  of  lust ; 
he  was  drunk,  or  gluttonous,  or  committed  fornication,  and  he  was 
never  thoroughly  converted  by  renewing  grace  ;  and,  therefore,  he 
is  an  heir  of  hell,  and  belongs  to  me  ;  I  ruled  him,  and  I  must 
have  him ; '  what  would  you  think  of  a  life  of  sin,  if  once  you 
had  heard  such  accusations  as  these  ?     How  would  you  deal  by  the 
next  temptation,  if  you  had  heard  what  use  the  tempter  will  here- 
after make  of  ail  your  sins  ? 

7.  What  if  you  had  seen  the  damned  in  their  misery,  and  heard 
them  cry  out  of  the  folly  of  their  impenitent,  careless  lives ;  and 
wishing,  as  Dives,  (Luke  xvi.)  that  their  friends  on  earth  might 
have  "one  sent  from  the  dead,  to  warn  them,  that  they  come  not 
to  that  place  of  torment ; "  (I  speak  to  men  that  say  they  are  be- 
lievers;)   what  would  you   do  upon    such  a  sight?  if  you  had 
heard  them  there  torment  themselves  in  the  remembrance  of  the 


LIFE    OF     FAITH.  415 

time  they  lost,  the  mercy  they  neglected,  the  grace  resisted,  and 
wish  it  were  all  to  do  again,  and  that  they  might  once  more  be 
tried  with  another  life  ?  If  you  saw  how  the  world  is  altered  with 
those  that  once  were  as  proud  and  confident  as  others,  what  do 
you  think  such  a  sight  would  do  with  you  ?  And  why,  then, 
doth  the  believing  of  it  do  no  more,  when  the  thing  is  certain? 

8.  Once  more : — suppose  that,  in  your  temptations,  you  saw 
the  tempter  appearing  to  you,  and  pleading  with  you,  as  he  doth 
by  his  inward  suggestions,  or  by  the  mouths  of  his  instruments. 
If  you  saw  him,  and  heard  him  hissing  you  on  to  sin,  persuading 
you  to  gluttony,  drunkenness,  or  uncleanness  ;  if  the  devil  ap- 
peared to  you,  and  led  you  to  the  place  of  lust,  and  offered  you 
the  harlot,  or  the  cup  of  excess,  and  urged  you  to  swear,  or  curse, 
or  rail,  or  scorn  at  a  holy  life  ;  would  not  the  sight  of  the  angel 
mar  his  game,  and  cool  your  courage,  and  spoil  your  sport,  and 
turn  your  stomachs?  Would  you  be  drunk,  or  filthy,  if  you  saw 
him  stand  by  you  ?  Think  on  it  the  next  time  you  are  tempted. 
Stout  men  have  been  appalled  by  such  a  sight.  And  do  you  not 
believe  that  it  is  he  indeed  that  tempteth  you  ?  As  sure  as  if 
your  eyes  beheld  him,  it  is  he  that  prompteth  men  to  jeer  at  god- 
liness, and  puts  your  wanton,  ribald  speeches,  and  oaths,  and 
curses  into  your  mouths :  he  is  the  tutor  of  the  enemies  of  grace, 
that  teacheth  them  '  4°°^  delirare,  ingeniose  insanire,'  ingeniously 
to  quarrel  with  the  vfcay  of  life,  and  learnedly  to  confute  the  argu- 
ments that  would  have  saved  them;  and  subtlely  to  dispute  them- 
selves out  of  the  hands  of  mercy,  and  gallantly  to  scorn  to  stoop 
to  Christ,  till  there  be  no  remedy ;  and  with  plausible  eloquence 
to  commend  the  plague  and  sickness  of  their  souls  ;  and  irrefra- 
gably  maintain  it,  that  the  way  to  hell  will  lead  to  heaven  ;  and  to 
justify  the  sins  that  will  condemn  them ;  and  honorably  and  tri- 
umphantly to  overcome  their  friends,  and  serve  the  devil  in  mood 
and  figure,  and  valiantly  to  cast  themselves  into  hell,  in  despite  of 
all  the  laws  and  reproofs  of  God  or  man  that  would  have  hindered 
them.  It  being  most  certain  that  this  is  the  devil's  work,  and  you 
durst  not  do  it  if  he  moved  you  to  it  with  open  face,  how  dare 
you  do  it  when  faith  would  assure  you,  that  it  is  as  verily  he  as  if 
you  saw  him? 

More  distinctly,  answer  these  following  questions,  upon  the  fore- 
going suppositions : — 

Quest.  1.  If  you  saw  but  what  you  say  you  do  believe,  would 
you  not  be  convinced  that  the  most  pleasant,  gainful  sin  is  worso 
than  madness  ?  And  would  you  not  spit  at  the  very  name  of  it, 
and  openly  cry  out  of  your  open  folly,  and  beg  for  prayers,  and 
love  reprovers,  and  resolve  to  turn  without  delay  ? 

Quest.  2.  What  would  you  think  of  the  most  serious,  holy  life, 


416  LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

if  you  had  seen  the  things  you  say  you  do  believe?  Would  you 
ever  again  reproach  it  as  preciseness,  or  count  it  more  ado  than 
needs,  and  think  your  time  were  better  spent  in  playing  than  in 
praying ;  in  drinking,  and  sports,  and  filthy  lusts,  than  in  the  holy 
services  of  the  Lord?  Would  you  think,  then,  that,  one  day  in 
seven  were  too  much  for  the  work  for  which  you  live ;  and  that 
an  hour  on  this  holy  day  were  enough  to  be  spent  in  instructing 
you  for  eternity  ?  Or  would  you  not  believe  that  he  is  the  blessed 
man,  whose  delight  is  in  the  law  of  God,  and  rneclitateth  in  it  day 
and  night  ?  Could  you  plead  for  sensuality,  or  ungodly  negligence, 
or  open  your  mouths  against  the  most  serious  holiness  of  life,  if 
heaven  and  hell  stood  open  to  your  view  ? 

Quest.  3.  If  you  saw  but  what  you  say  you  do  believe,  would 
you  ever  again  be  offended  with  the  ministers  of  Christ  for  the 
plainest  reproofs,  and  closest  exhortations,  arid  strictest  precepts 
and  discipline,  that  now  are  disrelished  so  much  ?  Or,  rather, 
would  you  not  desire  them  to  help  you  presently  to  try  your 
state,  and  to  search  you  to  the  quick,  and  to  be  more  solicitous  to 
save  you  than  to  please  you  ?  The  patient,  that  will  take  no  bit- 
ter medicine  in  time,  when  he  sees  he  must  die,  would  then  take 
any  thing.  When  you  see  the  things  that  now  you  hear  of,  then 
you  would  do  any  thing.  O,  then,  might  you  have  these  days 
again,  sermons  would  not  be  too  plain  or '.long :  in  season  and 
out  of  season  would  then  be  allowed  of.  Then  you  would  under- 
stand what  moved  ministers  to  be  so  importunate  with  you  for  con- 
version, and  whether  trifling  or  serious  preaching  was  the  best. 

Quest.  4.  Had  you  seen  the  things  that  you  say  you  do)  believe, 
what  effect  would  sermons  have  upon  you,  after  such  a  sight  as 
this  ?  O,  what  a  change  it  would  make  upon  our  preaching,  and 
your  hearing,  if  we  saw  the  things  that  we  speak  and  hear  of 
How  fervently  should  we  importune  you  in  the  name  of  Christ ! 
How  attentively  would  you  hear,  and  carefully  consider  and  obey ! 
We  should  then  have  no  such  sleepy  preaching  and  hearing  as 
now  we  have.  Could  I  but  show  to  all  this  congregation,  while  I 
am  preaching,  the  invisible  world  of  which  we  preach,  and  did  you 
Iiear  with  heaven  and  hell  in  your  eyesight,  how  confident  should 
I  be  (though  not  of  the  saving  change  of  all)  that  I  should,  this 
hour,  tea'ch  you  to  plead  for  sin, -and  against  a  holy  life,  no  more  ; 
and  send  you  home  another  people  than  you  catne  hither.  1  durst, 
then,  ask  the  worst- that  heareth  me,  '  Dare  you.  now  be  drunk,  or 
gluttonous,  or  worldly?  Dare  you  be  voluptuous,  proud,  or  tor- 
mentors any  more  ?  Dare  you  go  home,  and  make  a  jest  at  piety, 
and  neglect  your  souls  as  you  have  done?'  And  why,  then, 
should  not  the  believed  truth  prevail,  if  indeed  you  did  believe  it, 
when  the  thing  is  as  sure  as  if  you  saw  it? 


LfFK    OF    FAITH.  417 

Quest.  5.  If  you  had  seen  what  you  say  you  do  believe,  would 
you  hunt  as  eagerly  for  wealth,  or  honor,  and  regard  the  thoughts 
or  words  of  men,  as  you  did  before  ?  Though  it  is  only  the  be- 
liever that  truly  honoreth  his  rulers,  (for  none  else  honor  them  for 
God,  but  use  them  for  themselves,)  yet  wonder  not  if  he  fear  not 
much  the  face  of  man,  and  be  no  admirer  of  worldly  greatness, 
when  he  seeth  what  they  will  be,  as  well  as  what  they  are.  Would 
not  usurpers  have  been  less  feared,  if  all  could  have  foreseen  their 
fall  ?  Even  common  reason  can  foresee  that  shortly  you  will 
all  be  dust.  Methinks  I  foresee  your  ghastly  paleness,  your  loath- 
some blackness,  and  your  habitation  in  the  dark.  And  who  can 
much  envy  or  desire  the  advancements  that  have  such  an  end  ? 
One  sight  of  God  would  blast  all  the  glory  of  the  world,  that  is 
now  the  bait  for  man's  perdition. 

Quest.  6.  Would  temptations  be  as  powerful  as  now  they  are, 
if  you  did  but  see  the  things  you  hear  of?  Could  all  the  beauty 
or  pleasures  in  the  world  entice  you  to  nlthiness  or  sensuality,  if 
you  saw  God  over  you,  and  judgment  before  you,  and  saw  what 
damned  souls  now  sutler,  and  what  believers  now  enjoy  ?  Could 
you  be  persuaded,  by  any  company  or  recreation,  to  waste  your 
precious  time  in  vain,  with  such  things  in  your  eye  ?  I  am  confi- 
dent you  would  abhor  the  motion,  and  entertain  temptations  to 
the  most  honored,  gainful,  pleasant  sin,  as  now  you  would  do  a 
motion  to  cut  your  (wn  throats,  or  leap  into  a  coal-pit,  or  thrust 
your  head  into  a  burning  oven.  Why,  then,  doth  not  faith  thus 
shame  temptations,  if,  indeed,  you  do  believe  these  things  ?  Will 
you  say,  it  is  your  weakness,  you  cannot  choose;  or  that  it  is  your 
nature  to  be  lustful,  revengeful,  sensual,  and  you  cannot  overcome 
it ;  but  if  you  had  a  sight  of  heaven  and  hell,  you  could  then  re- 
sist ;  you  cannot  now,  because  you  will  not ;  but  did  you  see  that 
which  would  make  you  willing,  your  power  would  appear.  The 
sight  of  a  judge  or  gallows  can  resiniin  men.  The  sight  of  a  per- 
son whom  you  reverence  can  restrain  the  exercise  of  your  dis- 
graceful sins  ;  much  more  would  the  sight  of  heaven  and  hell.  If 
you  were  but  dying,  you  would  shake  the  head  at  him  that  would 
then  tempt  you  to  the  committing  of  your  former  sins.  And  is  not 
a  lively,  foreseeing  faith  as  effectual  ? 

Quest.  7.  Had  you  seen  what  you  say  you  do  believe,  you  would 
not  so  much  stick  at  sufferings,  nor  make  so  great  a  matter  of  it,  to 
be  reproached,  slandered,  imprisoned,  or  condemned  by  man,  when 
God  and  your  salvation  command  your  patience.  .  A  sight  of  hell 
would  make  you  think  it  worse  than  madness  to  run  thither  to  es- 
cape the  wrath  of  man,  or  any  sufferings  on  earth;  Rom.  viii.  18. 

Quest.  8.  And  O,  how  such  a  sight  would  advance  the  Re- 
deemer, and  his  grace,  and  promises,  and  word,  and  ordinances,  in 
VOL.  ii.  53 


418  LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

your  esteem  !  It  would  quicken  your  desires,  and  make  you  fly 
to  Christ  for  life,  as  a  drowning  man  to  that  which  may  support 
him.  How  sweetly,  then,  would  you  relish  the  name,  the  word, 
the  ways  of  Christ,  which  now  seem  dry  and  common  things ! 

Quest.  9.  Could  you  live  as  merrily  and  sleep  as  quietly  in  a 
negligent  uncertainty  of  your  salvation,  if  you  had  seen  these 
things,  as  now  you  do?  Could  you  live  at  heart's  ease,  while  you 
know  not  where  you  shall  be  to-morrow,  or  must  live  forever?  O 
no !  were  heaven  and  hell  but  seen  before  you,  your  consciences 
would  be  more  busy  in  putting  such  questions,  '  Am  I  regenerate, 
sanctified,  reconciled,  justified,  or  not?'  than  any  the  most  zealous 
minister  is  now. 

Quest.  10.  I  will  put  to  you  but  one  question  more.  If  we 
saw  God,  and  heaven,  and  hell  before  us,  do  you  think  it  would 
not  effectually  reconcile  our  differences,  and  heal  our  unbrotherly 
exasperations  and  divisions  ?  Would  it  not  hold  the  hands  that 
itch  to  be  using  violence  against  those  that  are  not  in  all  things  of 
their  minds?  What  abundance  of  vain  controversies  would  it  rec- 
oncile! As  the  coming  in  of  the  master  doth  part  the  fray 
among  the  schoolboys,  so  the  sight  of  God  would  frighten  us 
from  contentious  or  uncharitable  violence.  This  would  teach  us 
how  to  preach  and  pray  better  than  a  storm  at  sea  can  do,  which 
yet  doth  it  better  than  some  in  prosperity  will  learn.  Did  we  see 
what  we  preach  of,  it  would  drive  us  out  of  our  man-pleasing,  self- 
seeking,  sleepy  strain,  as  the  cudgel  drives  the  beggar  from  his 
canting,  and  the  breaking  loose  of  the  bear  did  teach  the  affected 
cripple  to  find  his  legs  and  cast  away  his  crutches.  I  would  de- 
sire no  better  outward  help  to  end  our  controversies  about  indiffer- 
ent modes  of  worship  than  a  sight  of  the  things  of  which  we  speak. 
This  would  excite  such  a  serious  frame  of  soul  as  would  not  suffer 
religion  to  evaporate  into  formality,  nor  dwindle  into  affectation, 
compliment  and  ceremony.  Nor  should  we  dare  to  beat  our  fel- 
iow-servan/s,  and  thrust  them  out  of  the  vineyard,  and  say,  You 
shall  not  preach,  or  pray,  or  live,  but  upon  these  or  those  unneces- 
sary terms.  But  the  sense  of  our  own  frailty,  and  fear  of  a  severe 
disquisition  of  our  failings,  would  make  us  compassionate  to  others, 
and  content  that  necessaries  be  the  matter  of  our  unity,  necessa- 
ries of  our  liberty,  and  both  of  charity. 

If  sight,  in  all  these  ten  particulars,  would  do  so  much,  should 
not  faith  do  much,  if  you  verily  believe  the  things  you  see  not? 

Alas !  corrupted  reason  is  asleep,  (with  men  that  seem  wise  in 
other  things,)  till  it  be  awakened  by  faith  or  sight.  And  sleeping 
reason  is  unserviceable  as  folly.  It  doth  no  work,  it  avoids  no  dan- 
ger. A  doctor  that  is  asleep  can  defend  the  truth  no  better  than 
a  wakiiiir  child.  BOt  reason  will  be  reason,  and  conscience  will 


LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

be  conscience,  when  the  dust  is  blown  out  of  men's  eyes,  and 
sight  and  feeling  have  awakened,  and  so  recovered  their  under- 
standinss,  or  faith  more  seasonably  and  happily  awakened  them. 

And  O,  that  now  we  might  all  consent  to  addict  ourselves  to  the 
life  of  faith  ;  and, 

1.  That  we  live  not  too  much  on  visibles.  2.  That  we  live  on 
things  invisible. 

(1.)  One  would  think  that  worldliness  is  a  disease  that  carrieth 
with  it  a  cure  for  itself ;  and  that  the  rational  nature  should  be  loath 
to  love  at  so  dear  a  rate,  and  to  labor  for  so  poor  a  recompense. 
It  is  pity  that  Gehazi's  leprosy  and  Judah's  death  should  no  more 
prevent  a  succession  of  Gehazis  and  Judahs  in  all  generations. 
Our  Lord  went  before  us  most  eminently  in  a  contempt  of  earth : 
"  his  kingdom  was  not  of  this  world."  No  men-  are  more  un- 
like him  than  the  worldlings.  I  know  necessity  is  the  pretense ; 
but  it  is  the  dropsy  of  covetousness  that  causeth  the  thirst  which 
they  call  necessity;  and,  therefore,  the  cure  is  'non  addere  opibus, 
sed  imminuere  cupiditatem.'  The  disease  must  not  be  fed,  but 
healed.  '  Satis  ost  divitiarum  non  amplius  velle.'  It  hath  lately 
been  a  controversy  whether  this  be  not  the  golden  age.  That  it 
is  '  aetas  ferrea,'  we  have  felt ;  our  demonstrations  are  undeniable : 
that  it  is  '  aetas  aurajg./  we  have  sufficient  proof;  and  while  gold  is 
the  god  that  rules  the  most,  we  will  not  deny  it  to  be  '  aetas  aurea/ 
in  the  poet's  sense, 

"  Aurea  nunc  vere  sunt  secula  :  plurimus  auro 
Venit  honos  :  auro  conciliate  amor." 

This  prevalency  of  things  seen,  against  things  unseen,  is  the 
idolatry  of  the  world  ;  the  subversion  of  nature ;  the  perversion  of 
our  faculties  and  actions ;  making  the  soul  a  drudge  to  flesh, 
and  God  to  be  used  as  a  servant  to  the  world,  it  destroyeth  piety, 
justice  and  charity.  It  turneth  '  jus '  by  perversion  into  '  vis  ; ' 
or  by  reversion  into  <sui.'  No  wonder,  then,  if  it  be  'the  ruin  of 
societies,  when 

"  Gens  sine  justitiu,  sine  remige  navis  in  unda. 

It  can  possess  even  Demosthenes  with  a  squinancy,  if  there  be  but 
an  Harpalus  to  bring  him  the  infection.  It  can  make  a  judicature 
to  be  as  Plutarch  called  that  of  Rome,  '  dasBiar  /iaodv,'  l  impiorum 
regionem  ; '  contrary  to  Cicero's  description  of  Sulpitius,  whowBry 
'  magis  justitiae  quam  juris  consultus,  et  ad  facilitatem  aequitatemque 
omnia  contulit ;  nee  maluit  litium  actiones  constituere,  quam  con- 
troversias  tollere.'  In  a  word,  if  you  live  by  sense,  and  not  by 
faith,  on  things  present,  and  not  on  things  unseen,  you  go  back- 
ward ;  you  stand  on  your  heads,  and  turn  your  heels  against  heav- 


420  MFE    OF    FAITH. 

en ;  you  cause  the  beast  to  ride  the  man ;  and  by  turning  all 
things  upside  down,  will  turn  yourselves  into  confusion. 

(2.)  Consider  that  it  is  the  unseen  things  that  are  only  great 
and  necessary,  that  are  worthy  of  a  man,  and  answer  the  excel- 
lency of  our  nature,  and  the  ends  of  our  lives,  and  all  our  mercies. 
All  other  things  are  inconsiderable  toys,  except  as  they  are  digni- 
fied by  their  relation  to  these.  Whether  a  man  step  into  eternity 
from  a  palace  or  a  prison,  a  lordship  or  a  Lazarus  state,  is  little  to 
be  regarded.  All  men  in  the  world,  whose  designs  and  business 
take  up  with  any  thing  short  of  heaven,  are,  in  the  main,  of  one 
condition,  and  are  but  in  several  degrees  and  forms  in  the  school 
of  folly.  If  the  intendment  of  your  lives  fall  short  of  God,  it  mat- 
ters not  much  what  it  is  you  seek,  as  to  any  great  difference.  If 
lesser  children  play  for  pins,  and  bigger  boys  for  points  and  pence, 
and  aged  children  for  lands  and  money,  for  titles  of  honor  and 
command,  what  difference  is  there  between  these,  in  point  of  wis- 
dom and  felicity,  but  that  the  little  ones  have  more  innocent 
delights,  and  at  a  cheaper  rate  than  the  aged  have,  without  the 
vexatious  cares  and  dangers  that  attend  more  grave  and  serious 
dotage  ?  As  holiness  to  the  Lord  is  written  upon  all  that  is  faith- 
fully referred  to  his  will  and  glory,  so  vanity  and  sin  is  written 
upon  all  that  is  but  made  provision  for  the  flesh,  and  hath  no  high- 
er end  than  self.  To  go  to  hell  with  greater  st^r,  and  attendance, 
and  repute,  with  greater  pomp  and  pleasure,  than  the  poor,  is  a 
poor  consolation,  a  pitiful  felicity. 

(3.)  Faith  is  the  wisdom  of  the  soul ;  and  unbelief  and  sensu- 
ality are  its  blindness,  folly  and  brutishness.  How  short  is  the 
knowledge  of  the  wisest  unbelievers !  They  know  not  much 
of  what  is  past ;  (and  less  they  would  know  if  histories  were  not 
of  more  credit  with  them  than  the  word  of  God ;)  but,  alas !  how 
little  do  they  know  of  what  is  to  come !  Sense  tells  them  where 
they  are,  and  what  they  are  now  doing ;  but  it  tells  them  not 
where  they  shall  be  to-morrow.  But  faith  can  tell  a  true  believer 
what  will  be  when  this  world  is  ended,  and  where  he  shall  live  to 
all  eternity,  and  what  he  shall  be  doing,  what  thoughts  he  shall  be 
thinking,  what  affections  shall  be  the  temper  and  employment  of 
his  soul;  what  he  shall  see,  and  feel,  and  enjoy;  and  with  what 
company  he  shall  converse  forever.  If  the  pretenders  to  astro- 
logical prediction  could  but  foretell  the  changes  of  men's  lives, 
and  the  time  and  manner  of  their  deaths,  what  resort  would  be  to 
them !  and  how  wise  would  they  be  esteemed !  But  what  is  all 
this  to  the  infallible  predictions  of  the  All-knowing  God,  that  hath 
given  us  a  prospect  into  another  world,  and  showed  us  what  will 
be  forever,  more  certainly  than  you  know  what  a  day  may  bring 
forth! 


LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

So  necessary  is  foreknowledge  in  the  common  affairs  of  men, 
that  without  it,  the  actions  of  the  world  would  be  but  mad,  tu- 
multuary confusion.  What  would  you  think  of  that  man's  under- 
standing, or  how  would  you  value  the  employments  of  his  life,  that 
looked  no  further,  in  all  his  actions,  than  the  present  hour,  and  saw 
no  more  than  the  things  in  hand  ?  What  would  you  call  him  that 
so  spends  the  day,  as  one  that  knoweth  not  there  will  be  any 
night ;  and  so  passed  the  night,  as  one  that  looked  not  for  the  day  ? 
that  knew  not,  in  the  spring,  there  would  be  an  harvest  ;  or,  in 
the  summer,  that  there  would  be  any  winter;  or,  in  youth,  that 
there  would  be  age  or  death  ?  The  silly  brutes,  that  have  no  fore- 
knowledge, are  furnished  with  an  instinct  that  supplieth  the  want 
of  it ;  and  also  have  the  help  of  man's  foreknowledge,  or  else  their 
kind  would  be  soon  extinct.  The  bees  labor  in  summer,  as  if 
they  foresaw  the  winter's  need.  And  can  that  man  be  wise  that 
foreseeth  not  his  everlasting  state  ?  Indeed,  he  that  knoweth  not 
what  is  to  come,  hath  no  true  knowledge  of  what  is  present ;  for 
the  worth  and  use  of  present  things  is  only  in  their  respect  to 
things  eternal ;  and  there  is  no  means  where  there  is  no  end. 
What  wisdom,  then,  remains  in  unbelievers,  when  all  their  lives 
are  misemployed,  because  they  know  not  the  end  of  life  ?  and 
when  all  their  actions  are  utterly  debased  by  the  baseness  of  those 
brutish  ends  to  whicjjj^ey  serve  and  are  referred  ?  Nothing  is 
truly  wise  or  honoraf^that  is  done  for  small  and  worthless  things. 
To  draw  a  curious  picture  of  a  shadow,  or  elegantly  write  the  his- 
tory of  a  dream,  may  be  an  ingenious  kind  of  foolery  ;  but  the  end 
will  not  allow  it  the  name  of  wisdom :  and  such  are  all  the  actions 
of  the  world  (though  called  heroic,  valiant  and  honorable)  that 
aim  at  transitory  trifles,  and  tend  not  to  the  everlasting  end.  A 
bird  can  neatly  build  her  nest,  but  is  not  therefore  counted  wise. 
How  contrary  is  the  judgment  of  the  world  to  Christ's  !  When 
the  same  description  that  he  giveth  of  a  fool,  is  it  that  worldlings 
give  of  a  wise  and  happy  man ;  "  One  that  layeth  up  riches  for 
himself,  and  is  not  rich  towards  God  ;  "  Luke  xii.  20,  21.  Will 
you  persuade  us  that  the  man  is  wise,  that  can  climb  a  little  higher 
than  his  neighbors,  that  he  may  have  the  greater  fall  ?  that  is 
attended  in  his  way  to  hell  with  greater  pomp  and  state  than 
others  ?  that  can  sin  more  syllogistically  and  rhetorically  than 
the  vulgar,  and  more  prudently  and  gravely  run  into  damnation, 
and  can  learnedly  defend  his  madness,  and  prove  that  he  is  safe 
at  the  brink  of  hell  ?  Would  you  persuade  us  that  he  is  wise,  that 
contradicts  the  God  and  rule  of  wisdom,  and  that  parts  with  heaven 
for  a  few  merry  hours,  and  hath  not  wit -to  save  his  soul  ?  'When 
they  see  the  end,  and  are  arrived  at  eternity,  let  them  boast  of 
their  wisdom  as  they  find  cause  ;  we  will  take  them  then  for  more 


422  LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

competent  judges.  Let  the  eternal  God  be  the  portion  of  my  soul ; 
let  heaven  be  my  inheritance  and  hope  ;  let  Christ  be  my  Head, 
and  the  promise  my  security  ;  let  faith  be  my  wisdom,  and  love  be 
my  very  heart  and  will ;  and  patient,  pel-severing  obedience  be 
my  life  ;  and  then  I  can  spare  the  wisdom  of  the  world,  because  I 
can  spare  the  trifles  that  it  seeks,  and  all  that  they  are  like  to  get 
by  it. 

What  abundance  of  complaints  and  calamity  would  foresight 
prevent !  Had  the  events  of  this  one  year  been  (conditionally) 
foreseen,  the  actions  of  thousands  would  have  been  otherwise  or- 
dered, and  much  sin  and  shame  have  been  prevented.  What  a 
change  would  it  make  on  the  judgments  of  the  world  !  How 
many  words  would  be  otherwise  spoken  ;  and  how  many  deeds 
would  be  otherwise  done;  and  how  many  hours  would  be  other- 
wise spent,  if  the  change  that  will  be  made  by  judgment  and  ex- 
ecution were  well  foreseen  !  And  why  is  it  not  foreseen,  when  it 
is  foreshown?  When  the  omniscient  God,  that  will  certainly  per- 
form his  word,  hath  so  plainly  revealed  it,  and  so  frequently  and 
loudly  warns  you  of  it!  Is  he  wise,  that,  after  all  these  warnings, 
will  lie  down  in  everlasting  woe,  and  say,  '  I  little  thought  of 
such  a  day  ?  I  did  not  believe  I  should  ever  have  seen  so  great  a 
change.' 

Would  the  servants  of  Christ  be  used  as^iey  are,  if  the  mali- 
cious world  foresaw  the  day  when  "  Christ  'shall  come  with  ten 
thousands  of  his  saints,  to  execute  judgment  on  all  that  are  un- 
godly?" Jude  14,  15.  When  he  shall  "come  to  be  glorified  in 
his  saints,  and  admired  in  all  them  that  do  believe  ;  "-  2  Thess.  i. 
10.  When  "the  saints  shall  judge  the  world;"  1  Cor.  vi.  2,  3. 
and  when  the  ungodly,  seeing  them  on  Christ's  righthand,  must  hear 
their  sentence  on  this  account,  "  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  Inasmuch 
as  you  did  it  (or  did  it  not)  to  one  of  the  least  of  these,  (my  breth- 
ren,) you  did  it  unto  me  ; "  Matt.  xxv.  Yet  a  few  days,  and  all 
this  will  be  done  before  your  eyes  ;  but  the  unbelieving  world  will 
not  foresee  it. 

Would  malignant  Cain  have  slain  his  brother,  if  he  had  foreseen 
the  punishment,  which  he  calleth  afterwards  intolerable?  Gen.  iv.  13. 
Would  the  world  have  despised  the  preaching  of  Noah,  if  they  had 
believed  the  deluge?  Would  Sodom  have  been  Sodom,  if  they 
had  foreseen  that  a  hell  from  heaven  would  have  consumed  them  ? 
Would  Achan  have  meddled  with  his  prey,  if  he  had  foreseen  the 
•stones  that  were  his  executioners  and  his  tomb?  Would  Gehazi 
have  obeyed  his  covetous  desire,  if  he  had  foreseen  the  leprosy  ? 
Or  Judas  have  betrayed  Christ,  if  he  had  foreseen  the  hanging 
himself  in  his  despair  ?  It  is  foreseeing  faith  that  saves  those  that 
are  saved,  and  blind  unbelief  that  causeth  men's  perdition. 


LIFE    OF    FAITH.  423 

Yea,  present  things,  as  well  as  future,  are  unknown  to  foolish 
unbelievers.  Do  they  know  who  seeth  them  in  their  sin  ?  And 
what  many  thousands  are  suffering  for  the  like,  while  they  see  no 
danger !  Whatever  their  tongues  say,  the  hearts  and  lives  of  fools 
deny  that  there  is  a  God  that  seeth  them,  and  will  be  their  Judge ; 
Psal.  xiv.  1.  You  see,  then,  that  you  must  live  by  faith,  or  perish 
by  folly. 

(4.)  Consider  that  things  visible  are  so  transitory,  and  of  so 
short  continuance,  that  they  do  not  deserve  the  name  of  things ; 
being  nothings,  and  less  than  nothing,  and  lighter  than  vanity  it- 
self, compared  to  the  necessary  Eternal  Being,  whose  name  is  1 
AM.  There  is  but  a  few  days'  difference  between  a  prince  and 
no  prince ;  a  lord  and  no  lord  ;  a  man  and  no  man ;  a  world  and 
no  world.  And  if  this  be  all,  let  the  time  that  is  past  inform  you 
how  small  a  difference  this  is.  Rational  foresight  may  teach  a 
Xerxes  to  weep  over  his  numerous  army,  as  knowing  how  soon 
they  were  all  to  be  dead  men.  Can  you  forget  that  death  is  ready 
to  undress  you ;  and  tell  you,  that  your  sport  and  mirth  is  done  ; 
and  that  now  you  have  had  all  that  the  world  can  do  for  those  that 
serve  it,  and  take  it  for  their  part  ?  How  quickly  can  a  fever,  or 
the  choice  of  an  hundred  messengers  of  death,  bereave  you  of  all 
that  earth  afforded  you,  and  turn  your  sweetest  pleasures  into  gall, 
and  turn  a  lord  into  a%imp  of  clay  !  It  is  but  as  a  wink,  an  inch 
of  time,  till  you  must  quit  the  stage,  and  speak,  and  breathe,  and 
see  the  face  of  man  no  more.  If  you  foresee  this,  O  live  as  men 
that  do  foresee  it !  I  never  heard  of  any  that  stole  his  winding- 
sheet,  or  fought  for  a  coffin,  or  went  to  law  for  his  grave.  And  if 
you  did  but  see  (as  wise  men  should)  how  near  your  honors,  and 
wealth,  and  pleasures  do  stand  unto  eternity,  as  well  as  your  wind- 
ing-sheets, your  coffins,  and  your  graves,  you  would  then  value, 
and  desire,  and  seek  them  regularly  and  moderately,  as  you  do 
these.  O,  what  a  fading  flower  is  your  strength  !  How  soon 
will  all  your  gallantry  shrink  into  the  shell !  '  Si  vestra  sunt  tol- 
lite  ea  vobiscum.'  Bern.  But  yet  this  is  not  the  great  part  of  the 
change:  the  'terminus  ad  quern'  doth  make  it  greater.  It  is  aw- 
ful for  persons  of  renown  and  honor  to  change  their  palaces  for 
graves,  and  turn  to  noisome  rottenness  and  dirt ;  to  change  their 
power  and  command  for  silent  impotency,  unable  to  rebuke  the 
poorest  worm,  that  saucily  feedeth  on  their  hearts  or  faces.  But 
if  you  are  believers,  you  can  look  further,  and  foresee  much  more. 
The  largest  and  most  capacious  heart  alive  is  unable  fully  to  con- 
ceive what  a  change  the  stroke  of  death  will  make. 

For  the  holy  soul  so  suddenly  to  pass  from  prayer  to  angelical 
praise ;  from  sorrow  unto  boundless  joys  ;  from  the  slanders,  and 
contempt,  and  violence  of  men,  to  the  bosom  of  Eternal  Love ; 


FAITH. 


from  the  clamors  of  a  tumultuous  world,  lo  the  universal  harmony, 
and  perfect  uninterrupted  love  and  peace !  O,  what  a  blessed 
change  is  this  !  which,  believing  now,  we  shall  shortly  feel. 

For  an  unholy,  unrenewed  soul,  that  yesterday  was  drowned  in 
flesh,  and  laughed  at  threatening^,  and  scorned  reproofs,  to  be  sud- 
denly snatched  into  another  world ;  and  see  the  heaven  that  he 
hath  lost,  and  feel  the  hefl  which  he  would  not  believe  ;  to  fall 
into  the  gulf  of  bottomless  eternity,  and  at  once  to  find  that  joy 
and  hope  are  both  departed ;  that  horror  and  grief  must  be  his 
company,  and  desperation  hath  locked  up  the  door  !  O,  what  an 
amazing  change  is  this !  If  you  think  me  troublesome  for  men- 
tioning such  ungrateful  things,  what  a  trouble  will  it  be  to  feel 
them  !  May  it  teach  you  to  prevent  that  greater  trouble,  you  may 
well  bear  this.  Find  but»a  medicine  against  death,  or  any  security 
lor  your  continuance  here,  or  any  prevention  of  the  change,  and  I 
have  done  ;  but  that  which  unavoidably  must  be  seen,  should  be 
foreseen. 

But  the  unseen  world  is  not  thus  mutable :  eternal  life  is  begun 
in  the  believer.  The  church  is  built  on  Christ  the  rock  ;  and  the 
gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it.  Fix  here,  and  you  shall 
never  be  removed. 

(5.)  Hence  follovveth  another  difference :  the  mutable  creature 
doth  impart  a  disgraceful  mutability  to  the/ soul  that  chooseth  it. 
It  disappointeth  and  deceiveth  ;  and  therefore  the  ungodly  are  of 
one  mind  to-day,  and  another  to-morrow.  In  health  they  are  all 
for  pleasure,  and  commodity,  and  honor ;  and  at  death  they  cry 
out  on  it  as  deceitful  vanity.  In  health  they  cannot  abide  this 
strictness,  this  meditating,  and  seeking,  and  preparing  for  the  life 
to  come  ;  but  at  death  or  judgment  they  will  be  of  another  mind. 
Then,  O  that  they  had  been  so  wise  as  to  know  their  time  !  And 
O  that  they  had  lived  as  holy  as  the  best !  They  are  now  the 
bold  opposers  and  reproachers  of  a  holy  life  ;  but  then  they  would 
be  glad  it  had  been  their  own  :  they  would  eat  their  words,  and 
will  be  down  in  the  mouth,  and  stand  to  never  a  word  they  say. 
when  sight,  and  sense,  and  judgment  shall  convince  them. 

But  things  unchangeable  do  fix  the  soul.  Piety  is  no  matter 
for  repentance.  Doth  the  believer  speak  against  sin  and  sinners, 
and  for  a  holy,  sober,  righteous  life  ?  He  will  do  so  to  the  last : 
death  and  judgment  shall  not  change  his  mind  in  this,  but  much 
confirm  it ;  Rom.  viii.  35 — 37.  And  therefore  he  perseveres 
through  sufferings  to  death :  "  For  this  cause  we  faint  not ;  but 
though  our  outward  man  perish,  yet  the  inward  man  is  renewed 
day  by  day.  For  our  light  affliction,  which  is  but  for  a  moment, 
worketh  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  eternal  weight  of  glory. 
While  we  look  not  at  the  things  that  are  seen,  but  at  the  things 


LIFE    0V    FAITH.  426 

which  are  not  seen :  for  the  things  which  are  seen  are  temporal ; 
but  the  things  which  are  not  seen  are  eternal ;"  2  Cor.  iv. 
16—18. 

(6.)  Lastly,  let  this  move  you  to  live  by  a  foreseeing  faith, 
that  it  is  of  necessity  to  your  salvation.  Believing  heaven  must 
prepare  you  for  it  before  you  can  enjoy  it.  Believing  hell  is 
necessary  to  prevent  it ;  Mark  xvi.  16.  John  iii.  IS.  36.  "The 
just  shall  live  by  faith  ;  but  if  any  man  draw  back,  (or  be  lifted  up,) 
the  Lord  will  have  no  pleasure  in  him  ; "  Heb.  x.  38.  Hab.  ii.  4. 
''Take  heed  that  there  be  not  in  any  of  you  an  evil  heart  of  un- 
belief, to  depart  from  the  living  God;"  Heb.  iii.  12.  "And  be 
not  of  them  that  draw  back  to  perdition,  but  of  them  that  believe 
to  the  saving  of  the  soul;''  Heb.  x.  39.  It  is  CJod  that  saith, 
"  They  shall  all  be  damned  that  believed  not  the  truth,  but  had 
pleasure  in  unrighteousness;''  2  Thess.  ii.  10 — 12. 

May  I  now,  in  the  conclusion,  more  particularly  exhort  you, 
1.  That  you  will  live  upon  things  foreseen.  2.  That  you  will 
promote  this  life  of  faith  in  others,  according  to  your  several  ca- 
pacities. 

Princes  and  nobles  live  not  always  :  you  are  not  the  rulers  of 
the  unmovable  kingdom ;  but  of  a  boat  that  is  in  a  hasty  stream, 
or  a  ship  under  sail  that  will  speed  both  pilot  and  passengers  to 
the  shore.  ;  Dixi,  esti's  Dii :  ut  moriemini  ut  homines.'  It  was 
not  the  least  or  worst  of  kings  that  said,  "  I  am  a  stranger  upon 
earth;"  Psal.  cxix.  19.  '  Vermis  sum,  non  homo:'  "  I  am  a 
worm,  and  no  man  ;  "  Psal.  xxii.  6.  You  are  the  greater  worms, 
and  we  the  little  ones :  but  we  must  all  say  with  Job,  "  The 
grave  is  our  house,  and  we  must  make  our  beds  in  darkness :  cor- 
ruption is  our  father,  and  the  worm  our  mother  and  our  sister ; " 
Job  xvii.  13,  14.  The  inexorable  leveler  is  ready  at  your  backs 
to  convince  you.  by  irresistible  argument,  that  dust  you  are,  and  to 
dust  you  shall  return.  Heaven  should  be  as  desirable,  and  hell  as 
terrible,  to  you  as  to  others.  No  man  will  fear  you  after  death  ; 
much  les^  will  Christ  be  afraid  to  judge  you  ;  Luke  xix.  27.  As 
the  kingdoms  and  glory  of  the  world  were  contemned  by  him  in 
the  hour  of  his  temptation,  so  are  they  inconsiderable  to  procure 
his  approbation.  Trust  not  therefore  to  uncertain  riches:  value 
them  but  as  they  will  prove  at  last.  As  you  stand  on  higher 
ground  than  others,  it  is  meet  that  you  should  see  further.  The 
greater  are  your  advantages,  the  wiser  and  better  you  should  be ; 
and  the:  elbre  should  better  perceive  the  difference  between  things 
temporal  and  eternal.  It  is  alwnys  dnrk  where  these  glow-worms 
shine,  and  where  a  rotten  post  doth  seem  a  fire. 

Your  difficulties  also  should  excite  you  :  you  must  go  as  through 
VOL.  n.  54 


LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

a  needle's  eye  to  heaven.  To  live  as  in  heaven  in  a  crowd  of 
business  and  stream  of  temptations  from  the  confluence  of  all 
worldly  things,  is  so  hard,  that  few  such  come  to  heaven.  With- 
draw yourselves,  therefore,  to  the  frequent,  serious  forethoughts  of 
eternity,  and  live  by  faith. 

Had  time  allowed  it,  I  should  have  come  down  to  some 
particular  instances,  as,  1.  Let  the  things  unseen  be  still  at  hand 
to  answer  every  temptation,  and  shame  and  repel  each  motion 
to  sin. 

2.  Let  them  be  still  at  hand  to  quicken  us  to  duty,  when  back- 
wardness and  coldness  doth  surprise  us.     What !  shall  we  do  any 
thing  coldly  for  eternity  ? 

3.  Let  it  resolve  you  what  company  to  delight  in,  and  what 
society  to  be  of;  even  those  with  whom  you  must  dwell  forever. 
What  side  soever  is  uppermost  on  earth,  you  may  foresee  which 
side  shall  reign  forever. 

4.  Let  the  things  invisible  be  your  daily  solace,  and  the  satis- 
faction of  your  souls.     Are  you  slandered  by  men  ?     Faith  tells 
you,  it  is  enough  that  Christ  will  justify  you.     O  happy  day  !  when 
he   will  bring  forth   our  righteousness   as  the  light,  and  set   all 
straight,  which  all  the  false  histories  or  slanderous  tongues  or  pens 
in  all  the  world  made  crooked.    Are  you  frowned  on  or  contemned 
by  men?     Is  it. not  enough  that  you  shall  everlastingly  be  honored 
by  the  Lord  ?     Are  you  wronged,  oppressed,  or  trodden  on  by 
pride  or  malice?     Is  not  heaven   enough  to    make  you  repara- 
tion ?     And  eternity  long  enough   for  your  joys  ?     O  pray   for 
your  malicious  enemies,  lest  they  suffer  more  than  you  can  wish 
them! 

2.  Lastly,  I  should  have  become,  on  the  behalf  of  Christ,  a  pe- 
titioner to  you  for  protection  and  encouragement  to  the  heirs  of 
the  invisible  world;  for  them  that  preach  and  them  that  live  in 
this  life  of  faith  ;  not  for  the  honors  and  riches  of  the  world  ; 
but  for  leave  and  countenance  to  work  in  the  vineyard,  and  peace- 
ably travel  through  the  world  as  strangers,  and  live  in  the  commu- 
nion of  saints  as  they  believe.  But,  though  it  be  for  the  beloved 
of  the  Lord,  the  apple  of  his  eye,  the  people  that  are  sure  to  pre- 
vail and  reign  with  Christ  forever ;  whose  prayers  can  do  more 
for  the  greatest  princes  than  you  can  do  for  them,  whose  joy  is  has- 
tened by  that  which  is  intended  for  their  sorrow  ;  I  shall  now  lay 
by  any  further  suit  on  their  behalf. 

But  for  yourselves,  O  use  your  seeing  and  foreseeing  faculties  ! 
Be  often  looking  through  the  prospective  of  the  promise  ;  and  live 
not  by  sense  on  present  things ;  but  live  as  if  you  saw  the  glorious 
things  which  you  say  you  do  believe.  That  when  worldly  titles 


LIFE     OF    FAITH.  427 

are  insignificant  words,  and  fleshly  pleasures  have  an  end,  and 
faith  and  holiness  will  be  the  marks  of  honor,  and  unbelief  and 
ungodliness  the  badges  of  perpetual  shame,  and  when  you  must 
give  account  of  your  stewardship,  and  shall  be  no  longer  stew- 
ards, you  may  then  be  brought  by  faith  unto  fruition,  and  see  with 
joy  the  glorious  things  that  you  now  believe.  Write  upon  your 
palaces  and  goods  that  sentence,  "  Seeing  all  these  things  shall 
be  dissolved,  what  manner  of  persons  ought  we  to  be  in  all  holy 
conversation  and  godliness,  looking  for  and  hasting  to  the  coming 
of  the  day  of  God  ? "  2  Pet.  iii.  11. 


LIFE    OF    FAITH. 


HEBREWS  xi.  1. 

NOW    FAITH    IB    THE      SUBSTANCE    OF    THINGS      HOPED     FOR,    THE    EVI- 
DENCE   OF    THINGS    NOT    SEEN. 


CHAPTER  I. 

.For   Conviction. 

IN  the  opening  of  this  text,  I  have  already  showed,  that  '  it  is 
the  nature  and  use  of  faith  to  be  instead  of  presence  and  sight ;  or 
to  make  things  absent,  future,  and  unseen,  to  be  to  us,  as  to  our  esti- 
mation, resolution,  and  conversation,  as  if  they  were  present,  and 
before  our  eyes  ;  though  not  as  to  the  degree,  yet  as  to  the  sincer- 
ity of  our  acts.' 

In  the  handling  of  this  doctrine,  1  have  already  showed,  that 
this  faith  is  a  grounded,  justifiable  knowledge,  and  not  a  fancy  or 
ineffectual  opinion ;  having  for  its  object  the  infallible  revelation 
and  certain  truth  of  God ;  and  not  a  falsehood,  nor  a  mere  proba- 
bility, or  '  verisimile.'  I  have  showed  how  such  a  faith  will  work; 
how  far  it  should  carry  us  if  its  evidence  were  fully  entertained  and 
improved  ;  and  how  far  it  doth  carry  all  that  have  it  sincerely  in  the 
least  degree ;  and  I  have  showed  some  of  the  moving  considera- 
tions that  should  prevail  with  us  to  live  upon  the  things  unseen 
as  if  they  were  open  to  our  sight. 

I  think  I  may  suddenly  proceed  here  to  the  remaining  part  of 
the  application,  without  any  recital  of  the  explication  or  confirma- 
tion, the  truth  lying  so  naked  in  the  text  itself. 

The  life  of  faith  and  the  life  of  sense  are  the  two  ways  that  all 
the  world  do  walk  in  to  the  two  extremely  different  ends  which 
appear  when  death  withdraws  the  veil.  It  is  the  ordination  of 
God,  that  men's  own  estimation,  choice,  and  endeavors,  shall  be 
the  necessary  preparative  to  their  fruition.  '  Nemo  nolens  bonus 
aut  beatus  est.'  Men  shall  have  no  better  than  they  value,  and 
choose,  and  seek.  Where  earthly  things  are  highest  in  the  esteem 
and  dearest  to  the  mind  of  man,  such  persons  have  no  higher  nor 
more  durable  portion.  Where  the  heavenly  things  are  highest  and 
dearest  to  the  soul,  and  are  practically  preferred,  they  are  the  por- 
tion of  that  soul.  Where  the  treasure  is,  the  heart  will  be  ;  Matt, 
vi.  21.  The  sanctifying  Spirit  doth  lead  the  spiritual  man,  by  a 
spiritual  rule,  in  a  spiritual  way,  to  a  spiritual,  glorious,  durable  fe- 


. 
LIFE    OF    FAITH.  429 

licity.  The  sensual  part,  with  the  sensual  inclination  communi- 
cated to  the  corrupted  mind  and  will,  cloth  by  carnal  reasonings, 
and  hy  carnal  means,  pursue  and  embrace  a  present,  fading,  car- 
nal interest ;  and  therefore  it  findeth  and  attaineth  no  more.  "  The 
flesh  lusteth  against  the  Spirit,  and  the  Spirit  against  the  Hesh  ; 
and  these  are  contrary  the  one  to  the  other;"  Gal.  v.  17.  "  They 
that  are  after  the  flesh  do  mind  the  things  of  the  flesh ;  bat  they 
that  are  after  the  Spirit,  the  things  of  the  Spirit.  To  be  carnally 
minded  is  death  ;  but  to  be  spiritually  minded  is  life  and  peace  ; 
because  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God  ;  for  it  is  not  sub- 
ject to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be.  So,  then,  they 
that  are  in  the  flesh  cannot  please  God.  If  any  man  have  not 
the  Spirit  of  Christ,  the  same  is  none  of  his.  If  we  live  after  the 
flesh,  we  shall  die;  but  if  by  the  Spirit  we  mortify  the  deeds  of 
the  body,  we  shall  live ; "  Rom.  viii.  5 — 14.  "  Whatsoever  a 
man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap.  He  that  soweth  to  his  flesh 
shall  of  the  flesh  reap  corruption  ;  but  he  that  soweth  to  the  Spir- 
it shall  of  the  Spirit  reap  everlasting  life."  As  a  man  is,  so  he 
loveth  and  desireth  ;  as  he  desire th,  he  seeketh,  and  as  he  seek- 
eth,  he  findeth  and  possesseth.  If  you  know  which  world,  what 
riches  a  man  prefers,  intends,  and  liveth  for,  you  may  know  which 
world  is  his  inheritance,  and  whither  lie  is  going  as  to  his  perpet- 
ual arode. 

Reason  enableth  a  man  to  know  and  seek  more  than  he  seeth ; 
and  faith  informeth  and  advanceth  reason  to  know  that  by  the 
means  of  supernatural  revelation,  that  by  no  other  means  is  fully 
known.  To  seek  and  hope  for  no  better  than  we  know,  and  to 
know  no  more  than  is  objectively  revealed,  (while  we  hinder  not 
the  revelation,)  is  the  blameless  imperfection  of  a  creature  that  hath 
limited  faculties  and  capacities.  To  know  what  is  best,  and  yet  to 
choose  and  seek  an  inferior,  inconsistent  good,  and  to  refuse  and 
neglect  the  best,  when  it  is  discerned,  is  the  course  of  such  as 
have  but  a  superficial  opinion  of  the  good  refused,  or  a  knowledge 
not  awakened  to  speak  so  loudly  as  may  be  effectual  for  choice : 
and  whose  sensuality  mastereth  their  wills  and  reason,  and  leads 
them  backward  :  and  those  that  know  not  because  they  would  not 
know,  or  hear  not  because  they  would  not  hear,  are  under  that 
same  dominion  of  the  flesh,  which  is  an  enemy  to  all  knowledge, 
that  is,  an  enemy  to  its  delights  and  interest.  To  profess  to  know 
good,  and  yet  refuse  it,  and  to  profess  to  know  evil,  and  yet  to 
choose  it,  and  this  predominantly  and  in  the  main,  is  the  descrip- 
tion of  a  self-condemning  hypocrite.  And  if  malignity  and  oppo- 
sition of  the  truth  professed  be  added  to  the  hypocrisy,  it  comes 
up  to  that  pharisaical  blindness  and  obdurateness  which  prepareth 
men  for  the  remediless  sin. 


430  LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

Consider,  then,  but  of  the  profession  of  many  of  the  people  of  this 
land,  and  compare  their  practice  with  it,  and  judge  what  compas- 
sion the  condition  of  many  doth  bespeak.  If  you  will  believe 
them,  they  profess  that  they  verily  believe  in  the  invisible  God  ; 
in  a  Christ  unseen  to  them ;  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  gathering  a  holy 
church  to  Christ,  and  employing  them  in  a  communion  of  saints ; 
that  they  believe  a  judgment  to  come,  upon  the  glorious  coming  of 
the  Lord  ;  and  an  everlasting  life  of  joy  or  torment  thereupon.  All 
this  is  in  their  creed:  they  would  take  him  for  a  damnable  heretic 
that  denieth  it ;  and  perhaps  would  consent  that  he  be  burned  at 
a  stake.  So  that  you  would  think  these  men  should  live  as  if 
heaven  and  hell  were  open  to  their  sight.  But,  O,  what  a  hypo- 
critical generation  are  the  ungodly  !  How  their  lives  do  give  their 
tongues  the  lie  !  (Remember  that  I  apply  this  to  no  better  men.) 
It  is  a  wonder  that  such  men  can  believe  themselves,  when  they 
say  they  do  indeed  believe  the  gospel ;  and  shows  what  a  monster 
the  blind,  deceitful  heart  of  an  impenitent  sinner  is.  In  good  sad- 
ness can  they  think  that  they  truly  believe  that  God  is  God,  and 
yet  so  willfully  disobey  him  ?  That  heaven  is  heaven,  and  yet 
prefer  the  world  before  it  ?  That  hell  is  hell,  and  yet  will  ven- 
ture upon  it  for  a  lust,  or  a  thing  of  nought  ?  What !  believe  that 
there  is  at  hand  a  life  of  endless  joy,  and  no  more  mind  it !  but 
hate  them  that  set  their  hearts  upon  it !  Do  they  believe,  that 
except  a  man  be  converted  and  new  born,  he  shall  not  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  ?  as  Christ  hath  told  them,  (Matt,  xviii.  3. 
John  iii.  3.  5.)  and  yet  never  trouble  their  minds  about  it,  to  try 
whether  they  are  converted  and  new  born  or  not  ?  Do  they  believe 
God,  that  no  man  shall  see  him  without  holiness?  (Heb.  xii.  14.) 
and  yet  dare  they  be  unholy  ?  and  perhaps  deride  it  ?  Do  they 
believe  that  Christ  will  "  Come  in  flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance 
on  them  that  know  not  God,  and  obey  not  the  gospel  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ;  who  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction 
from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power  ? " 
2  Thess.  ii.  8,  9.  And  yet  dare  they  disobey  the  gospel  ?  Do 
they  take  God  for  their  absolute  Lord  and  Governor,  while  they 
will  not  so  much  as  meditate  on  his  laws,  but  care  more  what  a 
mortal  man  saith,  or  what  their  flesh  and  carnal  reason  saith,  than 
what  he  saith  to  them  in  his  holy  word  ?  Do  they  take  Christ  for 
their  Savior,  and  yet  would  not  be  saved  by  him  from  their  sins, 
but  had  rather  keep  them  ?  Do  they  take  the  Holy  Ghost  for 
their  Sanctifier,  while  they  will  not  have  a  sanctified  heart  or  life, 
and  love  it  not  in  those  that  have  it?  Do  they  take  heaven  for 
their  endless  home  and  happiness,  while  they  neither  mind 
nor  seek  it,  in  comparison  of  the  world  ?  And  do  they  take  the 
world  for  vanity  and  vexation,  while  they  mind  and  seek  it  more 


LIFE    OF    FAITIJ.  431 

than  heaven  ?  Do  they  believe  the  communion  of  saints,  \\hile 
they  fly  from  it,  and  perhaps  detest  and  persecute  it?  Is  light 
and  darkness  more  contrary  than  their  words  and  deeds  ?  And  is 
not  hypocrisy  as  visible  in  their  practice  as  Christianity  in  their 
profession  ?  It  is  the  complexion  of  their  religion.  Hypocrite 
is  legibly  written  in  the  forehead  of  it.  They  proclaim  their  shame 
to  all  that  they  converse  with.  When  they  have  said,  they  believe 
the  life  to  come,  they  tell  men  by  their  ungodly,  worldly  lives, 
that  they  are  dissemblers.  When  their  tongue  hath  loudly  said 
that  they  are  Christians,  their  tongue  and  hand  more  loudly  say 
that  they  are  hypocrites.  And  when  they  profess  their  faith  but 
now  and  then,  in  a  lifeless,  outside  piece  of  worship,  they  profess 
their  hypocrisy  all  the  day  long ;  in  their  impious  neglect  of  God 
and  their  salvation,  in  their  carnal  speeches,  in  their  worldly  lives, 
and  in  their  enmity  to  the  practice  of  the  same  religion  which  they 
profess.  Their  hypocrisy  is  a  web  so  thin,  and  so  transparent, 
that  it  leaves  their  nakedness  open  to  their  shame.  They  have 
not  profession  enough  to  make  a  considerable  cover  for  their  unbe- 
lief: they  hide  but  their  tongues;  the  rest,  even  heart  and  all, 
is  bare. 

O  the  stupendous  power  of  self-love  !  The  wonderful  blind- 
ness and  stupidity  of  the  ungodly  !  The  dreadfulness  of  the  judg- 
ment of  God  in  thus  deserting  the  willful  resisters  of  his  grace ! 
That  ever  men  (in  other  things  of  seeming  wisdom)  should  be 
such  strangers  to  themselves,  and  so  deceived  by  themselves,  as 
to  think  they  love  the  thing  they  hate !  And  to  think  that  their 
hearts  are  set  upon  heaven,  when  they  neither  love  it,  nor  the  way 
that  leadeth  to  it ;  but  are  principally  bent  another  way  ;  that 
when  they  are  strangers  or  enemies  to  a  holy  life,  they  can  make 
themselves  believe  that  they  are  holy  ;  and  that  they  seek  that 
first,  which  they  never  seek  ;  and  make  that  the  drift  and  business 
of  their  lives,  which  was  never  the  serious  business  of  an  hour ! 
O  hypocrites  !  ask  any  impartial  man  of  reason,  that  sees  your  lives, 
and  hears  your  prayers,  whether  you  pray  and  live  like  men  that 
believe  that  heaven  or  hell  must  be  their  reward.  Ask  your  families 
whether  they  perceive,  by  your  constant  prayer,  and  diligent  en- 
deavors, and  holy  conversations,  that  your  hearts  are  set  on  a 
life  to  come.  It  was  a  cutting  answer  of  a  late  apostate,  to  one 
that  told  him  of  the  unreasonableness  of  infidels  that  denied  the 
life  to  come  :  saitli  he,  '  There  are  none  in  the  world  so  unreason- 
able as  you  Christians,  that  believe  that  there  is  an  endless  life  of 
joy  or  misery  to  come,  and  do  no  more  to  obtain  the  one,  and  es- 
cape the  other.  •  Did  I  believe  such  a  life  as  this,  I  would  think 
all  too  little  that  I  could  do  or  suffer  to  make  it  sure.'  Who  sees 
the  certainty,  greatness,  and  eternity  of  the  crown  of  life,  in  the 


432  LIFE    OF    KA1TH. 

resolvedness,  fervency,  and  constancy  of  your  holy  labor?  You 
take  up  with  the  picture  of  sermons  and  prayers,  and  with  the 
name  of  Christianity  and  holy  obedience.  A  little  more  religion 
you  will  admit  than  a  parrot  may  learn,  or  a  puppet  may  exercise. 
Compare  your  care,  and  labor,  and  cost  for  heaven,  and  for  this 
world.  That  you  believe  the  flattering,  deceitful  world,  we  see  by 
your  daily  solicitousness  about  it :  you  seek  it ;  you  strive  for  it ; 
you  fall  out  with  all  that  stand  in  your  way  ;  you  are  at  il  daily,  and 
have  never  done ;  but  who  can  see  that  you  seriously  believe  an- 
other world  ?  You  talk  idly,  and  wantonly,  and  proudly  by  the 
hours  ;  but  you  talk  of  heaven  and  holiness  but  by  the  minutes. 
You  do  not  turn  the  glass  when  you  go  to  your  unnecessary  recre- 
ations, or  your  vain  discourse  ;  or,  at  least,  you  can  stay  when  the 
glass  is  run  ;  but  in  hearing  the  most  necessary  truths  of  God,  or 
in  praying  for  everlasting  life,  the  hour  seems  long  to  you,  and 
the  tedious  preacher  is  your  weariness  and  molestation.  You  do 
not  feast  and  play  by  the  glass  ;  but  if  we  do  not  preach  and  pray 
by  it  exactly,  but  exceed  our  hour,  though  in  speaking  of,  and  for 
eternity,  we  are  your  burden,  and  put  your  languid  patience  to  it, 
as  if  we  were  doing  you  some  intolerable  wrong. 

In  worldly  matters,  you  are  weary  of  giving,  but  seldom  of  re- 
ceiving: you  grudge  at  the  asker,  but  seldom  sit  the  giver^  JJut 
if  the  gift  be  spiritual  and  heavenly,  you  are  weary  to  hear  ralk  of 
it,  and  expostulate  the  case  with  him  that  ofFereth  it ;  and  he  must 
show  by  what  authority  he  would  do  you  good.  If  by  serious,  holy 
conference  he  would  further  your  preparations  for  the  life  to  come, 
or  help  you  to  make  sure  of  life  eternal,  he  is  examined  what 
power  he  hath  to  meddle  with  you,  and  promote  your  salvation. 
And  perhaps  he  is  snappishly  told,  he  is  a  busy,  saucy  fellow,  and 
you  bid  him  meddle  with  his  own  matters,  and  let  you  speed  as 
you  can,  and  keep  his  compassion  and  charity  for  himself:  you 
give  him  no  thanks  for  his  undesired  help.  The  most  laborious, 
faithful  servant  you  like  best,  that  will  do  you  the  most  work,  with 
greatest  skill,  and  care,  and  diligence.  But  the  most  laborious, 
faithful  instructor  and  watchman  for  your  souls,  you  most  ungrate- 
fully vilify,  as  if  he  were  more  busy  and  precise  than  needs,  and 
were  upon  some  unprofitable  work  ;  and  you  love  a  superficial, 
hypocritical  ministry,  that  teacheth  you  but  to  compliment  with 
Heaven,  and  leads  you  such  a  dance  of  comical,  outside,  hypocriti- 
cal worship,  as  is  agreeable  to  your  own  hypocrisy.  And  thus, 
when  you  are  mocking  God,  you  think  you  worship  him,  and  mer- 
it heaven  by  the  abuse.  Should  a  minister  or  other  friend  be  but 
half  as  earnest  uith  you,  for  the  life  of  your  immortal  souls,  as  you 
are  yourselves  for  your  estates,  or  friends,  or  lives  in  any  danger,  you 
would  take  them  for  fanatics,  and  perhaps  do  by  them  as  his  carnal  - 


I 


LIFE    OF    FAITH.  433 


friends  did  once  by  Christ,  (Mark  iii.  21.)  that  went  out  to  lay  hold 
on  him,  and  said,  '•  He  is  beside  himself."  For  trifles  you  account 
it  wisdom  to  be  serious  ;  but  for  everlasting  things,  you  account  it 
folly,  or  to  be  more  busy  and  solicitous  than  needs.  You  can  de- 
sire an  act  of  pardon  and  indemnity  from  man  ;  when  as  you  are 
little  solicitous  about  a  pardon  from  God,  to  whose  justice  you  have 
forfeited  your  souls.  And  if  a  man  be  but  earnest  in  begging  his 
pardon,  and  praying  to  be  saved  from  everlasting  misery,  you  scorn 
him,  because  he  does  it  without  book,  and  say  he  whines,  or 
speaks  through  the  nose;  forgetting  that -we  shall  have  you,  one  of 
these  days,  as  earnest,  in  vain,  as  they  are  that  shall  prevail  for  their 
salvation  ;  and  that  the  terrible  approach  of  death  and  judgment 
shall  teach  you  also  to  pray  without  book,  and  cry,  "Lord,  Lord, 
open  to  us,"  when  the  door  is  shut,  and  it  is  all  too  late ;  Matt. 

XXV.     1 1 . 

0,  sirs,  had  you  but  a  lively,  serious,  foreseeing  faith,  that  open- 
eth  heaven  and  hell  as  to  your  sight,  what  a  cure  would  it  work  of 
this  hypocrisy  ! 

1.  Such  a  sight  would  quicken  you  from   your  sloth,   and  put 
more  life  into  your  thoughts  and  words,  and  all   that  you   attempt 
for  God. 

Qf^Bch  a  sight  would  soon  abate  your  pride,  and  humble  you 
be  fore' the  Lord,  and  make  you  see  how  short  you  are  of  what  you 
should  be. 

3.  Such  a  sight  would  dull  the  edge  of  your  covetous  desires, 
and  show  you  that  you  have  greater  things  to  mind,  and  another 
kind  of  world  than  this  to  seek. 

4.  Such  a  sight  would   make    you   esteem   the  temptations  of 
men's  reports  but  as  the  shaking  of  a  leaf,  and  their  allurements 
and  threats  as  impertinent  speeches,  that  -would  cast  a  feather  or 
a  fly  into  the  balance  against  a  mountain,  or  against  the  world. 

5.  Such  a  sight  would  allay  the  itch  of  lust,  and   quench  the 
drunkard's  insatiable  thirst,  and  turn  your  gulosity  into  moderation 
and  abstinence,  and  acquaint  you  with  a  higher  sort  of  pleasures, 
that  are  durable,  and  worthy  of  a  man. 

6.  Such  a  sight  would  cure  your  desire  of  pastime,  and  show  you 
that  you  have  no  time  to  spare,  when  all  is  done  that  necessity  and 
everlasting  things  require. 

7.  Such  a  sight  would  change  your  relish  of  God's  ordinances, 
and  esteem  of  ministers,  and  teach  you  to  love  and  savor  that 
which  is  spiritual  and  serious,  rather  than  hypocritical  strains  and 
shows.     It  would  teach  you  better  how  to  judge   of  sermons  and 
of  prayers,  than  unexperienced  minds  will  ever  do. 

8.  Such  a.  sight  would   cure  your  malignity  against  the  ways 
and  diligent  servants  of  the  Lord  ;  and  instead  of  opposing  them, 

VOL.  ii.  55 


434  LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

it  would  make  you  glad  to  be  among  them,  and  fast,  and  pray,  and 
watch,  and  rejoice  with  them,  and  better  to  understand  what  it  is 
to  believe  the  communion  of  saints. 

In  a  word,  did  you  but  see  what  God  reveals,  and  saints  be- 
lieve, and  must  be  seen,  I  would  scarce  thank  you  to  be  all  as  seri- 
ous and  solicitous  for  your  souls,  as  the  holiest  man  alive  ;  and 
presently  to  repent  and  lament  the  folly  of  your  negligence  and 
delays,  and  to  live  as  men  that  know  no  other  work  to  mind,  in 
comparison  of  that  which  extendeth  to  eternity.  1  would  scarce 
thank  the  proudest  of  you  all  to  lie  down  in  the  dust,  and  in  sack- 
cloth and  ashes,  with  tears  and  cries,  to  beg  the  pardon  of  those 
sins  which  before  you  felt  no  weight  in.  Nor  the  most  sensual 
wretch,  that  now  sticks  so  close  to  his  ambition,  covetousness  and 
lust,  that  he  saith  he  cannot  leave  them,  to  spit  them  out  as  loath- 
some bitterness,  and  be  ashamed  of  them  as  fruitless  things.  You 
would  then  say  to  the  most  godly,  that  now  seem  too  precise,  '  O 
why  do  you  not  make  more  haste,  and  lay  hold  on  heaven  with 
greater  violence?  Why  do  you  pray  with  no  more  fervency,  and 
bear  witness  against  the  sins  of  the  world  with  no  more  undaunted 
courage  and  resolution  ?  And  why  do  you  not  more  freely  lay 
out  your  time,  and  strength,  and  wealth,  and  all  that  you  have,  on 
the  work  of  God  ?  Is  heaven  worth  no  more  ado  than  thi^BfcCan 
you  do  no  more  for  an  endless  life,  and  the  escaping  of  trMPrath 
to  come  ?  Shall  worldlings  overdo  you  ? '  These  would  be  your 
thoughts  on  such  a  sight. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Use  of  Exhortation. 

WHAT  now  remains  but  that  you  come  into  the  light,  and  beg 
of  God,  as  the  prophet  for  his  servant,  (2  Kings  vi.  17.)  to  open 
your  eyes,  that  you  may  see  the  things  that  would  do*  so  much, 
"That  the  God  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of  glory, 
may  give  you  the  spirit  of  revelation,  in  the  knowledge  of  him ; 
the  eyes  of  your  understanding  being  enlightened,  that  ye  may 
know  what  is  the  hope  of  his  calling,  and  what  is  the  riches  of  the 
glory  of  his  inheritance  in  the  saints  ; "  Ephes.  i.  17,  18.  O  set 
those  things  continually  before  your  eyes,  that  must  forever  be 
before  them  !  Look  seriously  into  the  infallible  word  ;  and  what- 
soever that  foretells,  believe  it  as  if  it  were  come  to  pass.  The 
unbelief  of  God's  threatenings  and  penal  laws  is  the  perdition  of 
souls,  as  well  as  the  unbelief  of  promises.  God  giveth  not  false 


LIFE    OF     FAITH.  435 

fire,  when  he  discharged!  the  cannons  of  his  terrible  comminations. 
If  you  fall  nol  down,  you  shall  find  that  the  lightning  is  attended 
with  the  thunder,  and  execution  will  be  done  before  you  are 
aware.  If  there  were  any  doubt  of  the  things  unseen,  yet  you 
know  it  is  past  all  doubt  that  there  is  nothing  else  that  is  durable 
and  worthy  of  your  estimation  and  regard.  •  You  must  be  knights 
and  gentlemen  but  a  little  while  ;  speak  but  a  few  words  more,  and 
you  will  have  spoke  your  last.  When  you  have  slept  a  few 
nights  more,  you  must  sleep  till  the  resurrection  awake  you,  (as  to 
the  flesh.)  Then  where  are  your  pleasant  habitations  and  con- 
tents ?  Your  honors  and  attendance  ?  Is  a  day  that  is  spent,  or 
a  life  that  is  extinct,  any  thing  or  nothing  ?  Is  there  any  sweet- 
ness in  a  feast  that  was  eaten,  or  drink  that  was  drank,  or  time  that 
was  spent  in  sports  and  mirth  a  year  ago  ?  Certainly  a  known 
vanity  should  not  be  preferred  before  a  probable  endless  joy.  But 
when  we  have  certainty  as  well  as  excellency  and  eternity,  to 
set  against  certain,  transitory  vanity,  what  room  is  left  for  fur- 
ther deliberation  ?  Whether  we  should  prefer  the  sun  before  a 
squib,  or  a  flash  of  lightning  that  suddenly  leaves  us  in  the  dark, 
one  would  think  should  be  an  easy  question  to  resolve. 

Up,  then  !  and  work  while  it  is  day  ;  and  let  us  run  and  strive 
with  all  our  iniinit !  Heaven  H  at  hand  us  sure  as  if  you  saw  it. 
You  tire  certain  vou  run  be  no  lowers  by  ihe  choice.  1'ou  part 
with  nothing  for  all  things.  You  escape  the  tearing  of  your  heart, 
by  submitting  to  the  scratching  of  a  brier.  You  that  will  bear  the 
opening  of  a  vein  for  the  cure  of  a  fever,  and  will  not  forbear  a 
necessary  journey  for  the  barking  of  a  dog,  or  the  blowing  of  the 
wind ;  O  leap  not  into  hell  to  escape  the  stinking  breath  of  a 
scorner!  Part  not  with  God,  with  conscience,  and  with  heaven, 
to  save  your  purses  or  your  flesh.  Choose  not  a  merry  way  to 
misery,  before  a  prudent,  sober  preparation  for  a  perfect,  everlast- 
ing joy.  You  would  not  prefer  a  merry  cup  before  a  kingdom. 
You  would  let  go  a  lesser  delight  or  commodity  for  a  greater  here. 
Thus  a  greater  sin  can  forbid  the  exercises  of  a  less  ;  and  shall  not 
endless  joy  weigh  down  a  brutish  lust  or  pleasure  ? 

If  you  love  pleasure,  take  that  which  is  true,  and  full,  and  dura- 
ble. For  all  that  he  calleth  you  to  repentance  and  mortification, 
and  necessary  strictness,  there  is  none  that  is  more  for  your  pleas- 
ure and  delight  than  God ;  or  else  he  would  not  offer  you  the 
rivers  of  pleasure  that  are  at  his  right  hand,  nor  himself  to  be 
your  perpetual  delight.  If  you  come  into  a  room  where  are  varie- 
ty of  pictures,  and  one  is  gravely  reading  or  meditating,  and  an- 
other, with  a  cup  or  harlot  in  his  hand,  is  profusely  laughing,  with  a 
gaping,  grinning  mouth  ;  would  you  take  the  latter  or  the  former  to 
be  the  picture  of  a  wise  and  happy  man  ?  Do  you  approve  of  the 


•w  f 

,. 

436  LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

state  of  those  in  heaven  ?  And  do  you  like  the  way  that  brought 
them  thither  ?  If  not,  why  speak  you  of  them  so  honorably  ?  and 
why  would  you  keep  holy  days  in  remembrance  of  them  ?  If  you 
do,  examine  the  sacred  records,  and  see  whether  the  apostles,  and 
others  that  are  now  honored  as  glorified  saints,  did  live  as  you  do, 
or  rather  as  those  that  you  think  are  too  precise  ?  Did  they  spend 
the  day  in  feasting,  and  sports,  and  idle  talk  ?  Did  they  swagger 
it  out  in  pride  and  wealth,  and  hate  their  brethren  that  were  not  in 
all  things  of  their  conceits  ?  Did  they  come  to  heaven  by  a  world- 
ly, formal,  hypocritical,  ceremonious  religion  ;  or  by  faith,  and 
love,  and  self-denial,  and  unwearied  laboring  for  their  own  and 
other  men's  salvation,  while  they  became  the  wonder  and  the 
scorn  of  the  ungodly,  and  as  the  ofFscouring  and  refuse  of  the 
world  ?  Do  you  like  holiness  when  it  is  far  from  you ;  in  a 
dead  man,  that  never  troubled  you  with  his  presence  or  re- 
proofs, or  in  a  saint  in  heaven,  that  comes  not  near  you  ?  Why, 
then,  do  you  not  like  it  for  yourselves  ?  If  it  be  good,  the  nearer 
the  better.  Your  own  health,  and  your  own  wealth,  do  comfort 
you  more  than  another  man's  ;  and  so  would  your  own  holiness  if 
you  had  it.  If  you  would  speed  as  they  that  are  now  beholding 
the  face  of  God,  believe,  and  live,  and  wait  as  they  did.  And  as 
the  righteous  God  did  not  forget  their  work  and  labor  of  love  for 
his  name,  so  he  will  remember  you  with  the  same  reward,  if  you 
show  the  same  diligence  to  the  full  assurance  of  hope  unto  the 
end ;  and  "  be  not  slothful,  but  followers  of  them  who  through 
faith  and  patience  inherit  the  promise;"  Heb.  vi.  10 — 12. 

O,  did  you  but  see  what  they  now  enjoy,  and  what  they  see,  and 
what  they  are,  and  what  they  do,  you  would  never,  sure,  scorn  or 
persecute  a  saint  more !  If  you  believe,  you  see,  though  not  as 
they,  with  open  face.  If  you  believe  not,  yet  it  is  not  your  unbelief, 
that  shall  make  God's  word  of  none  effect ;  Rom.  iii.  3.  God  will 
be  God  if  you  be  atheists.  Christ  will  be  Christ  if  you  be  infidels. 
Heaven  will  be  heaven  if  you,  by  despising  it,  goto  hell.  Judg- 
ment sleepeth  not  when  you  sleep :  it  is  coming  as  fast  when  you 
laugh  at  it,  or  question  it,  as  if  your  eyes  were  open  to  foresee  it. 
If  you  would  not  believe  that  you  must  die,  do  you  think  that  this 
would  delay  your  death  one  year  or  hour?  If  ten  or  twenty 
years'  time  more  be  allotted  you,  it  passeth  as  swiftly,  and  death 
and  judgment  come  as  surely,  if  you  spend  it  in  voluptuousness 
and  unbelief,  as  if  you  watched  and  waited  for  your  change. 

We  preach  not  to  you  ij's  and  ands  :  it  is  not  perhaps  there  is 
a  heaven  and  hell  ;  but  as  sure  as  you  are  here,  and  must  anon 
go  hence,  you  must  as  shortly  quit  this  world,  and  take  up  your 
abode  in  the  world  that  is  now  to  us  invisible.  And  no  tongue  can 
express  how  sensible  you  will  then  be  of  the  things  that  you  will  not 


LIFE    OF     FAITH.  437 

now  be  made  sensible  of.  O,  then,  with  what  a  dreadful  view  will 
you  look  before  you  and  behind  you !  Behind  you,  upon  time, 
and  say,  '  It  is  gone,  and  sever  will  return  : '  and  hear  conscience 
ask  you  how  you  spent  it,  and  what  you  did  with  it.  Before 
you,  upon  eternity,  and  say,  '  It  is  come  ; '  and  to  the  ungodly 
will  be  an  eternity  of  woe.  What  a  peal  will  conscience  then 
ring  in  the  unbelievers'  ears !  '  Now,  the  day  is  come  that  I  was 
forewarned  of.  The  day  and  change  which  I  would  not  believe ! 
Whither  must  1  now  go?  what  must  I  now  do  ?  what  shall  I  say 
before  the  Lord  for  all  the  sin  that  I  have  willfully  committed  ?  for 
all  the  time  of  mercy  which  1  lost  ?  How  shall  I  answer  my  con- 
tempt of  Christ?  my  neglect  of  means,  and  enmity  to  a  holy, 
serious  life  ?  What  a  distracted  wretch  was  I,  to  condemn  and 
dislike  them  that  spent  their  lives  in  preparation  for  this  day  : 
when  now  1  would  give  a  thousand  worlds  to  be  but  one  of  the 
meanest  of  them  {  O  that  the  church  doors,  and  the  door  of  grace, 
were  open  to  me  now,  as  once  they  were,  when  I  refused  to  enter. 
Many  a  time  did  I  hear  of  this  day,  and  would  not  believe,  or  so- 
berly consider  of  it.  Many  a  time  was  I  entreated  to  prepare,  and 
1  thought  a  hypocritical,  trifling  show  would  have  been  taken  for 
a  sufficient  preparation.  Now,  who  must  be  my  companions? 
How  long  must  I  dwell  with  woe  and  horror?  God,  by  his  min- 
isters, was  wont  to  call  to  me,  '  How  long,  O  scorner,  wilt  thou 
delight  in  scorning  ?  How  long  wilt  thou  go  on  impenitently  in 
thy  folly? '  And  now  I  must  cry  out,  'How  long,  how  long  must 
I  feel  the  wrath  of  the  Almighty  ?  the  unquenchable  fire  !  the  im- 
mortal worm !  Alas,  forever !  When  shall  I  receive  one  mo- 
ment's ease  ?  tflfen  shall  I  see  one  glimpse  of  hope  ?  O  never ! 
never !  never  !  Now  I  perceive  what  Satan  meant  in  his  temp- 
tations ;  what  sin  intended  ;  what  God  meant  in  the  threatening 
of  his  law  ;  what  grace  was  good  for ;  what  Christ  was  sent  for ; 
and  what  was  the  design  and  meaning  of  the  gospel ;  and  how 
I  should  have  valued  the  offers  and  promises  of  life.  Now 
I  understand  what  ministers  meant,  to  be  so  importunate  with  me 
for  my  conversion  ;  and  what  was  the  cause  that  they  would  even 
have  kneeled  to  me.  to  have  procured  my  return  to  God  in  time. 
Now  I  understand  that  holiness  was  not  a  needless  thing ;  that 
Christ  and  grace  deserved  better  entertainment  than  contempt ; 
that  precious  time  was  worth  more  than  to  be  wasted  idly ;  that 
an  immortal  soul  and  life  eternal  should  have  been  more  regard- 
ed, and  not  cast  away  for  so  short,  so  base  a  fleshly  pleasure. 
Now  all  these  things  are  plain  and  open  to  my  understanding  ; 
but,  alas !  it  is  now  too  late !  I  know  that  now  to  my  woe  and 
torment,  which  1  might  have  known  in  time  to  my  recovery 
and  joy.' 


488  LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

For  the*Lord's  sake,  and  for  your  souls'  sake,  open  your  eyes, 
and  foresee  the  things  that  are  even  at  hand,  and  prevent  these 
fruitless  lamentations.  Judge  but  as  you  will  all  shortly  judge,  and 
live  but  as  you  will  wish  that  you  had  lived,  and  I  desire  no  more. 
Be  serious,  as  if  you  saw  the  things  that  you  say  you  do  believe. 

I  know  this  serious  discourse  of  another  life  is  usually  ungrate- 
ful to  men  that  are  conscious  of  their  strangeness  to  it,  and,  tak- 
ing up  their  portion  here,  are  loath  to  be  tormented  before  the 
time.  This  is  not  the  smoothing,  pleasing  way.  But  remember 
that  we  have  flesh  as  well  as  you,  which  longs  not  to  be  accounted 
troublesome  or  precise  ;  which  loves  not  to  displease  or  be  displeas- 
ed: and  had  we  no  higher  light  and  life,  we  should  talk  as  men 
that  saw  and  felt  no  more  than  sight  and  flesh  can  reach  ;  but  when 
we  are  preaching  and  dying,  and  you  are  hearing  and  dying,  and 
we  believe  and  know  that  you  are  now  going  to  see  the  things  we 
speak  of,  and  death  will  straightway  draw  aside  the  veil,  and  show 
you  the  great,  amazing  sight,  it  is  time  for  us  to  speak,  and  you 
to  hear,  with  all  our  hearts.  It  is  time  for  us  to  be  serious,  when 
we  are  so  near  the  place  where  all  are  serious.  There  are  none 
that  are  in  jest  in  heaven  or  hell.  Pardon  us,  therefore,  if  we  jest 
not  at  the  door,  and  in  the  w7ay  to  such  a  serious  state.  All  that 
see  and  feel  are  serious,  and  therefore  all  that  truly  believe  must 
be  so  too.  Were  your  eyes  all  opened  this  hour  to  see  what  we 
believe,  wre  appeal  to  your  own  consciences,  whether  it  would  not 
make  you  more  serious  than  we. 

Marvel  not  if  you  see  believers  make  another  matter  of  their  sal- 
vation than  those  that  have  hired  their  understa^iflgs  in  service 
to  their  sense  ;  and  think  the  world  is  no  bigge^o^wtter  than  their 
globe  or  map ;  and  reacheth  no  farther  than  they  can  ken.  As 
long  as  we  see  you  serious  about  lands  and  lordships,  and  titles  and 
honors,  the  rattles  and  tarrying  irons  of  the  cheating  world,  you 
must  give  us  leave  (whether  you  will  or  no)  to  be  serious  about 
the  life  eternal.  They  that  scramble  so  eagerly  for  the  bonds  of 
worldly  riches,  and  devour  so  greedily  the  dregs  of  sensual  delights, 
methinks  should  blush  (if  such  animals  had  the  blushing  proper- 
ty) to  blame  or  deride  us  for  being  a  little  (alas !  too  little)  earnest 
in  the  matters  of  God  and  our  salvation.  Can  you  not  pardon  us 
if  we  love  God  a  little  more  than  you  love  your  lusts  ;  and  if  we 
run  as  fast  for  the  crown  of  life  as  you  run  after  a  feather  or  a 
fly  ?  Or,  if  we  breathe  as  hard  after  Christ  in  holy  desires  as  you 
do  in  blowing  the  bubble  of  vain-glory  ?  If  a  thousand  pounds  a 
year  in  passage  to  a  grave,  and  the  chains  of  darkness,  be  worth 
your  labor,  give  us  leave  to  believe  that  mercy  in  order  to  ever- 
lasting mercy,  grace  in  order  to  glory,  and  glory  as  the  end  of 
grace,  is  worth  our  labor,  and  infinitely  more. 


LIFE    OF    FAITH.  439 

Your  end  is  narrow,  though  your  way  be  broad,  and  our  end  is 
broad,  though  our  way  be  narrow.  You  build  as  miners  in  coal- 
pits do,  by  digging  downwards  into  the  dark  ;  and  yet  you  are  labo- 
rious. Though  we  begin  on  earth,  we  build  towards  heaven,  where 
an  attractive  loadstone  draws  up  the  workmen  and  the  work ;  and 
shall  we  loiter  under  so  great  encouragements?  Have  you  consid- 
ered that  faith  is  the  beholding  grace  ?  the  evidence  of  tilings  not 
seen  ?  and  yet  have  you  the  hearts  to  blame  believers  for  doing  all 
that  they  can  do,  in  a  case  of  such  unspeakable,  everlasting  conse- 
quence ?  If  we  are  believers,  heaven  and  hell  are  as  it  were  open 
to  our  sight.  And  would  you  wish  us  to  trifle  in  the  sight  of 
heaven  ?  or  to  leap  into  hell  when  we  see  it  as  before  us  ?  What 
name  can  express  the  inhuman  cruelty  of  such  a  wish  or  motion  ? 
or  the  unchristian  folly  of  those  that  will  obey  you  ? 

O  give  us  leave  to  be  serious  for  a  kingdom  which  by  faith  we 
see.  Blame  us  for  this,  and  blame  us  that  we  are  not  besides 
ourselves.  Pardon  us  that  we  are  awake,  when  the  thunder  of 
Jehovah's  voice  doth  call  to  us,  denouncing  everlasting  wrath  to  all 
that  are  sensual  and  ungodly.  Were  we  asleep  as  you  are,  we 
would  lie  still,  and  take  no  heed  what  God  or  man  said  to  us. 

Pardon  us  that  we  are  Christians,  and  believe  these  things,  see- 
ing you  profess  the  same  yourselves.  Disclaim  not  the  practice 
till  you  dare  disclaim  the  profession.  If  we  were  infidels,  we  would 
do  as  the  ungodly  world  ;  we  would  pursue  our  present  pleasures 
and  commodity,  and  say,  that  things  above  us  are  nothing  to  us  ; 
and  would  take  religion  to  be  the  trembler  of  the  world  ;  but  till  we 
are  infidels  or  atheists  at  the  heart,  we  cannot  do  so. 

Forgive  us  tMt  we  are  men  ;  if  you  take  it  to  be  pardonable. 
Were  we  brutes,  we  would  eat  and  drink,  and  play,  and  never 
trouble  ourselves  or  others  with  the  care  of  our  salvation,  or  the 
fears  of  any  death  but  one  ;  or  with  resisting  sensual  inclinations, 
and  meditating  on  the  life  to  come  ;  but  would  take  our  ease  and 
pleasure  while  we  may. 

At  least,  forgive  us  that  we  are  not  blocks  or  stones  ;  that  we 
have  life  and  feeling.  Were  we  insensate  clods,  we  would  not 
see  the  light  of  heaven,  nor  hear  the  roaring  of  the  lion,  nor  fear 
the  threats  of  God  himself.  We  would  not  complain,  or  sigh,  or 
groan,  because  we  feel  not. 

If,  therefore,  we  may  have  leave  to  be  awake,  and  to  be  in  our 
wits,  to  be  Christians,  to  be  men,  to  be  creatures  that  have  life  and 
sense,  forgive  us  that  we  believe  the  living  God ;  that  we  cannot 
laugh  at  heaven  and  hell,  nor  jest  at  the  threatened  wrath  of  the 
Almighty.  If  these  things  must  make  us  the  object  of  the  world's 
reproach  and  malice,  let  me  rather  be  a  reproached  man  than  an 
honored  beast,  and  a  hated  Christian  than  a  beloved  infidel ;  and 


440  LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

rather  let  me  Jive  in  the  midst  of  malice  and  contempt,  than  pass 
through  honor  unto  shame,  through  mirth  to  misery,  and  through 
a  senseless  to  a  feeling  death.  Hate  us  when  we  are  in  heaven, 
and  see  who  will  be  the  sufferer  by  it.  If  ever  we  should  begin  to 
nod  and  relapse  towards  your  hypocritical  formality  and  senseless 
indifferency,  our  lively  sight  of  the  world  invisible,  by  a  serious 
faith,  would  presently  awake  us,  and  force  us  confidently  to  con- 
clude, '  Aut  sanctus,  aut  brutus  : '  there  is  practically  and  predomi- 
nantly no  mean.  He  will  prove  a  brute  that  is  not  a  saint. 


CHAPTER  HI. 

HAVING  done  with  this  general  conviction  and  exhortation  to 
unbelieving  hypocrites,  I  proceed  to  acquaint  believers  with  their 
duty,  in  several  particulars. 

1.  Worship  God  as  believers ;"  serve  him  with   reverence  and 
godly  fear,  for  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire  ;"  Heb.  xii.  28,  29. 
A  seeing  faith,  if  well  excited,  would  kindle  love,  desire,  fear,  and 
all  praying  graces.     No  man  prays  well  that  doth  not  well  know 
what  he  prays  for.     When   it  comes  to  seeing,  all  men  can  cry 
loud,  and  pray  when  praying  will  do  no  good.     They  will  not  then 
speak  sleepily,  or  by  rote,  '  Fides  intuendo,  amorem  recipit,  amo- 
rem  suscitat.     Cor  flagrans  amore    desideria,  gemitus,  orationes 
spirat.'     Faith  is  the  burning-glass,  which,  beholding  God,  receiv- 
eth  the  beams  of  his  communicated  love,  and  inflameth  the  heart 
with  love  to  him  again  ;  which  mounteth  up  by  groans  and  prayers, 
till  it  reach  its  original,  and  love  forever  rest  in  love. 

2.  Desire   and  use  the   creature    as  believers.     Interpret   all 
things  as  they  receive  their  meaning  from  the  things  unseen  ;  un- 
derstand them  in  no  other  sense.     It  is  only  God  and  the  life  to 
come  that  can  tell  you  what  is  good  or  bad  for  you  in  the  world. 
And,  therefore,  the  ungodly,  that  cannot  go  to  heaven  for  counsel, 
are  carried  about  by  mere  deceits.     Take   heed  what  you  love ; 
and  take  heed  of  that  you  love.     God  is  very  jealous  of  our  love  ; 
he  sheds  abroad  his  own  love   in  our  hearts,  that  our  hearts  may 
be  fruitful  in  love  to  him,  which  is  his  chief  delight.     By  love,  he 
commandeth  love  ;  that  we  may  suitably  move  towards  him,  and 
centre  in  him.     He  communicateth  so  much  for  the  procuring  of 
a  little,  that  we  should  endeavor  to  give  him  all  that  little,  and 
shed  none  of  it  inordinately  upon  the  creature  by  the  way.     Noth- 
ing is  great,  or  greatly  to  be  admired,  while  the  great  God  is  in 
sight.     And  it  is  unsuitable  for  little  things  to  have  great  affections  ; 
and  for  low  matters  to  have  a  high  esteem.     It  is  the  corruption 


LIFE    OF    FAITH.  441 

and  folly  of  the  mind,  and  the  delusion  of  the  affections  to  exalt  a 
shrub  above  a  cedar,  and  magnify  a  mole-hill  above  a  mountain ; 
to  embrace  a  shadow  or  spectrum  of  felicity,  which  vanisheth  into 
nothing,  when  you  bring  in  the  light.  The  creature  is  '  nihil  et 
nullipotens  : '  nothing  should  have  no  interest  in  us,  and  be  able  to 
do  nothing  with  us,  (as  to  the  motions  that  are  under  the  dominion 
of  the  will.)  God  is  All  and  Almighty  ;  and  he  that  is  All  should 
have  all  and  command  all.  And  the  Omnipotent  should  do  all 
things  with  us,  by  his  interest  in  mortals,  as  he  will  do  by  his  force 
in  naturals.  I  deny  not  but  we  may  love  a  friend.  One  soul,  in 
two  bodies,  will  have  one  mind,  and  will,  and  love.  But  as  it  is 
not  the  body  of  my  friend  that  I  love,  or  converse  with  principally, 
but  the  soul,  (and  therefore  should  have  no  mind  of  the  case,  the 
corpse,  the  empty  nest,  if  the  bird  were  flown,)  so  is  it  not  the 
person,  but  Christ  in  him,  or  that  of  God,  which  appeareth  on  him, 
that  must  be  the  principal  object  of  our  love.  The  man  is  muta- 
ble, asd  must  be  loved,  as  Plato  did  commend  his  friend  to  Dio- 
nysius  ;  '  Haec  tibi  scribo  de  homine,  viz.  animante  natura  mutabili.' 
And,  therefore,  must  be  loved  with  a  reserve.  But  God  is  un- 
changeable, and  must  be  absolutely  and  unchangeably  loved.  That 
life  is  best  that  is  likest  heaven  ;  there  God  will  be  all ;  and  yet, 
even  there,  it  will  be  no  dishonor  or  displeasure  to  the  Deity,  that 
the  glorified  humanity  of  Christ,  and  the  New  Jerusalem,  and  our 
holy  society,  are  loved  more  dearly  than  we  can  love  any  creature 
here  on  earth.  So,  here,  God  taketh  not  that  affection  as  stolen 
from  him,  that  is  given  to  his  servants  for  his  sake,  but  accepts  it 
as  sent  to  him  by  them.  Let  the  creature  have  it,  so  God  have 
it,  finally,  in  and  by  the  creature ;  and  then  it  is  not  so  properly 
the  creature  that  hath  it  as  God.  If  you  choose  and  love  your 
friends  for  God,  you  will  use  them  for  God  ;  not  flattering  them, 
or  desiring  to  be  flattered  by  them  ;  but  to  kindle  in  each  other  the 
holy  flame  which  will  aspire  and  mount,  and  know  no  bounds,  till 
it  reach  the  boundless  element  of  love.  You  will  not  value 
them  as  friends,  '  qui  omnia  dicta  et  facta  vestra  laudant,  sed  qui 
errata  et  delicta  amice  reprehendunt : '  not  them  that  call  you 
good,  but  them  that  would  make  you  better.  And  you  will  let 
them  know,  as  Phocian  did  Antipater,  that  they  can  never  use  you, 
'  ut  amicis  et  adulatoribus ; '  as  friends  and  flatterers,  that  differ  as 
a  wife  and  a  harlot. 

It  is  hard  to  love  the  imperfect  creature,  without  mistakes  and 
inordinancy  in  our  love ;  and,  therefore,  usually,  where  we  love 
most,  we  sin  most ;  and  our  sin  finds  us  out ;  and  then  we  suffer 
most :  and  too  much  affection  is  the  forerunner  of  much  affliction, 
which  will  be  much  prevented,  if  faith  might  be  the  guide  of  love, 
and  human  love  might  be  made  divine;  and  all  to  be  referred  to 
VOL.  ii.  .  56 


442  LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

the  things  unseen,  and  animated  by  them.  Love  where  you  can 
never  love  too  much  ;  where  you  are  sure  to  have  no  disappoint- 
ments ;  where  there  is  no  unkindness  to  eclipse  or  interrupt  it ; 
where  the  only  error  is,  that  God  hath  not  all ;  and  the  only  grief, 
that  we  love  no  more. 

Especially  in  the  midst  of  your  enticing  pleasures,  or  enticing 
employments  and  profits  in  the  world,  foresee  the  end  ;  do  all  in 
faith,  which  telleth  you,  "The  time  is  short;  it  remaineth,  there- 
fore, that  both  they  that  have  wives  be  as  though  they  had  none ; 
and  they  that  weep,  as  though  they  wept  not ;  and  they  that  re- 
joice, as  though  they  rejoiced  not ;  and  they  that  buy,  as  though 
they  possessed  not ;  and  they  that  use  this  world,  as  though  they 
used  it  not,  (or  not  abusing  it ;)  for  the  fashion  of  this  world  pass- 
eth  away ; "  J  Cor.  vii.  29,  30. 

3.  Employ  your  time  as  becomes  believers.  Faith,  only,  can 
acquaint  you,  what  an  inconceivable  weight  doth  lie  upon  this  inch 
of  hasty  time.  As  you  behave  yourselves  for  a  few  days,  it  must 
go  with  you  in  joy  or  misery  forever.  You  have  your  appointed 
time  for  your  appointed  work.  God  hath  turned  the  glass  upon 
you :  much  of  it  is  run  out  already.  No  price  can  call  back  one 
hour  that  you  have  lost.  No  power  or  policy  can  retard  its  course  ; 
'  Sic  fugiunt  fraeno  non  remorante  dies.'  When  it  comes  to  the 
last  sand,  and  time  is  gone,  you  will  know  the  worth  of  it.  You 
will  then  confess,  it  should  have  seemed  more  precious  in  your 
eyes  than  to  have  been  cast  away  upon  things  of  nought.  O, 
precious  time  !  more  worth  than  all  the  riches  of  the  world  !  how 
highly  is  it  valued  by  all  at  last !  and  how  basely  is  it  esteemed  now 
by  the  most !  Now,  it  is  no  more  worth  with  them  than  to  be 
sold  for  unnecessary  sports  and  ease,  and  wasted  in  idleness  and 
vain  delights  ;  but  then,  when  it  is  gone,  and  all  is  too  late,  how 
loud  would  they  cry,  if  cries  could  call  back  time  again  !  O,  then, 
what  a  mercy  would  it  seem,  if  God  would  try  them  once  again  !  and 
trust  them  but  with  another  life,  or  with  Hezekiah's  fifteen  years ! 
or  but  with  fifteen  days,  or  hours,  upon  such  terms  of  grace  as 
they  held  that  life  which  they  abused  !  It  amazcth  me  to  observe 
the  lamentable  stupidity  of  the  world,  how  hard  they  beg  for  time 
when  they  think  it  is  near  an  end ;  and  how  carelessly  they  let 
it  slide  away,  when  they  have  strength  and  faculties  to  improve  it. 
They  are  grievously  afraid  lest  death  deprive  them  of  it ;  and  yet 
they  are  not  sfraid  to  deprive  themselves  of  the  use  and  fruit  of  it, 
and  to  cast  it  away  as  contemptuously  as  if  it  were  an  useless 
thing.  I  seldom  come  near  a  dying  man,  but  I  hear  him  complain 
of  the  loss  of  time,  and  wish  it  were  to  spend  again,  that  it 
might  be  better  valued  and  used.  And  yet  the  living  w':ll  not  be 
warned.  O,  value  time,  as  wise  men,  while  you  have  it ;  and  not 


LIFE    OF    FAITH.  448 

as  miserable  fools,  when  it  is  gone  !  If  ovir  Lord  said,  "  I  must 
do  the  work  of  him  that  sent  me  while  it  is  day ;  for  the  night 
cometh,  when  no  man  can  work  ;"  (John  ix.4.)  what  need,  then, 
have  such  as  we  to  be  doing,  and  make  much  of  time  !  O,  let  not 
company,  mirth,  or  business  make  you  forget  the  work  of  time  ! 
Can  you  play,  or  loiter  away  your  hours,  with  eternity  in  your 
eye  ?  Get  the  sun  to  stand  still,  and  time  to  make  a  truce  with 
you,  and  to  waste  no  more  of  the  oil  of  life,  before  you  lose  an- 
other hour. 

O,  what  heads,  what  hearts  have  all  those  men,  that,  standing 
at  the  verge  of  an  endless  world,  can  think  they  have  any  time  to 
spare  !  Hath  God  given  you  too  much  ?  If  not,  why  do  you  lose 
it?  If  he  hath,  why  are  you  loath  that  he  should  shorten  it?  You 
would  not  throw  away  your  gold,  as  contemptuously  as  you  do 
your  time,  when  an  hour's  time  is  more  valuable  than  gold.  Frown 
on  that  company  that  would  rob  you  of  half  an  hour's  time.  Tell 
them  you  have  something  else  to  do  than  to  feast,  or  play,  or  talk 
away  your  time  unnecessarily.  O,  tell  them  you  were  not  made 
for  nothing.  You  are  in  a  race,  and  must  not  stand  still ;  you  are 
in  a  fight,  and  must  not  cease.  Your  work  is  great ;  much  of  it 
is  undone.  Your  enemies  are  not  idle  ;  death  will  not  stop  ;  the 
Judge  is  coming,  and  still  beholds  you ;  and  heaven  and  hell  are 
ready  to  receive  our  ending  life,  and  tell  us  how  we  spent  our 
time :  and  can  you  find  time  to  spare  ?  You  are  not  made  as 
weathercocks,  to  stand  up  on  high  for  men  to  look  at,  and,  by 
turning  about  with  every  wind,  to  show  them  which  way  it  stand- 
eth.  Turn  not  your  lives  into  that  curse,  "  You  shall  spend  your 
strength  in  vain  ; "  Levit.  xxvi.  20.  Believe  it,  time  must  be  re- 
viewed. The  day  is  near  when  every  man  of  you  had  rather  find 
it  in  your  accounts.  '  So  many  hours  spent  in  self-examination  and 
holy  meditation  ;  so  many  in  reading  the  word  of  God ;  so  many 
spent  in  fervent  prayer ;  and  so  many  in  doing  good  to  others,' 
than,  '  So  many  spent  in  needless  sports  and  pleasures ;  so  many 
in  idlenesses  and  vain  discourses  ;  and  so  many  of  the  less  necessary 
matters  of  the  world.'  Ask  those  that  tempt  you  to  misspend 
your  time,  whether,  at  death  and  judgment,  they  had  rather  them- 
selves have  a  life  of  holy  diligence  to  review,  or  a  life  consumed 
in  vanity  and  transitory  delights. 

You  will  not  suffer  impertinences  to  interrupt  your  counsels  and 
serious  business  in  the  world.  You  will  tell  intruders  that  you 
are  busy,  and  cannot  have  while  to  attend  them.  And  are  you 
going  into  heaven  or  hell,  and  have  but  a  few  days'  time  of  prepa- 
ration, (God  knows  how  few,)  and  yet  can  you  have  while  to  pass 
this  precious  time  in  vain  ?  O,  what  would  you  not  give,  ere  long, 
for  one  of  the  hours  that  you  now  misspend,  when  the  oath  is 


444  LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

performed,  "  That  time  shall  be  no  longer ! "  Rev.  x.  6.  Won- 
derful !  that  men  can  find  time  for  any  thing,  save  that  for  which 
they  had  their  time.  '  Non  quam  bene  vivant,  sed  quamdiu,  con- 
siderant  (in quit  Seneca)  cum  omnibus  possit  contingere  ut  bene 
vivant ;  ut  diu,  nulli.'  To  live  well  is  both  possible  and  necessa- 
ry, and  yet  is  disregarded.  To  live  long  is  neither  possible  nor 
necessary,  and  yet  is  sought  by  almost  all.  '  Incipiunt  vivere 
cum  desinendum  est :  immo  quiclam  ante  desierunt  vivere,  quam 
inciperent.'  Sen.  It  is  unseasonable  we  should  begin  to  live,  when 
we  should  make  an  end ;  but  it  is  most  unhappy  to  have  made  an 
end  before  they  do  begin.  'Pulchrum  est  (inquit  idem)  consum- 
mare  vitam  ante  mortem  ;  et  expectare  secure  reliquam  temporis 
pattern. '  Do  the  great  work,  and  then  you  may  comfortably  spend 
the  rest  in  waiting  for  the  conclusion.  Yet  you  have  time,  and 
leave,  and  helps;  you  may  read,  and  meditate,  and  pray,  if  you 
will;  but,  shortly,  time  will  be  no  more.  O.  let  not  Satan  insult  over 
your  carcasses  and  tormented  souls,  and  say,  '  Now  it  is  too  late. 
Now  mourn  and  repent  as  long  as  you  will.  Now  pray,  and  cry, 
and  spare  not.'  O,  use  that  faith  which  beholdeth  the  invisible 
world,  and  maketh  future  things  as  present,  and  then  delay  and 
loiter  if  you  can  ;  then  waste  your  hours  in  idleness  or  vanity,  if 
you  dare  :  either  light  or  fire  shall  awake  you. 

4.  Suffer  as  believers.  Fear  not  the  wrath  of  man  ;  but  endure 
as  seeing  him  that  is  invisible  ;  Heb.  xi.  27.  Show  plainly  that 
you  seek  a  better  country;  ver.  14.  16.  Read  often  Heb.  xi. 
xii.  Behold  the  kingdom  prepared  and  secured  for  you  by  Christ, 
and  then  you  will  be  indifferent  which  way  the  wind  of  human 
favor  or  applause  shall  sit ;  or  what  weather  lunatic  influences  and 
aspects  shall  produce.  Such  a  faith  will  make  you,  with  Abra- 
ham, to  turn  your  back  on  all,  and  engage  in  pilgrimage  for  an  in- 
heritance after  to  be  received ;  though  he  knew  not  whither  he 
went,  (with  a  distinct,  particular  knowledge ;)  Heb.  xi.  8.  As 
strangers  and  travellers,  you  will  not  be  troubled  to  leave  towns 
and  fields,  buildings  and  wealth,  and  walks  behind  you,  as  know- 
ing that  you  were  but  to  pass  by  them,  desiring  and  seeking  a  bet- 
ter country,  that  is,  a  heavenly  ;  and  you  shall  lose  nothing  by 
this  passing  by  all  in  the  world ;  for  God  will  not  be  ashamed  to 
be  called  your  God  ;  and  he  hath  prepared  for  you  a  city ;  Heb. 
xi.  13.  16.  Seriously  respect  the  recompense  of  reward,  and  it 
will  make  you  "  choose  rather  to  suffer  affliction  with  the  people 
of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season  ;  esteeming 
the  reproach  of  Christ  greater  riches  than  the  treasures  of  the 
world ; "  ver.  25,  26.  Stephen's  sight  would  cause  Stephen's  pa- 
tience. Hold  on  as  Christians ;  the  end  is  near :  "  Let  us  run 
with  patience  the  race  that  is  set  before  us,  looking  to  Jesus,  the 


LIFE    OF    FAITH.  445 

Author  and  Finisher  of  our  faith ;  who,  for  the  joy  that  was  set 
before  him,  endured  the  cross,  despising  the  shame,  and  is  set  down 
at  the  right  hand  of  the  throne  of  God.  Consider  him  that  en- 
dured such  contradiction  of  sinners  against  himself,  lest  ye  be  wea- 
ried, and  faint  in  your  mind  ; "  Heb.  xii.  2,  3. 

You  may  well  endure  the  buffeting  and  scorn,  if  you  foresee  the 
honor.  You  may  well  endure  the  crown  of  thorns,  if  you  foresee 
the  crown  of  glory :  you  may  endure  to  be  forsaken  of  all,  if  you 
see  him  that  will  never  fail  you  nor  forsake  you.  This  foretaste 
of  the  rivers  of  pleasure  with  the  Lord,  will  drown  the  taste  of 
vinegar  and  gall.  Whine  not  like  worldlings  that  have  lost  their 
portion,  when  you  are  stripped  as  bare  as  Job.  If  you  are  true 
believers,  you  have  all  still,  for  God  is  All ;  you  have  lost  nothing, 
for  faith  hath  made  the  world  as  nothing  to  you ;  and  will  you 
whine  and  vex  yourselves  for  nothing  ?  Can  you  call  it  nothing 
so  frequently  and  easily  in  your  prayers,  and  ordinary  speech,  and 
do  you  now  recall  this,  or  tell  us,  by  your  serious  grief,  that  you 
speak  but  in  hypocrisy  and  jest.  '  Frangitur  nemo  molestia  adver- 
sorum,  qui  non  capitur  delectatione  prosperorum.'  August.  Had 
there  been  less  idolatrous  love,  there  would  have  been  less  tor- 
menting grief  and  care.  Our  life  consisteth  not  in  the  abundance 
of  the  things  that  we  possess.  He  is  not  happy  that  hath  them, 
but  he  that  neither  needeth  nor  desireth  them.  '  Cum  in  his 
qua?  homines  eripiunt,  optant,  custodiunt,  nihil  inveneris,  non  dico 
quod  malis,  sed  quod  velis.'  Sen.  Superfluity  doth  but  burden 
and  break  down  :  the  corn  that  is  too  rank  lodgeth  ;  and  the  branch- 
es break  that  are  overladen  with  fruit.  '  Omnia  quae  superfluunt 
nocent :  segetem  nimia  sternit  ubertas  :  rami  onere  fraguntur,  ad 
maturitatem  non  pervenit  foecunditas  :  Idem  quoque  animis  evenit, 
quos  immoderata  prosperitas  rum  pit ;  quia  non  tantum  in  aliorum 
injuriam,  sed  etiam  in  suam  utuntur.'  Sen.  It  is  pleasure,  and  not 
pain,  that  is  the  world's  most  deadly  sting.  It  hath  never  so  much 
hurt  us,  as  when  it  hath  flattered  us  into  delights  or  hopes.  '  Et 
fera  et  piscis  spe  aliqua  oblectante  decipitur.'  Sen.  Hope  is  the 
bait,  prosperity  and  pleasure  the  net,  that  souls  are  ordinarily  in- 
snared  by.  Men  lose  not  their  souls  for  poverty,  but  for  riches ; 
nor  for  dishonor,  but  for  honor ;  nor  for  sorrow,  but  for  delight. 

"  Luxuriant  animi  rebus  plerumque  secundis." 

The  luxuriances  of  prosperity  bring  us  so  frequently  under  the 
pruning-hook.  The  surfeits  and  summer  fruits  of  fullness  and 
carnal  contentments  and  delights,  do  put  us  to  the  trouble  of  our 
sicknesses  and  our  physic.  "  How  hardly  shall  rich  men  enter 
into  heaven  !  "  saith  he  that  well  knew  who  should  enter.  Saith 
Augustine,  '  Difficile,  immo  impossibile  est,  ut  praesentibus  et  fn- 


446 


LIFE    OF    FAITH. 


turis  quis  fruatur  bonis :  ut  hie  ventrem,  et  ibi  mentem  impleat  : 
ut  a  deliciis  ad  delicias  transeat ;  et  in  utroque  seculo  primus  sit ;  ut 
in  terra  et  in  coelo  appareat  gloriosus  ? '  The  hope  is,  that  with 
God  such  human  impossibilities  are  possible.  But  it  is  more  ter- 
rible lhan  desirable  to  be  put  upon  so  great  a  difficulty.  Sweet 
dishes  will  have  wasps  and  flies ;  but  most  of  them  are  drowned  in 
their  delights.  Saith  Boetius  of  prosperity  and  adversity,  '  Ilia 
fallit,  base  instruit :  ilia  mendacium  specie  bonorum  mentes  fruen- 
tiumligat:  haec  cogitatione  fragilis  faelicitatis  absolvit.  Itaque  illam 
videas  ventosam  fluentem,  suique  semper  ignaram  :  hanc  sobriam, 
succinctamque  ac  ipsius  adversitatis  exercitatione  prudentem.'  A 
full  meal  seems  best  in  the  eating,  but  a  light  meal  is  better  the 
next  day.  More  thank  God  in  heaven  for  adversity  than  for  pros- 
perity ;  and  more  in  hell  cry  out  of  the  fruit  of  prosperity  than  of 
adversity.  Many  did  never  look  towards  heaven  till  affliction  cast 
them  on  their  backs,  so  that  they  could  look  no  other  way.  "  It 
is  good  for  me  that  I  have  been  afflicted,  that  I  might  learn  thy 
statutes,"  saith  David,  Psal.  cxix.  71.  "  Before  I  was  afflicted,  I 
went  astray;"  ver.  76.  "In  very  faithfulness  thou  hast  afflicted 
me  ; "  ver.  75.  One  sight  of  heaven,  by  faith,  will  force  you  to 
reckon  "  that  the  sufferings  of  this  present  time  are  unworthy  to 
be  compared  with  the  glory  which  shall  be  revealed  in  us  ;"  Rom. 
viii.  18.  To  suffer  for  Christ  aad  righteousness'  sake,  is  but  to  turn 
an  unavoidable,  fruitless  pain,  into  that  which,  being  involuntary, 
is  the  more  easy,  and  hath  a  great  reward  in  heaven  ;  Matt.  v.  1 1 , 
12.  And  to  part  with  that  for  a  crown  of  life,  which  else  we  must 
part  with  for  nothing.  Worldly  friends,  and  wealth,  and  honor, 
are  summer  fruit  that  will  quickly  fall.  Hungry  fowl  know  where 
it  is  harvest,  '  At  simul  intonuit  fugiunt.'  Those  that  must  dwell 
with  you  in  heaven  are  your  sure  and  steadfast  friends,  '  Caetera 
fortunas,  &c.'  Those  that  are  now  highest,  and  least  acquainted 
with  the  tongue  of  malice,  the  unfaithfulness  of  friends,  or  rage  of 
enemies,  shall  shortly  say, 

"  Atque  hsec  exemplis  quondam  collecta  priorum  : 
Nunc  mihi  sunt  propriis,  cognita  vera  malis." 

There  is  but  the  difference  of  an  '  est '  and  an  '  erit,'  between 
their  mirth  and  endless  sorrows ;  their  honor,  and  their  endless 
shame  ;  nor  between  our  sorrow  and  our  endless  joy.  Their  final 
honor  is  to  be  embalmed,  and  their  lust  to  be  covered  with  a  sump- 
tuous monument,  and  their  names  extolled  by  the  mouths  of  men, 
that  little  know  how  poor  a  comfort  all  this  is  to  the  miserable  soul. 
In  the  height  of  their  honor  you  may  foresee  the  surgeon  opening 
their  bowels,  and  showing  the  receptacles  of  the  treasure  of  the 
epicure,  and  what  remains  of  the  price  that  he  received  for  his 


LIFE    OF    FAITH.  447 

betrayed  soul.  He  cuts  out  the  heart  with  a  '  Use  sedes  livoris 
erant:  jam  pascua  vermis; '  you  next  tread  on  his  interred  corpse, 
that  is  honored  but  with  a  '  Hie  jacet,'  Here  lieth  the  body  of  such 
an  one.  And  if  he  have  honor  to  be  magnified  by  fame  or  his- 
tory, it  is  a  fool-trap  to  insnare  the  living,  but  easeth  not  the  soul 
in  hell.  And  shall  we  envy  men  such  a  happiness  as  this  ?  What 
if  they  be  able  to  command  men's  lives,  and  to  hurt  those  that  they 
hate  for  a  little  while  ?  Is  this  a  matter  of  «honor  or  of  delight  ? 
A  pestilence  is  more  honorable,  if  destroying  be  an  honor.  The 
devil  is  more  powerful  (if  God  permit  him)  to  do  men  hurt  than 
the  greatest  tyrant  in  the  world.  And  yet  I  hope  you  envy  not 
his  happiness,  nor  are  ambitious  to  partake  of  it.  If  witches  were 
not  akin  to  devils,  they  would  never  sell  their  souls  for  a  power  to 
do  hurt.  And  how  little  do  tyrannical  worldlings  consider,  that 
under  a  mask  of  government  and  honor,  they  do  the  same ! 

Let  the  world  then  rejoice,  while  we  lament  and  weep.  "  Our 
sorrow  shall  be  speedily  turned  into  joy  ;  and  our  joy  shall  no  man 
then  take  from  us ; "  John  xvi.  20.  22.  Envy  not  a  dying  man 
the  happiness  of  a  feather  bed,  or  a  merry  dream.  You  think  it 
hard  in  them  to  deny  you  the  liberties  and  comforts  of  this  life, 
though  you  look  for  heaven ;  and  will  you  be  more  cruel  than  the 
ungodly  ?  Will  you  envy  the  trifling  commodities  and  delights  of 
earth,  to  those  that  are  luVe  to  have  no  more,  but  to  lie  in  hell 
when  the  sport  is  ended  ?  It  is  unreasonable  impatience  that  can- 
not endure  to  see  them  in  silks  and  gallantry  a  few  days,  that  must 
be  so  extremely  miserable  forever.  Your  crumbs,  and  leavings, 
and  overplus  is  their  all ;  and  will  you  grudge  them  this  much  ? 
In  this  you  are  unlike  your  heavenly  Father,  that  doth  good  to 
the  just  and  unjust.  Would  you  change  cases  with  them  ?  Would 
you  change  the  fruit  of  your  adversity  for  the  fruit  of  their  pros- 
perity ? 

Affliction  maketh  you  somewhat  more  calm,  and  wise,  and 
sober,  and  cautelous,  and  considerate,  and  preventeth  as  well  as 
cureth  sin.  Prosperity  makes  them  (through  their  abuse)  incon- 
siderate, rash,  insensible,  foolish,  proud,  unpersuadable.  "And 
the  turning  away  of  the  simple  slayeth  them,  and  the  prosperity  - 
of  fools  destroy eth  them  ;  "  Prov.  i.  32.  It  is  long  since,  Lazarus' 
sores  were  healed,  and  his  wants  relieved  ;  and  long  since  Dives' 
feast  was  ended.  O,  let  me  rather  be  afflicted  than  rejected;  and 
be  a  door-keeper  in  the  house  of  God  than  dwell  in  the  tents  of 
wickedness  ;  and  rather  be  under  the  rod  than  turned  out  of  doors. 
Look  with  a  serious  faith  upon  eternity,  and  then  make  a  great 
matter  of  enjoyments  or  sufferings  here,  if  you  can.  Great  joys 
and  sorrows  forbid  men  to  complain  of  the  biting  of  a  flea.  Thun- 
der-claps drown  a  whispering  voice. 


448  LIFE    OF     FAITH. 

O,  what  unbelief  our  impatience  and  disquietness  in  sufferings 
do  discover !  Is  this  living  by  faith,  and  conversing  in  another 
world,  and  taking  God  for  all,  and  the  world  for  nothing  ?  What ! 
make  such  ado  of  poverty,  imprisonment,  injuries,  disgrace,  with 
heaven  and  hell  before  our  eyes!  The  Lord  vouchsafe  me  that 
condition,  in  which  I  shall  be  nearest  to  himself,  and  have  most 
communion  with  heaven ;  be  it  what  it  will  be  for  the  things  of 
earth.  These  are  the  desires  to  which  I  will  stand. 

To  thank  God  for  the  fruit  of  past  afflictions,  as  the  most  ne- 
cessary mercies  of  our  lives,  (as  some  of  us  have  daily  cause,)  and 
at  the  same  time  to  be  impatient  under  present  afflictions,  or  inor- 
dinately afraid  of  those  to  come,  is  an  irrational,  as  well  as  unbe- 
lieving incongruity. 

Are  we  derided,  slandered,  abused,  by  the  ungodly  ?  If  we 
repine  that  we  have  enemies,  and  must  fight,  we  repine  that  we 
are  Christ's  soldiers,  and  that  is,  that  we  are  Christians.  '  Quo- 
modo  potest  imperator  militum  suorum  virtutem  probare  nisi  hab- 
uerit  hostem,'  saith  Lactantius.  Enemies  of  God  do  not  use  to 
fight,  professedly,  against  himself,  but  against  his  soldiers  ;  '  Non 
qui  contra  ipsurn  Deum  pugnent,  sed  contra  milites  ejus,'  inquit 
idem.  If  the  remnants  of  goodness  had  not  been  a  derision  among 
the  heathens  themselves,  in  the  morejSpber  sort,  a  heathen  wrould 
not  have  said,  '  Nondum  faglix  es,  si  non  te  turba  deriserit :  si  bea- 
tus  vis  esse,  cogita  hoc  primum  contemnere,  et  ab  aliis  contemni.' 
Sen.  Thou  art  not  yet  happy,  if  the  rabble  deride  thee  not :  if 
thou  wilt  be  blessed,  learn  first  to  contemn  this,  and  to  be  contemn- 
ed of  others.  Nobody  will  deride  or  persecute  us  in  heaven. 

5.  Improve  your  talents  and  opportunities  in  your  callings  as 
believers ;  especially  you  that  are  governors.  God  is  the  original 
and  end  of  government.  The  highest  are  but  his  ministers  ;  Rom. 
xiii.  6.  This  world  is  but  the  way  unto  another.  Things  seen 
are  for  things  unseen ;  and  government  is  to  order  them  to  that 
end ;  especially  by  terrifying  evil  doers,  and  by  promoting  holiness 
in  the  earth.  The  moral,  as  well  as  the  natural  motion  of  inferior 
agents,  must  proceed  from  the  influence  of  the  superior.  The 
spring  and  the  end  of  every  action  truly  good,  are  out  of  sight. 
Where  these  are  not  discerned,  or  are  ignorantly  and  maliciously 
opposed,  the  action  is  vitiated,  and  tendeth  to  confusion  and  ruin. 
God  is  the*  end  of  all  holy  actions  ;  and  carnal  self  is  the  end  of 
sin.  If  God  and  self  are  infinitely  distinct,  you  may  easily  see 
that  the  actions,  materially  the  same,  that  are  intended  to  such 
distant  ends,  must  needs  be  very  distant.  Nothing  but  saving 
faith  and  holiness  can  conquer  selfishness  in  the  lowest  of  the  peo- 
ple. But  where  the  flesh  hath  more  plentiful  provision,  and  self 
is  accommodated  with  the  fullest  contents  of  honor  and  pleasure 


LH'E    OF    t'AITH.  449 

that  the  world  affords,  how  difficult  a  work,  then,  is  self-denial ! 
and  the  reign  of  the  flesh  is  contrary  to  the  reign  of  Christ.  Where 
the  flesh  and  visible  things  bear  sway,  the  enemy  of  Christ  bears 
sway.  "  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God ;  for  it  is  not 
subject  to  his  law,  nor  can  be  ; "  Rom.  viii.  7.  And  how  Christ's 
enemies  will  receive  his  laws,  and  use  his  messengers,  and  regard 
his  ways  and  servants,  the  most  of  the  world  have  experience  to 
their  cost.  The  interest  of  the  flesh  being  contrary  to  Christ's 
interest,  the  competition  maintained!  a  continual  conflict.  The 
word  of  God  doth  seem  to  be  against  them  ;  the  faithful  ministers 
that  would  save  them  from  their  sins  do  seem  to  wrong  them,  and 
deal  too  boldly  with  them.  Were  it  an  Elijah,  he  would  be  call- 
ed "  The  troubler  of  Israel ; "  and  meet  with  an  "  Hast  thou 
found  me,  O  mine  enemy  ? "  No  measure  of  prudence,  knowledge, 
piety,  innocency,  meekness,  or  self-denial,  will  serve  to  appease 
the  wrath  and  displeasure  of  this  carnal  enmity.  If  it  would,  the 
apostles  had  escaped  it ;  or,  at  least,  it  would  not  have  fallen  so 
furiously  upon  Christ  himself.  Nay,  these  are  the  oil  that  increase 
the  flame.  And  Satan  hath  still  the  bellows  in  his  hand  :  he  know- 
eth  that  if  he  can  corrupt  or  win  the  commander,  he  can  rout  the 
army,  and  ruin  them  with  the  greatest  ease.  It  hath  been  Satan's 
grand  design,  since  the  (^ftristian's  name  was  known  on  earth,  to 
advance  the  selfish  interest  of  men  against  the  interest  of  Christ; 
and  to  entangle  the  rulers  of  the  world  in  some  cause,  that  Christ, 
and  his  word  and  servants,  cannot  favor,  and  so  to  make  them  be- 
lieve that  there  is  a  necessity  on  them  to  watch  against  and  sub- 
due the  interest  of  Christ.  As  if  it  were  necessary  that  the  shore 
be  brought  to  the  boat,  and  not  the  boat  to  the  shore ;  and  that 
the  physician  be  brought  to  the  patient's  mind,  or  else  destroyed 
or  used  as  his  enemy.  1  am  afraid  to  speak  out  the  terrible  words 
of  God,  in  Scripture,  that  are  against  such  persons,  lest  you  should 
misunderstand  me,  and  think  I  misapply  them.  But  Christ  feareth 
no  man,  and  hath  not  spoken  his  word  in  vain  ;  and  his  messen- 
gers must  be  faithful,  for  he  will  bear  them  out ;  and  preventive 
cautions  are  easier  and  safer  than  reprehensive  corrosives.  I  will 
but  refer  you  to  the  texts,  that  you  may  peruse  them  ;  Matt.  xxi. 
44.  xviii.  3.  6.  xxv.  45,  46.  Luke  xviii.  7.  Psal.  ii.  Luke  xix. 
27.  Acts  ix.  4,  5.  1  Thess.  ii.  15,  10.  Read  them  with  fear, 
as  the  words  of  God.  Blessed  are  those  rulers  and  nations  of  the 
earth,  that  perceive  and  escape  this  pernicious  snare  of  the  grand 
deceiver,  that,  with  all  his  subtlety  and  industry,  endeavoreth  to 
breed  quarrels  and  sow  dissensions  between  them  and  the  uni- 
versal King. 

The  more  God  giveth  to  the  carnal  and  unwise,  the  more  they 
think  themselves  engaged  against  him ;  because,  by  his  commands,  he 
VOL.  ii.  57 


460  LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

seems  to  take  it  from  them  again  by  crossing  the  flesh,  which  would 
use  it  only  to  fulfill  its  lusts.  Like  a  dog  that  fawneth  on  you  till 
he  have  his  bone,  and  then  snarleth  at  you,  lest  you  take  it  from 
him,  and  will  fly  in  your  face  if  you  offer  to  meddle  with  it.  Men 
readily  confess  that  they  have  their  wealth  from  God,  because  it 
cannot  be  denied,  and  because  they  would  use  the  name  of  God 
as  a  cover  to  hide  their  covetousness  and  unlawful  ways  of  get- 
ting. But  if  you  judge  by  their  usage  of  it,  and  their  returns  to 
God,  you  would  think  that  they  believed  that  they  had  nothing  at 
all  from  God  but  some  injuries  ;  and  that  all  their  benefits  and 
good  were  from  themselves.  The  Turkish  and  Tartarian  empe- 
ror will  say,  that  all  his  grandeur  and  power  is  from  God ;  that,  by 
making  it  most  divine,  he  may  procure  the  more  reverence  and 
obedience  to  himself:  but  when  he  hath  said  so  for  his  own  inter- 
est, he  useth  the  same  power  against  God  and  his  interest,  to  the 
banishing  of  his  word  and  holy  worship,  and  the  forbidding  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel  of  salvation,  and  to  the  cherishing  of  tyr- 
anny, pride  and  lust.  As  if  God  had  armed  them  against  himself, 
and  made  his  officers  to  be  his  enemies,  and  gave  them  power  that 
they  might  powerfully  hinder  men's  salvation,  and  made  them  great 
to  be  great  oppressors. 

As  a  believing  pastor  is  a  priest  thatAandeth  between  God  and 
the  people,  to  mediate  under  the  great  jYIediator ;  to  receive  from 
God  his  word  and  ordinances,  and  deliver  them  to  the  flock,  and 
to  offer  up  supplications  in  their  names  to  God  ;  so  believing  gov- 
ernors of  civil  societies  or  families,  receive  from  God  a  power  to 
rule  the  subjects  for  their  good  ;  and  they  use  it  to  make  the  sub- 
jects good,  that  God  may  be  pleased  and  honored  by  all ;  and  the 
obedience  which  they  require,  is  such  as  may  be  given  to  God  in 
them.  They  take  power  from  God,  to  use  it  for  God,  and  are  so 
much  more  excellent  than  the  greatest  of  ambitious,  carnal  princes, 
as  the  pleasing  and  honoring  of  God  is  a  more  excellent  design  and 
work  than  the  gratifying  of  fleshly  lust,  and  the  advancement  of 
a  lump  of  clay.  The  kingdoms  of  the  world  would  all  be  used 
as  the  kingdoms  of  the  Lord,  if  the  everlasting  kingdom  were  well 
believed.  The  families  of  men  would  be  sanctified  as  churches 
unto  God,  if  the  eternal  house,  not  made  with  hands,  were  truly 
taken  for  their  home,  and  their  trade  were  to  lay  up  a  treasure  in 
heaven.  In  cities  and  countries,  brethren  would  dwell  in  holy 
peace,  and  all  concur  in  honoring  God,  if  once  they  were  made 
fellow-citizens  with  the  saints,  and  their  burgeship  and  conversa- 
tion were  in  heaven  ;  Ephes.  ii.  19.  Phil.  iii.  20,  21. 

6.  Resist  temptations  as  believers.  If  you  live  by  faith,  then 
fight  against  the  world  and  flesh  by  faith.  Faith  must  be  your 
helmet,  and  the  word  of  faith  must  be  your  shield ;  (Ephes.  vi. 


LIFE    OF    FAJTH.  451 

16.)  and  your  victory  itself  must  be  by  faith  ;  1  John  v.  4.  If 
Satan  tell  the  flesh  of  the  preferment,  riches,  or  the  pleasures  of 
lust,  answer  him  with  a  believing  foresight  of  God's  judgment,  and 
the  life  to  come.  Never  look  on  the  baits  of  sin  alone,  but  still 
look  at  once  on  God  and  on  eternity.  As  a  just  judge  will  hear 
both  parties  speak,  or  see  their  evidences  before  he  will  determine, 
so  tell  the  tempter,  that  as  you  have  heard  what  fleshly  allurements 
can  say,  you  will  see  also  what  the  word  of  God  saith,  and  take  a 
view  of  heaven  and  hell,  and  then  you  will  answer.him. 

7.  Rejoice  as  believers.  Can  faith  set  open  the  windows  of  the 
soul,  and  no  light  of  heavenly  pleasures  enter  ?  Can  it  peruse  the 
map  of  the  land  of  promise,  or  see  and  taste  the  bunch  of  grapes, 
without  any  sweetness  to  the  soul  ?  This  is  the  truest  belief  of 
heaven,  which  maketh  men  most  like  those  that  are  in  heaven ! 
And  what  is  their  character,  work  and  jportion,  but  the  joys  of  heav- 
enly light  and  love  ?  Can  we  believe  that  we  shall  live  in  heaven 
forever?  Can  we  believe  that  very  shortly  we  shall  be  there,  and 
not  rejoice  in  such  believing  ?  1  know  we  commonly  say,  that 
the  uncertainty  of  our  proper  title  is  the  cause  of  all  our  want  of 
joy ;  but  if  that  were  all,  if  that  were  the  first  and  greatest  cause, 
and  our  belief  of  the  promise  itself  were  lively,  we  should  at  least 
set  our  hearts  on  heaven^BLthe  most  delightful  and  desirable  state ; 
and  love  would  work  by  more  eager  desires  and  diligent  seekings, 
till  it  had  reached  assurance,  and  cast  out  the  hindrances  of  our 
joy.  How  much  would  a  mere  philosopher  rejoice,  if  he  could 
find  out  natural  evidence  of  so  much  as  we  know  by  faith !  You 
may  perceive  what  their  content  in  finding  it  would  be,  by  their 
exceeding  pains  in  seeking.  The  unwearied  studies  by  day  and 
night,  which  many  of  them  used,  with  the  contempt  of  the  riches 
and  greatness  of  the  world,  do  tell  us  how  glad  they  would  have 
been  to  have  seen  but  half  so  far  as  we  may.  If  they  could  but 
discover  more  clearly  and  certainly  the  principles,  and  elements, 
and  forms  of  beings ;  the  nature  of  spirits ;  the  causes  of  motion ; 
the  nature  and  cause  of  light  and  heat ;  the  order,  course  and 
harmony  of  the  universal  system  of  the  world ;  what  joyful  accla- 
mations would  this  produce  in  the  literate,  studious  sort  of  men ! 
What  joy,  then,  should  it  be  to  us,  to  know  by  faith  the  God  that 
made  us ;  the  creation  of  the  world  ;  the  laws  and  promises  of  our 
Creator ;  the  mysteries  of  redemption  and  regeneration  ;  the  frame 
of  the  new  creatufe  ;  the  entertainment  of  the  spirits  of  the  just 
with  Christ ;  the  judgment  which  all  the  world  must  undergo ; 
the  work  and  company  which  we  shall  have  hereafter;  and  the 
endless  joys  which  all  the  sanctified  shall  possess  in  the  sight  and 
love  of  God  forever !  How  blessed  an  invention  would  it  be,  if  all 
the  world  could  be  brought  again  to  the  use  of  one  universal  Ian- 


458  L.IFE    OF    FAITH. 

guage !  Or  if  all  the  churches  could  be  perfectly  reconciled,  how 
joyful  would  the  author  of  so  great  a  work  be  !  Should  we  not 
then  rejoice,  who  foresee  by  faith  a  far  more  perfect  union  and 
consent  than  ever  must  be  expected  here  on  earth  ? . 

Alas !  the  ordinary  lowness  of  our  comforts  doth  tell  us  that  our 
faith  is  very  small !  I  say  not  so  much  '  the  sorrows  of  a  doubting 
heart,'  as  the  little  joy  which  we  have  in  the  forethoughts  of 
heaven,  when  our  title  seerneth  not  much  doubtful  to  us;  for  those 
sorrows  show  that  such  esteem  it  a  joyful  place,  and  would  rejoice 
if  their  title  were  but  cleared.  But  when  we  have  neither  the 
sorrow  nor  solicitousness  of  the  afflicted  soul,  nor  yet  the  joy  which 
is  any  whit  suitable  to  the  belief  of  such  everlasting  joys,  we  may 
know  what  to  judge  of  such  an  ineffectual  belief;  at  best,  it  is 
very  low  and  feeble.  It  is  a  "joy  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory," 
which  unseen  things  should  cause  in  a  believer;  (1  Pet.  i.  6 — 8.) 
•because  it  is  "  an  exceeding  eternal  weight  of  glory  "  which  he 
believeth  ;  2  Cor.  iv.  17,  18. 

8.  Finally,  learn  to  die  also  as  believers.  The  life  of  faith 
must  bring  you  to  the  very  entrance  into  glory  :  where  one  doth 
end  the  other  begins.  As  our  dark  life  in  the  womb,  by  nutriment 
from  the  mother,  continueth  till  our  passage  into  the  open  world. 
You  would  die  in  the  womb,  if  faith  sHBdd  cease  before  it  bring 
you  to  full  intuition  and  fruition.  ">jBy  faith  Joseph,  when  he 
died,  made  mention  of  the  departing  of  the  children  of  Israel;" 
Heb.  xi.  22.  Joseph's  faith  did  not  die  before  him.  "  These  all 
died  in  faith,  confessing  that  they  were  strangers  and  pilgrims  on 
the  earth,  and  declaring  that  they  sought  a  better  country  ;  "  Heb. 
xi.  3.  They  that  live  by  faith  must  die  in  faith  ;  yea,  and  die  by 
faith  too.  Faith  must  fetch  in  their  dying  comforts.  And  O  how 
full,  and  how  near  a  treasure  hath  it  to  go  to !  To  die  to  this 
world,  is  to  be  born  into  another.  Beggars  are  best  when  they 
are  abroad.  The  travail  of  the  ungodly  is  better  to  them  than 
their  home :  but  the  believer's  home  is  so  much  better  than  his 
travail,  that  he  hath  little  cause  to  be  afraid  of  coming  to  his  jour- 
ney's end ;  but  should  rather  every  step  cry  out,  '  O  when  shall  I 
be  at  home  with  Christ!'  Is  it  earth  or  heaven  that  you  have 
prayed  for,  and  labored  for,  and  waited,  and  suffered  for  till  now  ? 
And  doth  he  indeed  pray,  and  labor,  and  suffer  for  heaven,  who 
would  not  come  thither  ? 

It  is  faith  which  overcometh  the  world  and  the  flesh,  which 
must  also  overcome  the  fears  of  death,  and  can  look  with  boldness 
into  the  loathsome  grave,  and  can  triumph  over  both  as  victorious 
through  Christ.  It  is  faith  which  can  say, '  Go  forth,  O  my  soul ; 
depart  in  peace :  thy  course  is  finished  :  thy  warfare  is  accom- 
plished :  the  day  of  triumph  is  now  at  hand :  thy  patience  hath 


[ 

LIFE    OF    FAITH.  453 

no  longer  work :  go  forth  with  joy  :  the  morning  of  thy  endless 
joys  is  near;  and  the  night  of  fears  and  darkness  at  an  end.  Thy 
terrible  dreams  are  ending  in  eternal  pleasures ;  the  glorious  light 
will  banish  all  thy  dreadful  spectres,  and  resolve  all  those  doubts 
which  are  bred  and  cherished  in  the  dark.  They  whose  employ- 
ment is  their  weariness  and  toil,  do  take  the  night  of  darkness  and 
cessation  for  their  rest ;  but  this  is  their  weariness :  defect  of  action 
is  thy  toil ;  and  thy  most  grievous  labor  is  to  do  too  little  work ; 
and  thy  incessant  vision,  love  and  praise,  will  be  thy  incessant  ease 
and  pleasure ;  and  thy  endless  work  \viil  be  thy  endless  rest ! 
Depart,  O  my  soul,  with  peace  and  gladness!  Thou  leavest  not 
a  world  where  wisdom  and  piety,  justice  and  sobriety,  love,  and 
peace,  and  order  do  prevail ;  but  a  world  of  ignorance  and  folly, 
of  brutish  sensuality  and  rage,  of  impiety  and  malignant  enmity  to 
good ;  a  world  of  injustice  and  oppression,  and  of  confusion  and 
distracting  strifes !  Thou  goest  not  to  a  world  of  darkness  and  of 
wrath,  but  of  light  and  love;  from  hellish  malice  to  perfect  amity; 
from  Bedlam  rage  to  perfect  wisdom ;  from  mad  confusion  to 
perfect  order ;  to  sweetest  unity  and  peace ;  even  to  the  spirits  of 
the  just  made  perfect,  and  to  the  celestial,  glorious  city  of  God ! 
Thoa  goest  not  from  heaven  to  earth,  from  holiness  to  sin,  from 
the  sight  of  God  into  an  rafernal  dungeon ;  but  from  earth  to 
heaven,  from  sin  and  imperfection  into  perfect  holiness ;  and  from 
palpable  darkness  into  the  vital  splendor  of  the  face  of  God ! 
Thou  goest  not  amonjf  enemies,  but  to  dearest  friends  ;  not  amongst 
mere  strangers,  but  to  many  whom  thou  hast  known  by  sight,  and  to 
more  whom  thou  hast  known  by  faith,  and  must  know  by  the  sweet- 
est communion  forever.  Thou  goest  not  to  unsatisfied  justice,  nor  to 
a  condemning,  unreconciled  God  ;  but  to  love  itself,  to  infinite  good- 
ness, the  fountain  of  all  created  and  communicated  good  ;  to  the  Ma- 
ker, Redeemer,  and  Sanctifier  of  souls  ;  to  him  who  prepared  heaven 
for  thee,  and  now  hath  prepared  thee  for  heaven.  Go  forth  then 
in  triumph,  and  not  with  terror,  O  my  soul !  The  prize  is  won  : 
possess  the  things  which  thou  hast  so  long  prayed  for  and  sought ! 
Make  haste  and  enter  into  thy  Master's  joy  !  Go  view  the  glory 
which  thou  hast  so  long  heard  of;  and  take  thy  place  in  the  heav- 
enly choir ;  and  bear  thy  part  in  their  celestial  melody  !  Sit  down 
with  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob  in  the  kingdom  of  God ;  and 
receive  that  which  Christ  in  his  covenant  did  promise  to  give  thee 
at  the  last.  Go  boldly  to  that  blessed  God  with  whom  thou  hast 
so  powerful  a  Mediator,  and  to  the  throne  of  whose  grace  thou 
hast  had  so  oft  and  sweet  access.  If  heaven  be  thy  fear  or  sorrow, 
what  can  be  thy  joy  ?  And  where  wilt  thou  have  refuge,  if  thou 
fly  from  God  ?  If  perfect,  endless  pleasures  be  thy  terror,  where 
then  dost  thou  expect  content  ?  If  grace  have  taught  thee  long 


454  LIFE    OF    FAITH. 

ago  to  prefer  the  heavenly  and  durable  felicity,  refuse  it  not  now 
when  thou  art  so  near  the  port.  If  it  have  taught  thee  long  ago 
to  be  as  a  stranger  in  this  Sodom,  and  to  renounce  this  sinful  world 
and  flesh,  linger  not  now  as  unwilling  to  depart ;  repent  not  of  thy 
choice  when  all  that  the  world  can  do  for  thee  is  past ;  repent  not 
of  thy  warfare  when  thou  hast  got  the  victory ;  nor  of  thy  voyage 
when  thou  art  past  the  storms  and  waves,  and  ready  to  land  at  the 
haven  of  felicity. 

Thus  faith  may  sing  our '  nunc  dimittis,'  when  the  flesh  is  loath- 
est  to  be  dissolved. 

But  we  must  live  by  faith  if  we  would  thus  die  by  faith.  Such 
a  death  doth  not  use  to  be  the  period  of  a  fleshly,  worldly  life ; 
nor  of  a  careless,  dull  and  negligent  life.  Nature,  which  brought 
us  into  the  world,  without  our  forecast  or  care,  will  turn  us  out  of 
the  world  without  it.  But  it  will  not  give  us  a  joyful  passage, 
nor  bring  us  to  a  better  world  without  it.  It  costeth  worldlings  no 
small  care  to  die  in  an  honorable  and  plentiful  estate,  (if  that  they 
may  fall  from  a  higher  place  than  others,  and  may  have  something 
to  make  death  more  grievous  and  unwelcome  to  them,  and  may 
have  a  greater  account  to  make  at  judgment ;  and  that  their  pas- 
sage to  heaven  may  be  as  a  camel's  through  a  needle.)  And  may 
a  believing,  joyful  death  be  expected;  without  the  preparations  of 
exercise  and  experience  in  a  believing  life  ?  Nature  is  so  much 
afraid  of  dying,  and  an  incorporated  soul  is  so  incarcerated  in 
sense,  and  so  hardly  riseth  to  serious  and  satisfying  apprehensions 
of  the  unseen  world,  'that  even  true  believers  do  find  it  a  work  of 
no  small  difficulty  to  desire  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ,  and  to 
die  in  the  joyful  hopes  of  faith.  A  little  abatement  of  the  terrors 
of  death,  a  little  supporting  hope  and  peace,  is  all  that  the  greater 
part  of  them  attain,  instead  of  the  fervent  desires,  and  triumphant 
joys,  which  the  lively  belief  of  endless  glory  should  produce.  O, 
therefore,  make  it  the  work  of  your  lives !  of  all  your  lives !  your 
greatest  work,  your  constant  work,  to  live  by  faith ;  that  the  faith 
which  hath  first  conquered  all  the  rest  of  your  enemies,  may  be 
able  also  to  overcome  the  last ;  and  may  do  your  last  work  well, 
when  it  hath  done  the  rest. 


WHAT    LIGHT     MUST     SHINE     IN 

- 

OUR    WORKS. 


WHAT  LIGHT  MUST  SHINE  IN  OUR  WORKS. 


MATTHEW  v.  1G. 

LET  YOUR  LIGHT  SO  SHINE    BEFORE    MEN,  THAT    THEY  MAY  SEK    YOUR 
GOOD  WORKS,  AND  GLORIFY  YOUR  FATHER  WHICH   IS  IN  HEAVEN. 

THE  work  designed  for  this  time  is  to  resolve  this  practical  case, 
'  What  is  that  light  which  must  shine  before  men  in  the  works  of 
Christ's  disciples  for  the  glorifying  of  God  ? ' 

But  the  explication  of  the  text  is  therein  included. 

The  Son  of  Righteousness,  Jesus  Christ,  who  "  giveth  light  to 
every  one  that  cometh  into  the  world,"  or,  coming  into  the  world, 
giveth  light  to  all,  from  his  fullness  hath  bespangled  the  inferior 
heavens,  his  church,  with  many  refulgent  stars,  appointed  freely 
to  communicate  the  heavenly  light  which  they  had  freely  received. 
In  his  corporeal  presence  he  prepared  them ;  and  his  Spirit  having 
moved  on  the  darkened  world,  he  irresistibly  said,  at  the  descent 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  "  Let  there  be  light,  and  there  was  light,"  be- 
ginning at  Jerusalem,  but  not  fixed  to  any  determinate  place ;  but 
what  he  gave  them  necessarily  and  antecedently  they  were  to 
exercise  as  free  agents,  by  a  command  more  resistible,  which  he 
here  gives  them.  Having  told  them  their  office,  and  given  them 
their  names,  ver.  14.,  "  Ye  are  the  lights  of  the  world,"  he  next 
tells  them  how  they  must  be  useful.  They  must  be  conspicuous, 
1.  Because  the  church  where  they  are  placed  "  is  like  a  city  on 
a  hill  which  cannot  be  hid."  2.  Because  it  is  the  end  of  him 
that  lighteth  them,  and  sets  them  up,  not  to  put  them  under  a 
bushel,  but  on  a  candlestick,  to  give  light  to  all  his  house.  And 
therefore  no  men's  silencing  or  prohibitions,  no  difficulties  or  suf- 
ferings, will  excuse  them  from  their  duty :  lights  they  are,  and 
shine  they  must ;  but  lest  they  should  think  that  it  is  preaching 
only  which  he  meaneth,  he  here,  commanding  them  their  duty, 
lets  them  know  that  the  splendor  of  Christianity  is  in  works  as 
well  as  words,  and  thereby  giveth  us  cause  to  think  that  it  is  all 
his  disciples,  or  Christians,  that  he  speaketh  to,  though  first  and 
eminently  to  the  apostles  and  teachers  of  the  world. 

1.  By  "  light"  he  meaneth  both  the  illuminating  knowledge, 


*"•  \  *  ! 

- 

WHAT    LIGHT    MUST    SHINE    IX    OTR    WORKS.  451 

which   must  be  uttered  by  words,  and  the  splendor  or  glory  of 
holiness,  which  must  be  refulgent  in  their  lives. 

2.  He  calls  it  "  your  "  light,  as  being  their  own  in  his  graces, 
as  the  subjects,  and   their  own  in   exercise,  as  the  actors,  though 
both  under  him. 

3.  It  must  "  shine,"  that  is,   appear  in   its  splendor,  for  the 
illumination  and  conviction  of  the  world. 

4.  It  must  "  so  "  shine  as  is  fittest  to  attain  these  ends :  it  is  not 
every  twinkling  that  will  answer  their  great  obligations. 

5.  It  must  be  "  before  men;"   that   is,  both   those  within,  and 
especially  those  without  the  church,  that  are  but  men. 

6.  It  must  be  a  light  shining  in  "  good  works,"  and  their  own 
works ;  for  that  is  the  grand  difference  between  the  disciples  of 
Christ  and  others.     He  teacheth  them  not  only  to  know  and  talk 
well,  but  to  do  well ;   and  he  makcth   men   such  as  he   teacheth 
them  to  be  :  "  Non  magna  loquimur,  sed  vivimus,"  said  Tertullian. 

7.  "  That  men  may  see,"  doth  signify  both  the  necessary  reful- 
gent quality  of  their  works,  and  also  the  end  of  God  and  them. 

8.  But  it  is  not  hypocritical  ostentation  of  what  they  are  not, 
nor  of  what  they  are  and   have,  as  for  their  own  glory,  to  be  hon- 
ored and  praised  of  men,  but  for  the  glorifying  of  God. 

Who  is  called  "  their  Father,"  to  show  their  obligation  to  him, 
and  to  encourage  them  by  the  honor  and  comfort  of  their  rela- 
tion, and  to  show  why  their  works  will  tend  to  the  glorifying  of 
God,  even  because  they  are  so  nearly  related  to  him. 

And  he  is  said  to  be  "  in  heaven,"  because  there  he  appeareth 
operatively  in  his  glory  to  the  beautifying  [beatifying]  of  holy 
spirits.  As  the  soul  is  said  to  be  in  the  head,  and  we  look  a  man 
in  the  face  when  we  talk  to  him,  as  if  there  principally  we  saw 
the  man ;  because  it  is  in  the  head  that  it  operateth  by  reason. 
So  much  of  the  meaning  of  the  words. 

Many  doctrines  the  text  affordeth  us :  as, 

1.  Christ's  disciples  are  the  lights  of  the  world,  both  in  the 
splendor  of  wisdom  and  holiness. 

2.  Their    most    eminent  and    convincing  splendor  is  in  their 
good  works. 

3.  Their  light  and  good  works  are  their  own,  though  by  the 
grace  of  Christ ;  and  it  is  no  injury  to  Christ,  or  his  righteousness, 
or  grace,  to  say.  that  t'ley  are  their  own. 

4.  The  splendor  of  Christians   in  their  good  works  must  be 
such  as  may  be  seen  of  men. 

5.  The  glorifying  of  God  must  be  the  end  of  our  good  works, 
and  of  their  appearance  unto  men. 

6.  As  bad  as  corrupted    nature  is,  there  is  yet  something  in 
VOL.  n.  58 


;& 

458  WHAT    LIGHT    MUST 

i;.  - 

mankind  which   tendeth  to  the  approving  of  the  good  works  of 
Christians,  and  to  their  glorifying  God  thereupon. 

7.  God  is  glorified  even  by  common  men,  when  they  approve 
of  the  glory  of  holiness  in  believers :  it  is  not  only  by  saints  that 
God  is  glorified. 

8.  As  contrary  as  holiness  is  to  corrupted  nature,  there  is  such 
resplendent   goodness-  in  true   Christians'  works,  which  common 
men  may  glorify  God  for ;  and  so  somewhat  in  them,  and  in  Chris- 
tianity, which  hath  such  agreeableness  as  may  tend  to  further  good. 

9.  The  excellency  and  splendor  of  the  good  works  of  Chris- 
tians, especially  teachers,  is  a  grand  means,  ordained  by  God  him- 
self, for  the  conviction  of  the  world,  and  the  glorifying  of  God. 

But  the  resolving  the  question,  What  the  splendor  of  these 
works  must  be,  is  my  present  undertaken  task. 

God  is  not  glorified  by  our  adding  to  him,  but  by  our  receiving 
from  him ;  not  by  our  making  him  greater,  or  better,  or  happier 
than  he  is,  but  by  owning  him,  loving  him,  and  declaring  him  as 
he  is,  that  we  and  others  may  thereby  be  wise,  and  good,  and 
happy. 

He  is  his  own  glory  and  ours  ;  and  by  his  own  light  only  we 
must  know  both  him  and  all  things.  We  are  not  called  to  bring 
our  candle  to  show  the  world  that  there  is  a  sun,  but  to  persuade 
them  into  its  light,  to  open  the  windows  and  curtains,  to  disperse 
the  clouds,  and  to  open  the  eyes  of  blinded  sinners. 

I.  The  way  of  doing  this,  and  glorifying  God,  is  in  the  order 
following : — 

1 .  The  first  thing  that  our  works  must  show  is  their  own  good- 
ness :  they  can  never  prove  the  cause  good  until  it  is  clear  that 
they  are  good  themselves  ;  therefore,  doubtless,  Christ  here  intend- 
eth  that  we  must  abound  especially  in  those  good  works  which 
the  world  is  capable  of  knowing  to  be  good,  and  not  only  in  those 
which  none  but  Christians  themselves  approve.     If  believers  and 
unbelievers  agreed  in  no  common  principles,  we  were  not  capable 
of  preaching  to  unbelievers,  nor  convincing  them,  nor  of  conversing 
with  them.     There  are  many  excellent  things  which  nature  doth 
approve,  and  which   both   parlies  are  agreed  to  be  good ;  by  the 
advantage  of  these,  as  granted  principles,  we  must  convince  them 
of  the  conclusions  which  they  yet  deny;  and  not  as  the  scandalous 
Christian,  so  absurdly  affect  singularity,  as  to  make  light  of  all 
good  which  is  taken  for  good  by  unbelievers,  and  to  seek  for  emi- 
nency  in  nothing  but  what  the  world  thinks  evil.     There  is  a  glory 
in  some  good  works,  which  all  do  honor,  and  which  manifested] 
itself. 

2.  And  then  the  goodness  of  the  work  doth  manifest  the  good- 


*     *  ^» 

SHIN'E    IN    OUR    WORKS.  459 

/  .'  • 

ness  of  the  doer.  Every  man's  work  is  so  far  his  own,  that  he  is 
related  to  it,  and  by  it,  either  as  laudable, 'or  as  culpable  ;  as  it  is 
Gal.  vi.  4,  5.  "  Let  every  man  prove  his  own  work,  and  then 
shall  he  have  rejoicing  in  himself  alone,  and  not  in  another ;  for 
every  man  shall  bear  his  own  burthen/'  God  himself  will  judge 
men  according  to  their  works ;  and  so  will  men  ;  and  so  must  we 
(much)  do  by  ourselves ;  for  it  is  the  rightest  judging  which  is 
likest  God's. 

This  subordinate  honor  God  grants  to  his  servants : — • 
If  their  works  were  not  an  honor  to  them,  as  the  next  agents, 
they  could  be  none  to  him  in  their  morality,  as  man's  acts  ;  though 
they  might,  as  acts  in  general,  be  ordered  to  good  by  his  own  good- 
ness. If  God's  natural  works  of  creation  (sun,  and  moon,  and 
earth,  &c.)  were  not  praiseworthy  in  themselves,  God  would  not 
be  praised  for  them  as  their  Maker.  There  are  works  that  God 
is  said  to  be  dishonored  by  ;  (Rom.  ii.  23,  24.)  and  what  are  they 
but  such  as  are  really  bad,  and  a  dishonor  to  the  authors  ?  It  is 
so  far  from  being  true,  that  no  praise,  or  honor,  or  comfort  from 
good  works,  is  to  be  given  to  man  ;  that  God  himself  is  not  like 
else  to  be  honored  by  them  as  morally  good,  if  the  actors  be  not 
honored  by  them  ;  the  world  must  first  be  convinced  that  Christians 
are  far  better  than  other  men,  and  the  righteous  more  excellent  than 
his  neighbor,  before  they  will  glorify  God  as  the  Author  of  their 
goodness.  In  God's  own  judgment,  "  Well  done "  is  the  first 
word,  and  "  Good  and  faithful  servant,"  is  the  second,  and  "  Enter 
thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord,"  is  the  third. 

Two  sorts  of  scandalous  persons  rob  God  of  his  honor  in  his 
saints. 

1.  Those  that,  professing  Christianity,  live  wickedly,  or,  at  least, 
no  better  than  other  men  ;  whose  lives  tell  the  world  that  Christians 
are  but  such  as  they. 

2.  Those  that  slander  and  belie  true  believers,  and  would  hide 
their  goodness,  and  make  them  odious  to  the  world. 

As  for  them  that  say  only  that  we  have  no  righteousness  in  our- 
selves by  which  we  can  be  justified,  I  shall  not  differ  with  them, 
if  they  do  but  grant  that  all  shall  be  judged  according  to  their 
works ;  and  that  he  that  is  accused  as  an  infidel,  impenitent,  an 
hypocrite,  or  an  unregenerate,  ungodly  person,  must  against  that 
accusation  be  justified  by  his  own  faith,  repentance,  sincerity,  and 
holiness,  or  be  unjustified  forever. 

3.  The  next  thing  to  the  work  and  the  person   that  is  l>ereby 
honored,  is  the  Christian  religion  itself,  with  the  Spirit's  operations 
on  the  souls  of  Christians  ;  the  outward  doctrine  and  example  of 
Christ,  who  teacheth  his  servants  to  be  better  than  the  world  ;  and 
the  inward  sanctification  of  the  Spirit,  which  maketh  them  better, 


460 


WHAT    LIGHT    MUST 


The  air  and  food  are  commended  which  make  men  healthy,  and 
the  medicines  are  praised  which  cure  the  disease  ;  that  is  account- 
ed good,  as  a  means  and  cause  which  doth  good,  and  which  mak- 
eth  men  good  :  if  Christians  were  more  commonly  and  notoriously 
much  better  than  all  other  men,  the  world  would  believe  that  the 
gospel  and  the  Christian  religion  were  the  best. 

But  when  scandalous  Christians  appear  as  bad,  or  worse  than 
infidels,  the  world  thinks  that  their  religion  is  as  bad,  or  worse  than 
theirs. 

4.  The  next  ascent  of  honor  is  to  the  Maker  or  Author  of 
our  religion :  the  world  will  see  that  he  is  good  that  maketh  so  good 
a  law  and  gospel,  and  that  maketh  all  his  true  disciples  so  much  to 
excel  all  other  men.  And  here  the  first  honor  will  be  to  the  Holy 
Spirit,  which  reneweth  souls,  and  maketh  them  holy  ;  and  the  next 
will  be  to  the  Son,  our  Savior,  who  giveth  us  both  the  word  and 
Spirit ;  and  the  highest  or  ultimate  glory  will  be  to  God  the  Father, 
who  giveth  us  both  his  Son  and  his  Spirit. 

"And  thus  honor  ascendeth  to  the  highest  by  these  steps,  and 
the  world  beginneth  at  that  which  is  nearest  to  them,  and  reason 
will  proceed  by  these  degrees;  1.  The  excellent,  holy  lives  of 
Christians  are  better  than  those  of  other  men.  2.  Therefore  Chris- 
tians are  better  than  other  men.  3.  Therefore  their  religion  is  the 
best,  or  the  word  and  work  which  make  them  such.  4.  There- 
fore the  Spirit  is  good  which  makes  them  good  ;  the  Savior  is  good 
who  giveth  them  the  word  and  Spirit ;  and  God,  the  Fountain  of 
all,  even  the  Father  of  mercies,  is  the  Fountain  of  all  good,  and 
consequently  the  end  of  all.  And  thus  God  is  known  and  glorified 
by  our  works. 

II.  The  works  which  thus  glorify  him  are  first  to  be  described 
in  general,  and  then  enumerated  in  special. 

1.  In  general,  1.  They  must  be  such  as  make  or  show  men  to 
be  in  their  places  like  to  God  :  they  must  be  such  as  represent  the 
particular  perfections  of  God,  which  are  called  his  communicable 
attributes ;  and  such  as  declare  his  relations  to  us  ;  and  such  as 
declare  his  attributes,  as  so  related,  and  his  works. 

As,  1.  We  must  so  live  that  men  may  see  that  indeed  we  take 
not  ourselves  to  be  our  own,  but  God  to  be  our  absolute  owner ; 
and  that  it  is  not  ourselves,  but  he  that  must  of  right  dispose  both 
of  us  and  ours ;  and  that  we  willingly  stand  to  his  disposal  ;  1 
Cor.  vi.  19.  "  Ye  are  not  your  own." 

2.  We  must  so  live  as  may  declare  that  we  are  not  lawless,  nor 
the  mere  servants  of  men,  but  the  resolved  subjects  of  God,  the 
Sovereign  King  of  all ;  and  that  really  we  are  ruled  by  his  laws 
and  will,  and  not  by  our  own  lusts  or  wills,  nor  by  the  wills  of 
any,  but  as  under  him  ;  and  that  we  fear  not  any  hurt  to  the  flesh, 


«H1XE    IX    OUR    WORK?.  \  461 

or  them  that  can  hut  kill  the  body,  in  comparison  of  that  one 
Lawgiver  and  Judge,  who  is  ahle  to  save  or  destroy  forever  ;  (Luke 
xii.  4.  James  iv.  12.  1  Cor.  vii.  23.)  and  that  we  are  moved 
more  by  his  promises,  than  by  all  that  mortal  men  can  give  us ; 
and  trust  wholly  to  the  heavenly  reward  of  glory,  and  not  to  the 
transitory  prosperity  of  this  world,  believing  that  God  is  true  and 
just,  and  none  of  his  word  sha'l  never  fail  ;  1  Peter  i.  3.  "  We 
are  begotten  again  unto  a  lively  hope,  through  the  resurrection  of 
Christ  to  an  inheritance  incorruptible,"  &cc. 

3.  We  must  so  live  as  may  declare  that  God  is  our  grand  bene- 
factor, from  whom  we  have  all  the  good  that  ever  we  received, 
and  from  whom  we  hope  for  all  that  ever  we  shall  possess ;  and 
that  he  is  infinitely  good,  the  original  and  end  of  all  created  good : 
we  must  live  as  those  that  believe  that  we  are  made  for  God,  even 
to  glorify  him,  and  please  his  blessed  will ;  not  by  making  him  be- 
holden to  us,  but  by  a  willing  receiving  of  his  mercies,  and  a  willing 
improvement  of  them  to  our  own  felicity  ;  and  as  those  that  believe 
that  his  love  is  better  than  life  itself,  and  that  to  know  him  and 
love  him,  and  glorify  him  forever,  is  the  ultimate  end  and  happi- 
ness of  man  ;  Psalm  iv.  7,  8.  and  Ixiii.  3.  and  Ixxiii.  25,  26.  28. 
Phil.  iii.  7,  8.  Matt.  vi.  33.  1  Peter  i.  5,  6.  8,  9.  2 
Cor.  v.  1. 

2.  And  we  must  so  live  in  relation  to  Christ,  and  to  his  Spirit, 
as  may  declare  to  the  world  that  the  mercy  of  the  Father  is  con- 
veyed to  us  by  the  Son,  and  the  grace  of  the  Father  and  the  Son 
by  the  Spirit ;  and  what  wonders  of  wisdom,  goodness  and  power, 
truth  and  justice,  holiness  and  mercy,  are  manifest  in  Christ,  and 
his  mediation  to  mankind;  Gal.  ii.  20.     Eph.  iii.  16,   17.     Phil, 
i.  20,  21.     John  xvii.  10. 

3.  In  some  the  works  that  glorify  God  must   have  these  three 
parts  of  his  likeness  upon  them. 

1.  They  must  be  works  of  light,  like  the  light  which  from  the 
Father  of  lights  doth  illuminate  us.      Christians  must  be  much 
wiser  than  the  men  of  the  world,  in  holy,  though  not  in  worldly 
things;  Col.  i.  9.  28.  and  iii.  16.     Darkness  is  the  state  of  Sa- 
tan's kingdom,  and  ignorant  Christians  are  scandalous,  and  a  dis- 
honor to  Christ :  not  those  that  are   ignorant  of  unnecessary,  un- 
profitable, or  unrevealed  things,  but  those  that  are  ignorant  of  re- 
vealed, necessary,  saving  truths;  1  Cor.  iii.  2.     Heb.  v.   11,  12. 

2.  They  must  be  works  of  holy  love  to  God  and  man,  which 
show  that  God  and  goodness  have  our  hearts,  and  that  we  would 
imitate  God  in  doing  good  to  all,  according  to  our  places  and  pow- 
er; Gal.  vi.  10.     Rom.  xiii.  10—12. 

3.  They  must  be  works  of  life  and  power,  where  serious  dili- 
gence expresseth  zeal ;  and  that  we  set  ourselves  no  lower  bounds 


462 


WHAT    LIGHT    MUST 


than  with  all  our  heart,  and  mind,  and  might;  2  Tim.  i.  7.  Rom. 
xii.  11.     Thus  much  for  the  general  description  of  them. 

II.  The  description  of  a  Christian  whose  works  glorify  God, 
according  to  Scripture  and  experience,  may  be  given  you  in  the 
following  particulars  :  — 

1.  He  is  one  that  placeth  his  saving  religion  in  the  practical 
knowledge  of  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  the  Savior, 
whom  he  hath  sent  :  John  xvii.  3.     He  puts  no  limits  to  his  en- 
deavors after  useful  knowledge,  but  what  God  hath  put  by  his 
word  or  providence  :  he  would  abound  in  holy  wisdom,  and  thinks 
it  worth  his  greatest  diligence,  and  is  still  upon  the  increasing 
hand  :  he  hath  so  much  knowledge  of  the  lesser  matters  of  reli- 
gion, as  to  keep  him  from  scandalous  miscarriages  about  them  ;  but 
it  is  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  of  a  crucified  and  glorified  Christ, 
in  which  he  taketh  wisdom  to  consist  ;  John  xvii.  3.     1  Cor.  ii.  2. 
This  is  the  light  in  which  he  hath  his  daily  conversation,  the  light 
which  governed)  his  will  and  practice,  which  feedeth  his  medita- 
tions, his  prayers,  and  his  discourse  ;  which  repelleth  his  tempta- 
tions, which  maintained!  his  hope,  and  is  his  daily  work  of  recrea- 
tion, his  food,  and  feast. 

For  they  will  now  perceive,  1.  That  his  religion  is  not  a  mat- 
ter of  names  and  words,  and  trifling  controversies,  but  hath  the 
greatest  and  most  excellent  subject  in  the  world  ;  and  as  nature 
teacheth  all  to  reverence  God,  so  it  will  tell  them  that  they  must 
reverence  that  religion,  that  conversation,  and  that  person,  who 
is  most  divine,  and  where  the  most  of  God  appeareth. 

2.  And  they  will  see  that  his  religion  consisteth  not  in  uncer- 
tainties, which  no  man  can  be  sure  of  when  he  hath  done  his  best  ; 
but  in  things  so  sure  as  none  should  doubt  of;  which  will  easily 
bring  men  over  to  consent,  and  shame  or  silence  contradictors. 

3.  And  then  they  will  see  that  it  is  a  religion  which  all  sober  per- 
sons are  united  in,  and  doth  not  lose  its  authority  or  reverence, 
by  the  divisions,  wranglings,  and  digladiations  of  sects  of  different 
minds  ;  for  God  is  denied  by  no  sober  man,  nor  the  essentials  of 
Christianity  by  any  true  Christian. 

4.  And  men  will  see  that  our  religion  is  no  matter  of  indifferen- 
cy,  which  one  may  do  well  enough  without,  but  of  absolute  ne- 
cessity to  salvation,  and  that  which  man  was  made  and  redeemed 
for  ;  and  a  religion  of  the  greatest  subject,  the  greatest  certainty, 
the  greatest  consent,  and  the  greatest  necessity,  will  honor  itself 
and  its  Author  in  the  world,  if  it  be  rightly  represented  in  the  lives 
of  them  that  do  profess  it. 

But  when  men's  overdoing  shall  pretend  that  all  this  is  too  lit- 
tle, and  shall  seek  to  raise  it,  as  to  more  perfection,  by  their  own 
inventions,  or  uncertain  opinions  in  doctrine,  worship,  church-dis- 


SHINE    IN    OUR    WORKS.  •         463 

cipline,  or  practice,  they  presently  cast  it  as  a  football  before  the 
boys  in  the  streets,  and  make  it  a  matter  of  doubtful,  endless  dis- 
putations, of  multiplied  sects,  of  pernicious  contentions,  and  cruel 
persecutions ;  and  then  the  reverence  and  glory  of  it  is  gone,  and 
every  philosopher  will  vie  with  it  in  subtilty,  and  every  stranger 
will  presume  to  censure  it,  if  not  to  blaspheme  it  and  deride  it. 
And  thus  overdoers  are  the  scandals  of  the  world. 

II.  The  Christian  that  will  glorify  God,  and  his  profession,  must 
be  conscionable  in  the  smallest  matters,  but  he  must  ever  describe 
and  open  the  nature  of  his  religion,  as  consisting  in  great  and  cer- 
tain things,  and  not  talk  too  much  of  smaller  matters,  as  if  it  were 
those  that  men  were  to  be  saved  by.     Tell  men  of  the  necessity 
of  believing,  fearing,  obeying,  trusting,  and  loving  God,  and  of 
coming  to  him  by  Jesus  Christ,  the  great  Mediator  between   God 
and  man ;  tell  them  of  the  intrinsic  evil  of  sin,  and  of  God's  jus- 
tice, and  of  man's  corruption,  and  of  the  nature  and  excellency  of 
holiness,  and  of  the  necessity  of  being  new-born  of  the  Holy  Spir- 
it, and  of  mortifying  the  desires  and  deeds  of  the  flesh ;  and  tell 
them  of  judgment,  heaven,  and  hell,  especially  the  certainty  and 
excellency  of  the  everlasting  promised  glory ;  persuade  them  to 
believe  all  this,  to  think  much  of  all  this,  and  to  be  true  to  what 
they  know,  and  to  make  it  the  work  of  life  to  be  always  prepared 
for  death.     Let  this  be  your  discourse  with  sinners,  (as  I  told  you 
in  the  first  character  it  must  be  your  own  religion,)  and  then  men 
will  perceive  that  religion  is  a  matter  that  doth  indeed  concern 
them,  and  that  they  are  indeed  great  and  necessary  things  in  which 
you  differ  from  ungodly  men  ;  but  the  scandalous  Christian  talketh 
most  of  external  church-orders,  and  forms  and  opinions,  and  par- 
ties, and  thereby  maketh  the  ignorant  believe  that  the  difference 
is  but  that  one  will  sit  when  the  other  kneeleth  ;  and  one  will  pray 
by  the  book,  and  the  other  without  book  ;  and  one  is  for  this 
church-government,  and  another  for  that ;  and  one  for  praying  in 
white,  and  the  other  in  black.     And  talking  too  much  of  such 
things  as  these  deceiveth  the  hearers:  some  it  maketh  formal  hyp- 
ocrites, who  take  up  this  for  their  religion ;  and  the  rest  it  harden- 
eth,  and  maketh  them  think  that  such  people  are  only  more  hu- 
morous, and  self-conceited,  and  giddy,  and  factious  than  others,  but 
no  whit  better. 

III.  The  genuine  Christian  hath  an  humble  and  cautelous  un- 
derstanding ;  sensible  when  he  knoweth  most  how  little  he  know- 
eth,  and  how  much  he  is  still  unacquainted  with,  in  the  great  mys- 
terious matters  of  God.     His  ignorance  is  his  daily  grief  and  bur- 
den, and  he  is  still   longing  and  looking  for  some  clearer  light. 
Not  a  new  word  of  revelation  from  God,  but  a  clearer  understand- 
ing of  his  word.     He  knoweth  how  weak  and  slippery  man's  un- 


464  WHAT    LIGHT    MUST 

derstanding  is,  and  he  is  humbly  conscious  of  the  darkness  of  his 
own.  Therefore  he  is  not  conceitedly  wise,  nor  a  boaster  of  his 
knowledge;  but  saith,  as  Paul,  (1  Cor.  viii.  2.)  "If  any  man 
think  that  he  knoweth  any  thing,  (that  is,  is  proudly  conceited  of 
his  own  knowledge,)  he  knoweth  nothing  yet  as  he  ought  to 
know." 

And  hence  it  is,  that  though  he  daily  grow  in  the  firmer  appre- 
hension of  necessary  truths,  yet  he  is  never  confident  and  peremp- 
tory about  uncertain,  doubtful  things ;  and  therefore  he  is  not  apt 
to  be  quarrelsome  and  contentious,  nor  yet  censorious  against  those 
that  differ  from  him  in  matters  of  no  greater  moment.  And  hence 
it  is  that  he  runneth  not  into  sects,  nor  burneth  with  the  feverish, 
dividing  zeal,  nor  yet  is  scandalously  mutable  in  his  opinions ;  be- 
cause, as  one  that  is  conscious  of  his  ignorance,  he  doth  not  rashly 
receive  things  which  he  understands  not,  but  suspended!  his  judg- 
ment till  evidence  make  him  fit  to  judge;  and  joineth  with  neither 
of  the  contending  parties,  till  he  is  sure  to  know,  indeed,  which  of 
them  is  right ;  and  thus  he  avoideth  that  dishonoring  of  religion, 
which  the  scandalous  Christian  is  wofully  guilty  of;  who,  with  an 
unhumbled  understanding,  groweth  confident  upon  quick  and  in- 
sufficient information,  and  judgeth  before  he  understandeth  the  case, 
and  before  he  hath  heard  or  read,  and  considered,  what  on  both 
sides  may  be  said,  and  what  is  necessary  to  a  true  understanding. 
And  thus,  either  by  audacious  prating  of  what  he  never  understood, 
or  reviling  and  censuring  men  wiser  than  himself,  or  by  making 
himself  a  judge  where  he  hath  need  to  be  many  years  a  learner, 
or  making  a  religion  of  his  own  mistakes,  and  setting  up  dividing 
sects  to  propagate  them,  or  else  by  shameful  mutability  and  unset- 
tledness,  he  becometh  a  scandal  to  harden  unbelievers,  and  a  dis- 
ease to  the  church,  and  a  shame  to  his  profession  :  read  James  iii. 
15 — 17.  Conceited  wisdom  kindleth  a  contentious  zeal,  and  is  not 
of  God,  but  from  beneath. 

IV.  The  Christian,  who  glorifieth  God  by  his  religion,  is  one 
that  so  liveth  that  men  may  perceive  that  his  carnal  interest  is  not 
the  end  and  ruler  of  his  life  ;  but  that  God  is  his  end,  and  to  please 
him  is  his  work  and  his  reward,  in  which  he  is  comforted,  though 
the  flesh  and  the  world  be  never  so  much  displeased ;  and  that  the 
perfect  light  and  love  of  God  in  the  unseen  glory  of  another  life 
is  the  sanctifying  sum  of  all  his  hopes,  for  which  all  the  world 
must  be  forsaken.  To  talk  much  of  heaven,  and  to  be  as  much 
and  eager  for  the  world  as  others,  is  the  way  by  which  the  scan- 
dalous hypocrite  doth  bring  religion  into  contempt.  It  is  no  high, 
nor  very  honorable  work,  to  talk  of  the  vanity  of  the  world,  but 
to  live  above  it.  and  to  be  out  of  the  power  of  it ;  nor  is  it  any 
great  matter  to  speak  honorably  of  heaven,  but  to  live  as  believ- 


SHINE    IN    OUR    WORKS.  465 

ing  seekers  of  it,  and  as  those  that  have  there  their  treasure  and 
their  hearts,  (Matt.  vi.  20,  21.)  and  are  comforted  more  by  the 
hopes  of  the  life  to  come,  than  by  all  their  possessions  or  pleasures 
in  the  world.  If  we  will  glorify  God,  our  lives  must  persuade  men 
that  he  will  certainly  be  our  everlasting  portion,  and  the  sure  and 
plentiful  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek  him  ;  Heb.  xi.  6. 
It  is  much  of  the  use  of  a  true  Christian's  life  to  convince  un- 
believers that  there  is  a  heaven  for  saints ;  and  the  scandalous 
worldling  persuadeth  them  that  there  is  none;  Matt.  v.  5.  11,  12. 
Phil.  iii.  26.  21.  Col.  iii.  1,  2,  8,  4,  o. 

V.  Therefore  it  glorifieth  God  and  our  religion  when  Christians 
live  in  greater  joy,  or  at  least  in  greater  contentedness  and  peace 
than  other  men.  When  they  can  answer  all  the  crosses  in  the 
world  sufficiently  with  this,  that  "  God  is  their  God,  and  his  love 
shall  be  their  endless  joy  ;  "  (Psalm  Ixxiii.  1.  and  Ixxxiii.  25,  26.^ 
and  when  they  can  live  by  faith  and  not  by  sight ;  (2  Cor.  v.  7.) 
and  can  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God ;  (Rom.  v.  3.  5.) 
and  can  comfort  themselves  and  one  another  with  this,  that  they 
shall  forever  be  with  the  Lord  ;  (1  Thess.  iv.  17,  18.)  and  can 
trust  him  to  the  death,  who  hath  said,  I  will  never  fail  thee  nor 
forsake  thee ;  Heb.  xiii.  5.  If  you  would  have  other  men  honor 
your  God  and  your  religion,  and  desire  to  be  such  as  you,  you 
must  really  show  them  that  you  are  on  safer  grounds,  and  in  a 
happier  state  than  they ;  and  that  you  will  hardly  do,  if  you  be 
not  more  comfortable  than  they,  or  at  least  settled  in  more  peace 
and  contentedness  of  mind,  as  those  that  have  a  certain  cure  for 
the  fears  of  death,  and  the  danger  that  ungodly  men  are  in  of  the 
revenging  justice  of  the  final  Judge. 

I  confess  it  is  possible  for  trembling,  troubled,  and  distressed 
Christians  to  be  saved.  But  O  that  they  knew  what  a  scandal 
they  are  to  unbelievers,  and  what  a  dishonor  to  God,  whom  their 
lives  should  glorify  !  What  man  will  fall  in  love  with  terrors  and 
unquietness  of  mind  ?  If  you  would  glorify  God  by  your  fears 
and  tears,  they  must  be  such  as  are  accompanied  with  faith  and 
hope  ;  and  you  must  not  only  show  men  what  would  make  you 
happy,  if  you  could  obtain  it,  but  also  that  it  is  attainable.  Hap- 
piness is  every  man's  desire,  and  none  will  come  to  Christ  unless 
they  believe  that  it  tendeth  to  their  happiness :  they  take  up  with 
the  present  pleasures  of  the  rle^h,  because  they  have  no  satisfying 
apprehensions  of  any  better.  And  if  no  man  show  the  first-fruits 
of  any  better  here,  they  will  harJly  bdteve  that  they  may  have 
better  hereafter:  it  is  too  hard  a  talk  to  put  a  poor  drunkard,  for- 
nicator,  or  a  poor,  covetous  worldling  on,  to  believe  that  a  poor, 
complaining,  comfortless  Christian  is  happier  than  he  ;  and  that  so 
sad  and  unquiet  a  life  must  be  preferred  before  all  his  temporal 
VOL.  u.  59 


466  WHAT    LIGHT    MUST 

contentments  and  delights.  You  must  show  him  better,  or  the 
signs  and  fruits  of  better,  before  he  will  part  with  what  he  hath  : 
you  must  show  him  the  bunch  of  grapes,  if  you  will  have  him  go 
for  the  land  of  promise,  when  he  is  told  of  giants  that  must  be 
overcome:  and  O  what  a  blessing  is  reserved  for  every  Caleb  and 
Joshua,  that  encourage  souls,  and  glorify  the  promise  !  And  how 
much  do  dejected  discouragers  of  sinners  dishonor  God,  and  dis- 
please him  !  I  have  known  some  ungodly  men,  when  they  have 
seen  believers  rejoicing  in  God,  and  triumphantly  passing  through 
sufferings  in  the  joyful  hopes  of  glory,  to  sigh,  and  say,  '  Would  I 
were  such  a  one,  or  in  his  case ; '  but  I  have  seldom  heard  any 
say  so  of  a  person  that  is  still  sad,  or  crying,  or  troubling  them- 
selves and  others  with  their  scruples,  crosses,  or  discontents ;  un- 
less it  be  in  respect  to  their  blameless  living,  perhaps  condoling 
them,  they  may  say,  '  Would  I  had  no  more  sin  to  trouble  me  than 
you  have.'  I  confess  that  some  excellent  Christians  do  show  no 
great  mirth  in  the  way  of  their  conversation  ;  either  because  they 
are  of  a  grave  and  silent  temper,  or  taken  up  with  severe  studies 
and  contemplations,  or  hindered  by  bodily  pains  or  weakness. 
But  yet  their  grave  and  sober  comforts,  their  peace  of  conscience, 
and  settled  hopes,  and  trust  in  God,  delivering  them  from  the  ter- 
rors of  death  and  hell,  may  convince  an  unbeliever  that  this  is  a 
far  better  state  than  the  mirth  and  laughter  of  fools  in  the  house 
of  feasting,  and  in  the  vanities  of  a  short  prosperity.  The  grave 
and  solid  peace  and  comfort  of  those  that  have  made  their  calling 
and  election  sure  is  more  convincing  than  a  lighter  kind  of  mirth ; 
John  xvi.  22. 

VI.  The  dominion  of  love  in  the  hearts  of  Christians,  appear- 
ing in  all  the  course  of  their  lives,  doth  much  glorify  God  and 
their  religion  ;  I  mean  a  common,  hearty  love  to  all  men,  and  a 
special  love  to  holy  men,  according  to  their  various  degrees  of 
loveliness.  Love  is  a  thing  so  agreeable  to  right  reason,  and  to 
social  nature,  and  to  the  common  interest  of  all  mankind,  that  all 
men  commend  it;  and  they  that  have  it  not  for  others,  would  have 
it  from  others.  Who  is  it  that  loveth  not  to  be  loved  ?  and  who  is  it 
that  loveth  not  the  man  that  he  is  convinced  loveth  him,  better 
than  him  that  hateth  him,  or  regardeth  him  not  ?  And  do  you 
think  that  the  same  course,  which  maketh  men  hate  yourselves,  is 
like  to  make  them  love  your  religion  ?  Love  is  the  powerful  con- 
queror of  the  world  :  by  it  God  conquereth  the  enmity  of  man,  and 
reconcileth  to  himself  even  malignant  sinners  ;  and  by  it  he  hath 
taught  us  to  conquer  all  the  tribulations  and  persecutions  by  which 
the  world  would  separate  us  from  his  love ;  yea,  and  to  be  more 
than  conquerors  through  him  that  loved  us,  and  thereby  did  kindle 
in  us  our  reflecting  love,  (Rom.  viii.  34 — 36.)  and  by  it  he  hath 


SHINE    IN    OUR    WORKS.  467 

instructed  us  to  go  on  to  conquer  both  his  enemies  and  our  own  ; 
yea,  to  conquer  the  enmity  rather  than  the  enemy,  in  imitation  of 
himself,  who  saveth  the  sinner,  and  kills  the  sin ;  and  this  is  the 
most  noble  kind  of  victory.  Every  soldier  can  end  a  fever,  or 
other  disease,  by  cutting  a  man's  throat,  and  ending  his  life  ;  but 
it  is  the  work  of  the  physician  to  kill  the  disease,  and  save  the 
man.  The  scandalous  pastor  is  for  curing  heresy  in  the  Roman 
way,  by  silencing  sound  preachers,  and  tormenting  and  burning  the 
supposed  heretics  ;  or,  at  least,  to  trust  for  the  acceptance  and  suc- 
cess of  his  labors  to  the  sword ;  and  if  that  which  will  restrain  men 
from  crossing  the  pastor,  would  restrain  them  from  resisting  the 
Spirit  of  God,  and  constrain  them  to  the  love  of  holiness,  it  were 
well  ;  then  the  glory  of  conversion  should  be  more  ascribed  to  the 
magistrate  and  soldier  than  to  the  preacher.  But  the  true  pastor 
is  armed  with  a  special  measure  of  life,  light,  and  love,  that  he  may 
be  a  meet  instrument  for  the  regenerating  of  souls,  who,  by  holy 
life,  and  light,  and  love,  must  be  renewed  to  their  Father's  image. 
Every  thing  naturally  generateth  its  like,  which  hath  a  generative 
power.  And  it  is  the  love  of  God  which  the  preacher  is  to  bring 
all  men  to,  that  must  be  saved :  this  is  his  office,  this  is  his  work, 
and  this  must  be  his  study ;  he  doth  little  or  nothing,  if  he  doth 
not  this.  Souls  are  not  sanctified  till  they  are  wrought  up  to  the 
love  of  God  and  holiness.  And,  therefore,  the  furniture  and  arms 
which  Christ  hath  left  us  in  his  word,  are  all  suited  to  this  work 
of  love.  We  have  the  love  of  God  himself  to  preach  to  them ; 
and  the  love  of  an  humbled,  dying,  and  glorified  Redeemer,  and 
all  the  amiable  blessings  of  heaven  and  earth  to  open  to  them ; 
and  all  the  loving  promises  and  invitations  of  the  gospel ;  and  must 
not  our  hearts,  our  ministry,  and  our  lives  be  answerable  to  all  this  ? 
Believe  it,  it  must  be  a  preacher,  whose  matter  and  manner  of 
preaching  and  living  doth  show  forth  a  hearty  love  to  God,  and 
love  to  godliness,  and  love  to  all  his  people's  souls,  that  is  the  fit 
instrument  to  glorify  God,  by  convincing  and  converting  sinners. 
God  can  work  by  what  means  he  will ;  by  a  scandalous,  domineer- 
ing, self-seeking  preacher  ;  but  it  is  not  his  ordinary  way.  Foxes 
and  wolves  are  not  nature's  instruments  to  generate  sheep.  I 
never  knew  much  good  done  to  souls  by  any  pastors  but  such  as 
preached  and  lived  in  the  power  of  love,  working  by  clear,  con- 
vincing light,  and  both  managed  by  a  holy,  lively  seriousness. 
You  must  bring  fire  if  you  kindle  fire.  Trust  not  here  to  the  Car- 
tesian philosophy,  that  mere  motion  will  turn  another  element  into 
fire.  Speak  as  loud  as  you  will,  and  make  as  great  a  stir  as  you 
will,  it  will  be  all  in  vain  to  win  men's  love  to  God  and  goodness, 
till  their  hearts  be  touched  with  his  love  and  amiableness ;  which, 
usually,  must  be  done  by  the  instrumentality  of  the  preacher's  love. 


468  WHAT    LIGHT    MUST 

Let  them  hate  me,  so  they  do  but  fear  me,  and  obey  me,  is  the 
saying  of  such  as  set  up  for  themselves,  (and  but  foolishly  for  them- 
selves,) and,  like  Satan,  would  rule  men  to  damnation.  If  love  be 
the  sum  and  fulfilling  of  the  law,  love  must  be  the  sum  and  fulfill- 
ing of  our  ministry.  But  yet,  by  love  I  mean  not  flattery  ;  parents 
do  love  as  necessarily  as  any,  and  yet  must  correct ;  and  God  him- 
self can  love,  and  yet  correct;  yea,  he  chasteneth  every  son  that 
he  receiveth  ;  (Heb.  xii.  6,  7.)  and  his  love  consisteth  with  pa- 
ternal justice,  and  with  hatred  of  sin,  and  plain  and  sharp  reproof 
of  sinners  ;  and  so  must  ours ;  but  all  as  the  various  operations  of 
love,  as  the  objects  vary. 

And  what  I  say  of  ministers,  I  say  of  every  Christian  in  this 
place.  Love  is  the  great  and  the  new  commandment ;  that  is,  the 
last  which  Christ  would  leave,  at  his  departure,  to  his  disciples. 
O,  could  we  learn  of  the  Lord  of  love,  and  him  who  calleth  him- 
self love  itself,  to  love  our  enemies,  to  bless  them  that  curse  us, 
and  to  do  good  to  the  evil,  and  pray  for  them  that  hurt  and  per- 
secute us,  we  should  not  only  prove  that  we  are  genuine  Chris- 
tians, the  children  of  our  heavenly  Father;  (Matt.  v.  44,  45.) 
but  should  heap  coals  of  fire  on  our  enemies'  heads,  and  melt  them 
into  compassion  and  some  remorse,  if  not  into  a  holy  love.  I  tell 
you,  it  is  the  Christian  who  doth  truly  love  his  neighbor  as  himself; 
who  loveth  the  godly  as  his  co-heirs  of  heaven,  and  loveth  the  un- 
godly with  a  desire  to  make  them  truly  godly ;  who  loveth  a  friend 
as  a  friend,  and  an  enemy  as  a  man  that  is  capable  of  holiness  and 
salvation.  It  is  he  that  liveth,  walketh,  speaketh,  converseth,  yea, 
suffereth,  which  is  the  great  difficulty  in  love,  and  is,  as  it  were, 
turned,  by  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  upon  his  heart,  into  love 
itself;  who  doth  glorify  God  in  the  world,  and  glorify  his  religion, 
and  really  rebuke  the  blasphemer,  that  derideth  the  Spirit  in  be- 
lievers, as  if  it  were  but  a  fanatical  dream. 

And  it  is  he  that,  by  tyranny,  cruelty,  contempt  of  others,  and 
needless,  proud  singularities  and  separations,  magisterially  con- 
demning and  vilifying  all  that  walk  not  in  his  fashion,  and  pray  not 
in  his  fashion,  and  are  not  of  his  opinion,  where,  it  is  like  enough, 
he  is  himself  mistaken,  that  is  the  scandalous  Christian,  who  doth 
as  much  against  God  and  religion,  and  the  church,  and  men's  souls, 
as  he  doth  against  love.  And  though  it  be  Satan's  way,  as  an  an- 
gel of  light,  and  his  ministers'  way,  as  ministers  of  righteousness, 
to  destroy  Christ's  interest  by  dividing  it,  and  separating  things 
that  God  will  have  conjoined,  and  so  to  pretend  the  love  of  truth, 
and  love  of  order,  as  the  love  of  godliness,  or  discipline,  against 
the  love  of  souls,  and  to  use  even  the  name  of  love  itself  against 
love,  to  justify  all  their  cruelties,  or  censures,  and  alienations  ;  yet 
God  will  keep  up  that  sacred  fire  in  the  hearts  of  the  sound  Chris- 


SHINE    IN    OUR    WORKS.  469 

tians  which  shall  live  and  conquer  these  temptations,  and  they 
will  understand  and  regard  the  warning  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  Rom. 
xvi.  17.  "  I  beseech  you,  mark  them  which  cause  divisions  and 
offenses,  contrary  to  the  doctrine  which  you  have  learned,  and 
avoid  them,"  (in  their  sinful,  dividing,  offensive  ways,)  "  for 
they  that  are  such  serve  not  the  Lord  Jesus,"  (though  they  may 
confidently  think  they  do,)  "  but  their  own  bellies,"  or  carnal  in- 
terests, though,  perhaps,  they  will  not  see  it  in  themselves;  "  and 
by  good  words,  and  fair,  or  flattering  speeches,  deceive  the  hearts 
of  the  simple."  The  word  is  TUP  ftsttix^r,  hominmn  minime  ma- 
lorum,  no  bad  men,  or  harmless,  well-meaning  men  ;  who,  in  case 
it  be  not  to  mortal  errors,  perhaps  may  be,  in  the  main,  sincere, 
and  may  be  saved  when  their  stubble  is  burnt ;  but  whether  sin- 
cere or  not,  they  are  scandals  in  the  world,  and  great  dishonorers 
of  God,  and  serve  Satan  when  they  little  think  so,  in  all  that  they 
do  contrary  to  that  universal  love,  by  which  God  must  be  glorified 
and  sinners  overcome. 

VII.  A  public  mind  that  is  set  upon  doing  good,  as  the  work  of 
his  life,  and  that  with  sincere  and  evident  self-denial,  doth  greatly 
glorify  God  in  the  world.  As  God  maketh  his  goodness  known 
to  us  by  doing  good,  so,  also,  must  his  children  do.  Nothing  is 
more  communicative  than  goodness  and  love  ;  nothing  will  more 
certainly  make  itself  known  whenever  there  is  opportunity.  That 
a  worldly,  barren  love,  which  doth  not  help,. and  succor,  and  do 
good,  is  no  true  Christian  love,  St.  James  hath  told  us  fully  in 
his  detection  of  a  dead  and  barren  faith.  No  man,  in  reason,  can 
expect  that  others  should  take  him  for  a  good  man,  for  something 
that  is  known  to  no  one  but  himself,  save  only  that  public  converse 
and  communion  must  be  kept  up  by  the  charitable  belief  of  pro- 
fessions, till  they  are  disproved.  The  tree  is  known  by  its  fruits, 
and  the  fruits  best  by  the  taste,  though  the  sight  may  give  some 
knver  degree  of  commendation.  The  character  of  Christ's  pu- 
rified, peculiar  people,  is,  that  they  are  zealous  of  good  works ; 
Tit.  ii.  14.  The  scandalous  Christian  may  be  zealous  against 
others,  and  zealous  to  hurt  them,  to  persecute  them,  to  censure 
them,  to  disparage  them,  and  to  avoid  them  ;  but  the  genuine  Chris- 
tian is  zealous  in  loving  them,  and  doing  them  all  the  good  he  can. 
To  do  a  little  good  upon  the  by,  and  from  a  full  table  to  send  an 
alms  to  Lazarus  at  the  door,  yea,  to  give  to  the  needy  as  much  as 
the  flesh  can  spare,  without  any  suffering  to  itself,  or  any  abate- 
ment of  its  grandeur,  pomp,  and  pleasure  in  the  world,  will  prove 
you  to  be  men  not  utterly  void  of  all  compassion,  but  it  will  never 
prove  you  to  be  Christians,  nor  better  than  infidels  and  heathens. 
Look  not  that  men  should  think  you  better  than  your  fruits  do 
manifest  you  to  be,  nor  that  they  take  you  to  be  good  for  saying 


470  WHAT    LIGHT    MUST 

that  you  are  good,  nor  judge  you  to  excel  others  any  further  than 
your  works  are  better  than  others.  And  marvel  not  if  the  world 
ask,  '  What  do  you  more  than  others  ? '  when  Christ  himself  doth 
ask  the  same  ;  Matt.  v.  47.  "  If  ye  salute  your  brethren,  and  those 
of  your  own  opinion  and  way,  and  if  ye  love  them  that  love  you, 
and  say  as  ye  say,  do  not  even  publicans  and  infidels  do  the  same  ?  " 
Matt.  v.  46.  Marvel  not  if  men  judge  you  according  to  your 
works,  when  God  himself  will  do  so,  who  knoweth  the  heart.  He 
that  is  all  for  himself,  may  love  himself,  and  think  well  of  himself, 
but  must  not  expect  much  love  from  others.  Selfishness  is  the 
bile  or  imposthurne  of  societies,  where  the  blood  and  spirits  have 
an  inordinate  afflux,  till  their  corruption  torment  or  gangrene  the 
part.  While  men  are  all  for  themselves,  and  would  draw  all  to 
themselves,  instead  of  loving  their  neighbor  as  themselves,  and  the 
public  good  above  themselves,  they  do  but  hurt  and  destroy  them- 
selves, for  they  forfeit  their  communion  with  the  body,  and  deserve 
that  none  should  care  for  them,  who  care  for  none  but  themselves. 
To  a  genuine  Christian,  another's  good  rejoiceth  him  as  if  it  were 
his  own,  (and  how  much,  then,  hath  such  an  one  continually  to 
feed  his  joy,)  and  he  is  careful  to  supply  another's  wants  as  if  they 
were  his  own.  But  the  scandalous,  selfish  hypocrite  doth  live 
quietly,  and  sleep  easily,  if  he  be  but  well  himself,  and  it  go  well 
with  his  party,  however  it  go  with  all  his  neighbors,  or  with  the 
church,  or  with  the  world.  To  himself  he  is  fallen ;  to  himself  he 
liveth  ;  himself  he  loveth ;  himself  he  seeketh ;  and  himself,  that  is, 
his  temporal  prosperity,  he  will  advance  and  save,  if  he  can,  what- 
ever his  religion  be  ;  and  yet  himself  he  destroyeth,  and  will  lose. 
It  is  not  well  considered  in  the  world,  how  much  of  sin  consisteth 
in  the  narrow  contraction  of  men's  love,  and  regard  unto  their  nat- 
ural selves,  and  how  much  of  goodness  consisteth  in  a  community 
of  love,  and  what  a  glory  it  is  to  the  government  and  laws  of  God 
that  he  maketh  it  so  noble  and  necessary  a  part  of  every  man's 
duty  to  love  all  men,  and  to  do  good  to  all,  as  he  is  able,  though 
with  a  difference.  God  could  do  us  all  good  enough  by  himself 
alone,  without  one  another.  But  what  a  mercy  is  it  to  the  world, 
that  as  many  persons  as  there  are,  so  many  there  are  obliged  by 
God  to  love  their  neighbors  as  themselves,  and  to  do  good  to  all 
about  them  !  And  what  a  mercy  is  it  to  the  actor  that  God  will 
thus  make  him  the  instrument  and  messenger  of  his  beneficence ! 

Ministers  and  Christians  all,  would  you  be  thought  better  than 
others  ?  Are  you  angry  with  men  that  think  otherwise  of  you  ? 
What  good  do  you  more  than  others  in  your  places  ?  What  good 
do  you  that  other  men  can  see,  and  feel,  and  taste,  and  judge  of? 
Every  man  loveth  himself,  and  can  feel  what  doeth  him  good,  in 
natural  things ;  and  God,  by  giving  you  food,  and  other  mercies  to 


SHINE    IN    OUR    WORKS.  471 

your  bodies,  would  have  you,  therein,  taste  his  love  to  your  souls, 
would  use  you  just  so  for  your  brethren's  good.  Do  you  give 
them  good  words  and  counsel  ?  It  is  well.  But  that  is  not  it 
that  they  can  yet  taste  and  value.  You  must  do  that  sort  of  good 
for  them  which  they  can  know  and  relish ;  not  that  this  will  save 
them,  or  is  any  great  matter  of  itself,  no  more  than  God's  com- 
mon bodily  mercies  to  you  ;  but  this  is  the  best  way  to  get  down 
better.  And  he  that  seeth  his  brother  have  need,  and  shutteth  up 
the  bowels  of  his  compassion  from  him,  how  dwelleth  the  love  of 
God  in  him  ?  1  John  iii.  17.  "  Give  to  him  that  asketh,  and  from 
him  that  would  borrow  of  thee'turn  not  thou  away  ;  "  Matt.  v.  42. 
That  is,  let  not  want  of  charity  hinder  thee,  at  any  time,  from  giv- 
ing, though  want  of  ability  may  hinder  thee,  and  prudence  may  re- 
strain thee,  and  must  guide  thee.  If  you  say,  Alas  !  we  have  it  not 
to  give.  I  answer,  1.  Do  what  you  can.  2.  Show  by  your  com- 
passion, that  you  would,  if  you  could,  take  care  of  your  poor  breth- 
ren. 3.  Beg  of  others  for  them,  and  put  on  those  that  can  to  doit. 

Say  not,  These  carnal  people  value  nothing  but  carnal  things, 
and  cannot  perceive  a  man's  love  by  spiritual  benefits ;  for  it  is  not 
grace,  but  the  means  and  outside  of  things  spiritual  that  you  can 
give  them ;  and,  for  aught  I  see,  the  most  of  us  all  do  very  hardly 
believe  God's  own  love  to  us,  if  he  deny  us  bodily  mercies.  Ii' 
you  languish  in  poverty,  crosses,  and  painful  sickness  any  thing 
long,  your  murmuring  showeth  that  you  do  not  sufficiently  taste 
God's  goodness  without  the  help  of  bodily  sense.  And  can  you 
expect  that  natural  men  believe  you  to  be  good  for  your  bare  words, 
when  you  so  hardly  think  well  of  God  himself,  though  he  promise 
you  life  eternal,  unless  he  also  give  you  bodily  supplies  ? 

VIII.  He  that  will  glorify  his  religion,  and  God,  before  men, 
must  be  strictly  just  in  all  his  dealings  ;  just  in  governing,  just  in 
trading  and  bargaining,  just  to  superiors  and  to  inferiors,  to  friends  and 
to  enemies,  just  in  performing  all  his  promises,  and  in  giving  every 
man  his  right.  He  that,  in  love,  must  part  with  his  own  right  for 
his  neighbor's  greater  good,  must  not  deprive  another  of  his  right ; 
for  charity  includeth  justice,  as  a  lower  virtue  is  included  in  a  high- 
er and  more  perfect.  He  must  not  be  unjust  for  himself,  for  riches, 
or  any  worldly  ends ;  he  must  not  be  unjust  for  friends  or  kin- 
dred ;  he  must  not  be  drawn  to  it  by  fear  or  flattery ;  no  price 
must  hire  them  to  do  an  unrighteous  deed.  But,  above  all,  he 
must  never  be  unjust  as  for  religion,  as  if  God  either  needed  or 
countenanced  a  lie,  or  any  iniquity.  No  men  are  more  scandalous 
dishonorers  of  religion,  and  of  God,  than  they  that  think  it  lawful 
to  deceive,  or  lie,  or  be  perjured,  or  break  covenants,  or  be  rebel- 
lious, or  use  any  sinful  means  to  secure  or  promote  religion,  as  if 
God  were  not  able  to  accomplish  his  ends  by  righteous  means. 


472  WHAT    LIGHT    MUST 

This  cometh  from  atheism  and  unbelief,  when  men  think  that  God 
will  lose  his  cause,  unless  our  wits  and  sinful  shifts  preserve  it,  as 
if  we,  and  not  he,  were  the  rulers  of  the  world.  The  unrighteous 
shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God,  (1  Cor.  vi.  9.)  and  seldom 
escape  the  hatred  or  contempt  of  men. 

IX.  He  that  will  glorify  God,  must  know  and  observe  the  or- 
der of  commands  and  duties,  and  that  God  will  have  mercy,  and 
not  sacrifice,  and  must  prefer  the  end  before  the  means  as  such. 
He  must  not  pretend  a  lesser  duty  against  a  greater,  nor  take  the 
lesser  at  that  time  for  a  duty,  but  for  a  sin,  when  the  greater  should 
take  place.  God  hath  made  his  laws  and  our  duty  to  be  the 
means  of  our  own  good.  It  is  no  profaneness,  but  duty,  to  omit 
that  which  else  would  be  a  duty,  when  a  greater  is  to  be  preferred. 
God  calls  it  the  sacrifice  of  a  fool,  who  knoweth  not  that  he  doeth 
evil  under  the  name  of  duty,  when  sacrifice  is  preferred  before  an 
obedient  hearing  of  God's  commands  ;  Eccles.  v.  1 — 3.  It  was 
no  want  of  holy  zeal  in  Christ,  which  made  him  bid  the  unrecon- 
ciled, "  Leave  thy  gift  at  the  altar,  and  first  go  and  be  reconciled 
to  thy  brother,  and  then  come  and  offer  thy  gift ; "  Matt.  v.  24. 
Some  zealous  persecutors,  censurers,  and  dividers,  now,  would 
think  I  speak  like  an  ungodly  person  if  I  should  say  to  them,  '  Let 
your  liturgy,  and  your  prayers,  and  your  worship  stay  till  you  have 
confessed  and  lamented  your  injuries  to  your  brethren,  and  then 
come  and  offer  your  service  to  God,  and  lift  up  pure  hands  to 
him,  without  wrath  and  doubting.'  Yet  is  it  no  more  than  God 
often  calls  for  to  the  hypocritical  Jews;  Isa.  i.  11,  &,c.  "To 
what  purpose  is  the  multitude  of  your  sacrifices,  when  ye  come  and 
appear  before  me  ?  Who  hath  required  this  at  your  hands  to 
tread  in  my  courts?  Bring  no  more  vain  oblations;  incense  is  an 
abomination  to  me.  When  ye  spread  forth  your  hands,  I  will  hide 
mine  eyes ;  when  ye  make  many  prayers,  I  will  not  hear.  Your 
hands  are  full  of  blood.  Wash  you,  make  you  clean,  relieve  the 
oppressed  ;  "  Isa.  Iviii.  2,  3,  &c.  "  They  seek  me  daily,  and  de- 
light to  know  my  ways,  as  a  nation  that  did  righteousness  and 
forsook  not  the  ordinances  of  their  God  ;  they  ask  of  me  the 
ordinances  of  justice  ;  they  take  delight  in  approaching  to  God. 
Wherefore  have  we  fasted,  and  thou  seest  not?  Have  we 
afflicted  our  soul,  and  thou  takest  no  knowledge  ?  Ye  fast  for 
strife  and  debate,  and  to  smite  with  the  fist  of  wickedness.  Ye 
shall  not  fast  as  this  day,  to  make  your  voice  to  be  heard  on 
high.  Is  it  such  a  fast  that  I  have  chosen  ?  A  day  for  a  man  to 
afflict  his  soul?  to  bow  down  his  head  as  a  bulrush,  and  to  spread 
sackcloth  and  ashes  under  him  ?  Wilt  thou  call  this  a  fast,  and 
an  acceptable  day  to  the  Loi'd  ?  Is  not  this  the  fast  that  I  have 
chosen  ?  to  loose  the  bands  of  wickedness,  and  to  let  the  oppressed 


SHINE    IN    OUR    WORKS.  473 

go  free,  and  that  ye  break  every  yoke  ?  Is  it  not  to  deal  thy 
bread  to  the  hungry,  and  that  thou  bring  the  poor  that  are  cast 
out,  to  thy  house?  When  thou  seest  the  naked,  that  thou  cover 
him,  and  that  thou  hide  not  thyself  from  thy  own  flesh?  Then 
shall  thy  light  break  forth  as  the  morning,  and  thy  health  shall 
spring  forth  speedily,  and  thy  righteousness  shall  go  before  thee, 
and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  be  thy  reward.  Then  shalt  thou 
call,  and  the  Lord  shall  answer  ;  thou  shalt  cry,  and  he  shall  say, 
Here  1  am." 

It  is  a  point  that  our  Lord  Jesus  hiyeth  a  great  stress  upon.  He 
purposely  healeth  on  the  Sabbath  day,  and  tells  the  censorious 
Pharisees  "  the  Sabbath  was  made  for  man,  and  not  man  for  the 
Sabbath  ; "  that  is,  the  end,  which  is  man's  good,  is  to  be  prefer- 
red before  the  means  ;  nay,  it  is  no  means,  and  so  no  duty,  which 
is  against  it.  He  defendeth  his  disciples  for  getting  themselves 
food  as  they  passed  in  the  corn-fields  ;  and  he  teacheth  them  the 
lawfulness  of  the  priest's  labor  on  the  Sabbath,  and  of  David's  eat- 
ing the  shew  bread  ;  and  at  two  several  times  doth  tell  them  that 
God  "  will  have  mercy,  and  not  sacrifice  ;  "  and  biddeth  them  "go 
learn  what  that  meaneth;"  Matt.  iv.  13.  and  xii.  7. 

And  it  is  not  only  Pharisees,  but  many  better  men,  who  have 
need  to  go  learn  the  meaning  of  that  sentence.  The  meaning  is 
this,  that  (cater is  parihus)  the  great  duties  of  the  law  of  nature, 
are  to  take  place  before  the  positive  institutions.  God's  institu- 
tions are  for  man's  good  :  whatever  is  a  duty  is  also  a  means  to 
the  happiness  of  man,  and  pleasing  to  God,  which  is  the  end  of  all. 
Love  to  God  and  man  are  greater  than  all  the  instituted  means  of 
them  a>  such  ;  therefore  that  is  no  duty  which  is  no  means,  or  is 
against  the  instituter's  end.  Preaching  and  prayer  must  be  omit- 
ted for  some  works  of  love  and  human  good.  Discipline  is  a  duty, 
when  it  is  a  means  to  the  end  for  which  it  is  ordained ;  but  when 
it  would  hinder  or  destroy  that  end,  (the  reputation  of  religion,  and 
the  glory  of  God's  holiness,  and  the  church's  good,)  it  is  no  duty, 
but  a  sin.  To  omit  a  sacrament,  to  break  the  rest  of  the  Lord's 
day,  to  forbear  the  sacred  assemblies,  may  be  a  duty  when  the 
good  of  men  requlruth  them.  Ordination  is  a  duty  when  it  is  a 
means  to  its  proper  end.  But  if  it  were  pleaded  against  those 
ends,  and  order  set  against  the  tiling  ordered,  even  the  work  of  the 
ministry,  the  case  would  be  altered. 

When  men  mistake,  and  mistime,  and  misplace  God's  institutions, 
to  tiie  excluding  of  the  great  moral  duties,  which  are  their  end, 
and  persuade  men  to  that  as  a  part  of  religion,  which  would  cer- 
tainly do  more  hurt  than  good,  they  scandalously  drive  men  away 
from  their  religion.  Thus  imprudent,  scandalous  professors  can 
backbit-,1  oiid  reproach  others,  and  make  them  odious,  and  destroy 
VOL,,  ii.  60 


474  WHAT    LIGHT    MUST 

Christian  love,  and  peace,  and  concord,  on  pretense  of  zeal  for  or- 
der, government,  ceremonies,  forms,  or  for  this  or  that  mode  of 
discipline  or  worship.  Not  having  learned  what  this  meaneth,  "  I 
will  have  mercy  and  not  sacrifice  ;  "  nor  that  forms  and  external 
institutions  were  made  for  man,  and  not  man  for  them.  And  yet 
I  know  that  this  will  not  justify  the  Familist  or  hypocrite,  who 
thinks  he  may  do  any  thing  to  save  his  flesh. 

Do  you  think  it  is  not  a  scandal  to  Turks,  or  other  infidels, 
tempting  them  to  deride  or  hate  Christianity,  to  find  the  Papists 
placing  their  merits  in  hurtful  pilgrimages,  which  waste  that  time 
which  should  be  spent,  and  in  a  multitude  of  unprofitable  ceremo- 
nies, and  in  unwholesome  food,  and  injuries  to  health,  under  the 
names  of  abstinence  and  mortification  ?  By  this  rule  they  may 
next  persuade  us,  that  it  will  please  God  if  men  famish  or  hang 
themselves  ;  and,  consequently,  if  they  do  so  by  others,  for  we 
must  love  our  neighbor  but  as  ourselves.  God  himself  hath  made 
all  our  religion  so  suitable  to  our  good,  that  he  expecteth  not  that 
we  should  take  any  thing  for  our  duty,  but  what  he  giveth  us  evi- 
dence in  the  thing,  or  security  by  his  promise,  shall  be  our  gain. 
He  that  worketh  upon  self-love,  and  winneth  man  by  a  Savior,  and 
a  glorious  reward,  and  proveth  the  goodness  of  all  his  word  and 
ways,  as  to  our  happiness,  hath  instituted  none  of  his  ordinances 
to  our  hurt.  The  apostles  had  their  power  only  to  edification,  and 
not  the  destruction  or  hurt  of  souls ;  2  Cor.  x.  8.  and  xiii.  10. 
"  Let  all  things  be  done  to  edifying"  (1  Cor.  xiv.  26.)  is  a  word 
of  greater  comprehension  and  use  than  many  do  conceive.  When 
it  is  against  edification,  it  is  not  acceptable  to  God.  One  would 
think  Christ  had  broken  his  own  lawr  of  discipline  when  he  did  famil- 
iaily  eat  with  publicans  and  sinners  ;  and  yet  that  very  act  of  his 
is  one  of  those  which  he  justified!  by  the  aforesaid  rule,  "  I  will  have 
mercy,  and  not  sacrifice  ;  "  Matt.  ix.  11 — 13.  Learn  this  lesson  of 
preferring  mercy  before  sacrifice,  if  ever  you  will  glorify  God. 

The  right  manner  of  worshiping  God  is  of  great  moment  to 
the  honor  of  him  and  of  our  religion  before  the  world  ;  that  we 
give  no  false  descriptions  of  God,  or  dishonorable  attributes  ;  that 
we  teach  no  dishonorable  doctrine  as  his,  especially  of  his  own 
will  and  counsels,  and  of  his  government,  laws,  and  judgment ; 
that  we  neither  take  down  the  glory  of  the  gospel  mysteries,  by 
reducing  them  to  the  rank  of  common  providence,  nor  yet  be  de- 
peived  by  Satan  or  his  ministers,  as  the  promoters  of  light  and 
righteousness,  (2  Cor.  xi.  15.)  to  abuse  and  dishonor  them  by  over- 
doing ;  that  we  seek  not  to  glorify  God  by  our  lies,  or  by  our  own 
mistaken  interpretations  or  inventions.  God  must  be  worshiped 
as  a  Spirit,  in  spirit  and  truth,  and  not  with  Popish  toys  and  foppe- 
ries, which  make  others  think  that  our  religion  is  but  like  a  puppet 


SHINE    IN    OHR    W(»RKS.  475 

play  and  ludicrous  device,  to  keep  the  people  in  servitude  to  the 
priests  by  a  blind  devotion.  God  must  be  worshiped  rationally, 
and  with  holy  wisdom,  and  not  with  childish  shadows  and  trifles, 
nor  with  slovenly  and  imprudent  words,  which  tend  to  breed  in  the 
hearers  derision  or  contempt.  Neither  the  cantings  or  scenical  ac- 
tions, or  affected  repetitions  of  the  Papists,  nor  the  rude,  disorder- 
ly, incongruous  expressions  of  unskillful  men,  are  fit  to  be  offer- 
ed to  the  glorious  God.  Prudence,  and  holiness,  and  seriousness, 
and  reverence,  must  appear  in  that  worship  which  must  honor  God. 
O,  with  what  holiness  should  we  hear  from  and  speak  to  the  holy, 
holy,  holy  God !  who  will  be  sanctified  in  all  that  draw  near  him, 
(Lev.  x.  3.)  and  will  not  hold  him  guiltless  that  taketh  his  name 
in  vain  !  They  that  will  do  it  acceptably  must  serve  him  with  rev- 
erence and  godly  fear,  (Heb.  xii.  28.)  as  knowing  that  he  is  a 
"  consuming  fire ; "  and  yet  with  alacrity,  love,  and  delight,  as 
knowing  that  in  his  favor  is  life,  and  that  he  is  the  infinitely  amia- 
ble good,  the  hope  and  only  portion  of  believers. 

XI.  The  humility,  meekness,  and  patience  of  Christians  are 
greatly  necessary  to  their  glorifying  of  God.  I  join  all  three  to- 
gether for  brevity's  sake. 

1.  It  is  a  thing  very  amiable  in  the  eyes  of  all,  when  men  have 
not  too  high  thoughts  of  themselves,  and  seek  not  to  be  overvalu- 
ed by  others,  either  as  great,  or  wise,  or  good.  When  they  seek  not 
precedency,  preferment  or  honor,  but  take  the  lowest  place,  and 
envy  not  the  precedence  or  honor  of  others,  but  take  another's 
honor  as  their  own,  and  take  another  to  be  fitter  (c&teris  paribus) 
for  places  of  power,  trust,  or  eminency,  than  themselves.  When 
they  do,  according  to  the  measure  of  their  worth,  honor  all  men, 
(1  Pet.  ii.  17.)  "  And  are  kindly  affectioned  one  to  another  in 
brotherly  love,  in  honor  preferring  one  another  ;  "  (Rom.  xii.  10.) 
not  dissemblingly  and  complimentally  saying,  '  Your  servant,  sir,' 
while  they  would  fain  have  others  below  them,  and  to  be  obedient 
to  their  wills.  But  really  to  think  meanly  of  their  own  worth  and 
wisdom  ;  Rom.  xii.  3.  "  For  I  say,  through  the  grace  given  to 
me,  to  every  man  that  is  among  you,  not  to  think  of  himself  more 
highly  than  he  ought  to  think,  but  to  think  soberly,  as  God  hath 
dealt  to  every  man  the  measure  of  faith.  Not  thinking  himself 
something  when  he  is  nothing ; "  (Gal.  vi.  3.)  nor  to  be  more 
learned,  or  wise,  or  pious  than  he  is.  We  must  be,  indeed,  his 
disciples,  who  "humbled  himself,  and  made  himself  of  no  reputa- 
tion ;"  (Phil.  ii.  7,  8.)  and  wiped  and  washed  the  feet  of  his  dis- 
ciples, to  teach  them  what  to  be  and  do  to  one  another ;  who  hath 
taught  us  the  necessity  of  cross-bearing  and  self-denial,  and  to 
humble  ourselves  as  little  children,  if  ever  we  will  enter  into  the 


476  WHAT    LIGHT    MUST 

kingdom  of  heaven;  (Matt.  xvi.  24.  and  xviii.  3,  4.)  and  hath 
decreed  and  foretold  us  that  whosoever  shall  exalt  himself  shall  be 
abased,  and  he  that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted  ;  and  there- 
fore the  greatness  which  his  ministers  must  seek  must  be  to  be  the 
servants  of  the  rest ;  Matt,  xxiii.  11 — 13.  "Honor  shall  uphold 
the  humble  in  sp'irit,  but  a  man's  pride  shall  bring  him  low ; " 
Prov.  xxix.  23.  "  Better  is  it  to  be  of  an  humble  spirit  with  the 
lowly,  than  to  divide  the  spoils  with  the  proud  ;  "  Prov.  xvi.  19. 
He  that  will  honor  his  religion  must  "  put  on,  as  the  elect  of  God, 
bowels  of  mercy,  kindness,  humbleness  of  mind,  (not  of  tongue 
only,)  meekness,  long-suffering,  forbearing  one  another,  and  for- 
giving one  another,  if  any  man  have  a  quarrel  against  any  ;  "  Col. 
iii.  12,  13.  He  must  not  set  out  himself  like  the  richest,  and  de- 
sire to  seern  high  or  notable  to  others,  nor  set  up  himself  with  his 
superiors,  nor  swell  or  grudge,  if  he  be  not  regarded  or  taken  no- 
tice of;  no,  nor  if  he  be  reproved  or  dishonored;  but  must  learn 
of  an  humbled  Christ  to  be  meek  and  lowly ;  (Matt.  xi.  29.)  and 
must  not  mind  or  desire  high  things,  but  condescend  to  men  of 
low  estate,  and  not  be  wise  in  his  own  conceit;  Rom.  xii.  16.  "  I 
beseech  you,  therefore,  that  you  walk  worthy  the  vocation  where- 
with ye  are  called,  with  all  lowliness  and  meekness,  with  long-suf- 
fering, forbearing  one  another  in  love;"  Eph.  iv.  1,  2.  "Let 
nothing  be  done  through  strife  or  vain-glory,  but  in  lowliness  of 
mind  let  each  esteem  others  better  than  themselves;  "  Phil.  ii.  3. 
What  man  loveth  not  such  a  spirit  and  conversation  ?  O  that  it 
were  more  common  and  eminent  among  us ;  and  then  we  should 
find  that  the  disaffection  of  the  ignorant  would  be  much  abated, 
and  that  when  a  man's  ways  thus  please  God,  his  enemies  will  be 
the  more  at  peace  with  him  ;  Prov.  xvi.  7.  But  when  they  are 
proud,  and  we  are  proud,  and  we  cannot  yield,  nor  bow,  nor 
give  place  to  the  wrathful,  but  must  jostle  and  contend  with 
them  for  our  place  and  honor,  we  lose  our  Christian  honor  by 
seeking  carnal  honor,  and  appear  to  be  but  like  other  men ;  and 
even  the  proud  themselves  will  disdain  the  proud. 

2.  And  though  we  may  be  angry  and  not  sin,  and  must  be  plain 
and  zealous  against  sin,  and  for  God  ;  though  guilty,  galled  sinners 
be  displeased  by  it,  yet  meekness  must  be  our  temperature ;  for  a 
turbulent,  rough,  unquiet  spirit  is  displeasing  both  to  God  and  man  : 
such  persons  have  seldom  peace  with  others  or  themselves.  "  A 
meek  and  quiet  spirit  is,  in  the  sight  of  God,  of  great  price;  "  1 
Pet.  iii.  4.  "  Blessed  are  the  meek,  for  they  shall  inherit  the 
earth;  they  shall  speed  better  than  others,  even  in  this  world  ;'' 
Matt.  v.  5.  "  The  wisdom  from  above  is  first  pure,  then  peacea- 
ble, gentle,  easy  to  be  entreated,  full  of  mercy  and  good  fruits." 


MIINE    IN    OUR    WlXRK?.  477 

• 

Paul  tells  us  what  the  good  works  are  which  \ve  inn  t  be  always 
ready  to;  "To  speak  evil  of  no  man,  to  be  no  brawlers ;  but 
gentle,  showing  all  meekness  to  all  men  ; "  Tit.  iii.  1 ,  2.  The 
Scripture  speaks  more  of  this  than  I  have  leisure  to  recite.  See 
Gal.  v.  23.  and  vi.  1.  1  Tim.  vi.  11.  2  Tim.  ii.  25.  i  Peter 
iii.  15.  Jam.  iii.  13.  Zeph.  ii.  3.  Isa.  xxix.  19.  Psalm  cxli.  4. 
and  Ixxvi.  9.  and  cxlvii.  6.  and  xxxvii.  11. 

3.  And  patience  both  towards  God  and  man  is  a  necessary  com- 
panion of  humility  and  meekness.  This  greatly  differclh  from  nat- 
ural dullness  and  an  insensibta  temperature.  When  a  man's  soul 
is  partly  so  much  awed  by  God's  authority  and  presence,  and  part- 
ly so  much  taken  up  with  the  great  matters  of  his  service,  and 
partly  so  much  contented  with  his  favor  and  grace,  and  the  hopes 
of  glory,  as  to  make  light  of  all  the  interests  of  the  flesh  as  such  ; 
and  therefore  to  bear  patiently  such  losses  and  crosses,  and  wants 
and  sufferings,  as  touch  the  flesh,  as  taking  it  for  no  great  matter 
to  lose  all  the  world  if  we  save  our  souls,  this  is  true  patience  by 
which  God  is  glorified.  For  by  this  men  will  see  that  Christians 
have,  indeed,  such  great  things  in  their  hopes,  as  set  them  quite 
above  the  transitory  things  of  the  flesh  and  the  world  ;  but  when 
they  are  much  troubled  at  every  cross  and  loss,  and  whine  and 
complain  as  if  they  were  undone,  if  they  live  in  poverty  and  re- 
proach ;  and  are  at  their  wit's  end  in  every  danger,  and  fret  and 
storm  at  every  ill  word,  or  every  one  that  wrongeth  them,  they 
are  the  shame  of  their  profession,  and  scandals  to  the  world.  It  is 
not  a  sudden  anger  which  is  the  great  sin  of  impatience  ;  but  an 
impotent  disability  to  suffer  in  the  flesh,  in  estate  or  name,  and  a 
repining  under  every  want,  which  showeth  a  fleshly,  worldly  mind, 
and  a  want  of  true  believing  the  heavenly  felicity  ;  though  I  con- 
fess that  pity  must  make  some  excuse  for  many  poor  women, 
whose  natural  temper  maketh  their  passions,  troubles,  and  fears 
invincible.  He  that  said,  "  In  your  patience  possess  your  souls," 
doth  intimate,  that  wre  have  lost  ourselves,  and  the  government,  or- 
der, and  peace  of  our  souls,  when  we  have  lost  our  patience ; 
Luke  xxi.  19.  See  Eccl.  vii.  8.  Jam.  v.  7,  8.  1  Pet.  ii.  20. 
1  Thes.  v.  14.  '•'  Be  patient  towards  all  men."  1  Tim.  vi.  11.  Col. 
i.  1 1 .  Whatever  zeal  you  seem  to  have  in  prayer,  in  preaching, 
and  for  purity  of  worship,  if  you  can  bear  wants,  and  sickness,  and 
the  loss  of  all  the  world  no  better  than  others,  you  will  appear  no 
better  in  their  eyes  ;  for  "  if  you  faint  in  the  day  of  adversity,  your 
strength  is  small  ;"  Prov.  xx.  10. 

XII.  And  as  a  special  fruit  of  humility,  an  easy  and  thankful 
bearing  of  reproof,  and  readiness  to  confess  a  fault  upon  due  con- 
viction, is  a  necessary  duty  to  the  honoring  of  God.  It  will  show 
men  that  you  are  enemies  to  sin  indeed,  and  that  you  are  not  hyp- 


478  WHAT    LIGHT    MUST 

• 

ocrites,  who  weed  not  only  their  neighbors'  fields,  and  see  the  mote 
in  another's  eye,  and  not  the  beam  which  is  in  your  own.  "  If  the 
righteous  smite  us  by  reproofs,  it  must  be  taken  as  a  kindness,  and 
as  a  precious  balsam,  which  doth  not  break  our  head,  but  heal  us ; 
Psalm  cxli.  5.  Not  that  we  are  bound  to  belie  ourselves  in  com- 
pliance with  every  man's  censorious  humor  that  will  accuse  us ; 
but  we  must  be  readier  to  censure  ourselves  than  others,  and  readier 
to  confess  a  fault,  than  to  expect  a  confession  from  others  whom 
we  reprove.  Sincerity  and  serious  repentance  will  be  honorable 
in  that  person  who  is  most  careful  to  avoid  sin,  and  most  ready 
penitently  to  confess  it  when  he  hath  been  overcome,  and  truly 
thankful  to  those  that  call  him  to  repentance  ;  as  being  more  de- 
sirous that  God,  and  his  laws  and  religion,  have  the  glory  of  their 
holiness,  than  that  he  himself  should  have  the  undue  glory  of  in- 
nocency,  and  escape  the  deserved  shame  of  his  sin. 

It  is  one  of  the  most  dangerous  diseases  of  professors,  and  great- 
est scandals  of  this  age,  that  persons  taken  for  eminently  religious 
are  more  impatient  of  plain  (though  just)  reproof,  than  many  a 
drunkard,  swearer,  or  fornicator ;  and  when  they  have  spent  hours 
or  days  in  the  seeming  earnest  confession  of  their  sin,  and  lament 
before  God  and  man  that  they  cannot  do  it  with  more  grief  and 
tears,  yet  they  take  it  for  a  heinous  injury  in  another  that  will  say 
half  so  much  against  them,  and  take  him  for  a  malignant  enemy 
of  the  godly  who  will  call  them  as  they  call  themselves.  They 
look  that  the  chief  business  of  a  preacher  should  be  to  praise 
them,  and  set  them  above  the  rest,  as  the  only  people  of  God ; 
and  they  take  him  for  an  enemy  that  will  tell  them  the  truth.  But 
the  scandal  is  greatest  in  those  preachers  themselves,  who  cannot 
endure  to  hear  that  they  are  sinners.  So  tender  and  impatient  of 
reproof  are  some,  yea,  some  that  for  their  learning,  and  preaching, 
and  piety,  are  ranked  in  the  highest  form,  or  expect  to  be  so,  that 
almost  nothing  but  flattery  or  praise  can  please  them  ;  and  they 
can  hardly  bear  the  gentlest  reproof,  no,  nor  a  contradiction  of  any 
of  their  opinions ;  but  they  seem  to  tell  men  that  it  is  their  part 
and  privilege  to  be  the  reprovers  of  others,  and  to  have  no  reprov- 
er, and  to  tell  other  men  of  sin  and  be  themselves  accounted  inno- 
cent ;  and  to  call  other  men  to  repentance  for  particular  sins,  while 
they  themselves  must  have  no  other  repentance  than  in  general  to 
say  that  they  are  sinners ;  and  to  proclaim  to  all  that  their  public 
confessions  are  formalities,  and  that  it  is  a  Christ  to  heal  the  souls 
of  others  that  they  preach,  while  they  acknowledge  but  little  work 
for  his  remedies  on  themselves.  But  he  that  "refuseth  reproof 
doth  err,  and  he  that  hateth  it  is  brutish,"  however  learned,  or  rev- 
erend, or  pious  he  would  be  accounted;  Prov.  xi.  17.  and  xii.  1. 
"  He  that  regardeth  reproof  is  prudent,  and  he  that  hateth  it  shall 


SHINE    IN    OUR    WORKS.  479 

die  ;"  Prov.  xv.  5—10.  As  ready,  humble,  penitent  confession  of 
sin  doth  tend  to  our  pardon  from  God.  so  doth  it  tend  to  our  ac- 
ceptation with  man.  When  God  and  man  will  condemn  the  Phar- 
isee, that  justifies  himself  till  confession  be  extorted  from  him. 

XIII.  It  is  another  very  honorable  fruit  -of  humility  to  have  a 
learning  disposition,  and  not  to  be  magisterial ;  and  to  be  swift  to 
hear,  and  slow  to  speak.  All  Christ's  disciples  must  be  as  little 
children,  (Matt,  xviii.  3,  4.)  especially  in  a  learning,  teachable 
disposition,  a  child  dotli  not  use  to  set  his  wit  against  his  master's, 
or  any  other  that  will  teach  him,  nor  to  rise  up  against  instruction, 
as  a  disputer  that  must  have  the  better,  and  be  accounted  the  wi- 
sest, but  his  daily  business  is  submissively  to  learn.  A  genuine 
Christian  is  indeed  communicative,  and  willing  that  others  should 
partake  with  him  in  the  wisdom  and  happiness  which  God  hath  re- 
vealed to  him.  But  he  is  ready  first  to  learn  himself,  and  know- 
eth  that  he  must  receive  before  he  can  communicate:  and  there  is 
none  so  far  below  him  but  he  is  willing  to  hear  and  learn  of;  but 
especially  among  his  equals  he  is  readier  to  hear  and  learn  than  to 
teach,  because  he  is  still  conscious  of  his  ignorance,  and  honoreth 
the  gifts  of  God  in  others,  which  the  proud  despise ;  Jam.  iii.  1 . 
and  i.  19. 

But  the  scandalous  Christian  is  so  wise  in  his  own  eyes,  that  he 
is  ever  of  a  teaching  humor,  and  those  please  him  best  that  will  sit 
and  hear,  and  reverence  him  as  an  oracle,  and  magnify  every  word 
that  drops  from  his  lips.  He  is  so  full  of  himself,  that  he  hath 
scarce  the  patience  to  observe  well  what  another  speaks  or  writeth ; 
and  so  valueth  his  own  conceptions,  that  he  thinks  they  should  be 
valued  by  the  hearers:  and  so  scandalous  is  the  teaching  humor 
of  some  learned  men,  that  they  have  not  the  common  good  man- 
ners or  civility  to  suffer  another  to  speak  to  the  end,  but  they  must 
needs  interrupt  him,  that  they  may  speak,  as  being  more  worthy. 
They  take  other  men's  speeches  to  be  so  tedious,  that  their  pa- 
tience cannot  hold  out  the  length  of  them.  I  mean  not  that  a  wise 
man  is  bound  to  lose  his  time  in  hearing  every  self-conceited  per- 
son talk  ;  but  when  men  are  engaged  in  conference,  or  disputes, 
for  a  man  to  have  such  list  to  speak,  that  he  cannot  stay  till  an- 
other (though  long)  come  to  the  end,  is  a  scandalous  incivility  ; 
yea,  some  can  scarce  stay  till  two  or  three  sentences  be  uttered, 
but  their  haste  must  tell  you  that  they  take  themselves  to  be  much 
the  wiser,  and  to  be  fitter  to  teach  than  to  hear  and  learn.  And 
they  are  so  overladen  with  their  own  conceited  wisdom,  that  they 
can  carry  it  no  longer  without  some  vent ;  and  so  full  of  their  own, 
that  they  have  no  room  to  receive  any  more  from  others  ;  and  be- 
ing all  masters,  they  receive  from  God  and  man  the  greater  con- 
demnation ;  James  iii.  1.  Prov.  xii.  17.  and  i.  5.  and  xviii.  13. 


480  WHAT    LIGHT    MUST 

XIV.  The  genuine  Christian  hateth  backbiting,  and  disgrace- 
ful reports  of  others,  and   yet  can   bear  it  from  others  to  himself. 
He  hath  learned  to  love  all,  and  to  speak  evil  of  no  man,  nor  to 
receive  or  vend  ill  reports  of  others.     He  knoweth  that  this  is  the 
work  of  the  devil,  the  mortal  enemy  of  love.     He  modestly   re- 
buketh  the  backbiting  tongue,  and,  with   an  angry  countenance, 
driveth  it  away ;    Psalm  xv.    3.     Tit.  iii.    2.     Prov.  xxv.    23. 
Backbiters  tell  us  that  they  are  haters  of  men  ;  and  the  apostle  joins 
them   with  haters  of  God  ;  Rom.   i.  30.     Debates,  backbitings, 
whisperings,  envyings,  are  the  scandalous  Christian's  work  ;  2  Cor. 
xii.  20.     He  that  heareth  them  will  either  distaste  them,  or  catch 
the  disease,  and  be  as  bad  as  they.     And  he  that  heareth  that  he 
is  calumniated  or  reproached  by  them  behind  his  back  is  tempted 
to   abhor  both   them  and  their  profession.     But  to  deal  with  men 
as  faithful  friends,  and  in  plainness  (but  with  prudence  and  love) 
to  tell   them  secretly  of  their  defects  and  faults,  this  tendeth  to 
good,  and  to  reconcile  the  minds  of  men,  at  last,  and  to  the  honor 
of  the    Christian  way ;    Matt,   xviii.    15,   16.      Levit.    xix.    17. 
Prov.  ix.  8.  and  xxiv.  25.  and  xxvii.  5.     Eccl.  vii.  5.     Prov. 
xxviii.  23. 

But  yet,  when  we  are  belied  and  reproached  of  ourselves,  though 
by  Christians,  or  teachers,  or  superiors,  it  beseemeth  us  not  to 
make  too  great  a  matter  of  it,  as  being  tender  of  our  own  reputa- 
tion, but  only  to  be  sorry  for  the  slanderer's  or  backbiter's  sin  and 
misery.  For  men's  corruption  will  have  vent ;  the  angry,  and  ma- 
licious, and  envious,  will  speak  from  the  abundance  of  their  hearts ; 
and  the  guilty  will  be  tender  ;  and  children  will  cry  and  quarrel ; 
and  proud  contenders  will  be  impatient.  And  how  small  a  matter 
is  it,  as  to  us,  to  be  judged  of  man,  who  must  all  be  shortly  judged 
of  the  Lord  ! 

XV.  He  is  one  that  would  keep  open  to  the   notice  of  all  the 
great  difference  between  the  godly  and  the  wicked  ;  and  aspireth 
after  the  highest  degrees  of  holiness,  as  knowing  the-  corruptions 
and  calamities  of  the  weak,  and  how  much  of  heaven  is  in  holiness 
itself;  and  yet  he  loveth,  honoreth,  and  cherisheth  the  least  spark 
of  grace  in  the  weakest  Christian  ;  and  is  none  of  them  that  cen- 
soriously despise  such,  nor  that  tyrannically  tread  them  down,  or 
cast  them  injuriously  out  of  the  church. 

1.  To  make  men  believe  that  there  is  little  difference  between 
the  holy  and  profane,  is  to  bring  all  religion  into  contempt,  and  is 
a  wickedness   which  God's  laws    throughout  condemn,    and    his 
judgment  shall  publicly  confute  :  Matt.  iii.  18.    2  Thess.  i.  6 — 11. 
J.ide  15.     Matt.  xiii.  25.  throughout. 

2.  To  take  up  with  a  little  goodness,   which  consisteth   with 
scandalous  corruptions,  is  to  be  a  scandal  in  the  church. 


SHINF,     IV    Oi-n    WOUKS.  491 

3.  And  yet  to  be  supercilious,  and  to  disdain  the  weak,  or  shut 
out  any  as  ungodly,  whom  Christ  hath  not  warranted  us  to  shut 
out,  and  to  make  stricter  rules  of  trial  and  church  communion  than 
he  hath  made,  this  is  justly  displeasing  both  to  God  and  man.  It 
tempteth  men  to  abhor  that  religion  which  tended)  more  to  men's 
reproach  than  to  their  cure,  and  caused)  professors  to  set  themselves 
higher  above  the  weak,  and  at  a  greater  distance  from  their  neigh- 
bors than  God  would  ha\e  them.  Christ  is  tender  of  little  ones, 
and  would  not  have  them  scandalized.  His  own  apostles  were 
very  low  in  knowledge  all  the  time  that  he  was  with  them  on 
earth.  It  is  not  mere  want  of  words  that  will  warrant  us  to  take 
men  for  ungodly  ;  even  he  that  is  "  weak  in  faith  must  be  receiv- 
ed, but  not  to  doubtful  disputations;"  Rom.  xiv.  15.  To  cull 
out  a  few  that  have  learned  to  speak  better  than  the  rest,  and  shut 
out  with  the  dogs  all  the  infant  Christians,  who  must  be  fed  with 
milk,  because  they  want  expressions,  is  one  of  Satan's  ways  of 
overdoing,  by  which  he  would  banish  religion  out  of  the  world." 

XVI.  He  that  will  glorify  God  by  his  good  works  must  be  zeal- 
ous and  diligent  in  them,  and  make  them  the  serious  business  of 
his  life ;  he  must  live  so  that  men  may  see  that  indeed  he  doth  be- 
lieve and  hope  for  jteaven.     That  which   a  man  coldly  speaks 
of,  and  coldly  seeketh,  men  will   think  he   coldly   desireth  ;  and 
therefore  that  he  doth  but  doubtingly  believe  it.     A  cold,  slothful 
Christian  proclaims  his  unbelief  to  others,  and  so  invited)  them  to 
the  like.     When  Christians  bestir  themselves,   as  for  their  lives, 
and  ply  God's  work  with  greatest  diligence,  and  redeem  their  lives, 
as  knowing  that  all  is  short  enough  to  prepare  for  an   endless  life, 
this  wakeneth  others  to  life  and  thoughtfulness,  to  inquire  into  the 
matter  of  our  hopes. 

XVII.  He  that  will  glorify  God  must  be  wise  and  watchful,   to 
see  and  take  the  opportunities  of  good  before  they  are  passed  by, 
and  to  avoid  temptations  to  error  and  iniquity,  and  especially  te- 
merity in  matters  of  great  and  public  consequences. 

1.  Good  works  have  their  season.     You  lose  them  if  you  tak'.- 
them  not  in  their  time  ;  that  may  be  done  now,  which,  if  you  pass 
this  time,  you  can  never  do. 

2.  Temptations  have  their  season,  and  must  just  then  be  resist- 
ed, lest  many  a  year  repair  not  an  hour's  loss  ;  and  they   are  very 
many  ;  and  narrow-sighted,  careless  persons,  who  avoid   two   and 
full  into  the  third,  or  avoid  nineteen   and  are  conquered  by  the 
twentieth,  are  always  scandalous. 

3.  And  rash  adventures  on  any  opinions  or  actions,  but  especi- 
ally of  public  consequence,  are  usually  most  scandalous  and  per- 
nicious to  the  church.     As  in  military  aftairs,  and   in   physic,   uli 
non  licet  bis  errare,  men's  lives  must  pay  for  our  temerity  and  er- 

VOL.    II.  61 


462  WHAT    LIGHT    MUST 

ror,  and  all  the  world  cannot  remedy  the  effects  of  one  mistake  •, 
so  in  matters  of  religion,  if  we  mistake  by  our  rash  conceitedness, 
and  take  not  time  for  necessary  trial,  and  proceed  not,  as  a  man  on 
the  ice,  or  among  quicksands,  with  great  care  and  deliberation,  the 
shaking  of  kingdoms,  the  ruin  of  churches,  the  silencing  of  minis- 
ters, the  corruption  of  doctrine,  worship,  and  discipline,  and  the  sin 
and  damnation  of  many  souls,  may  be  the  effect  of  our  proud  pre- 
sumption and  temerity  ;  but  the  humble,  self-suspecting  man,  that 
suspended!  his  judgment  and  practice  till  he  hath  thoroughly 
V*  proved  all,  doth  preserve  the  honor  of  religion,  and  avoid  such  late 
and  dear  repentance. 

XVIII.  The  man  whose  works  shall  glorify  God,  must  be  de- 
voted to  the  unity  and  concord  of  believers,  and  be  greatly  averse 
to  dividing  and  love^killing  opinions,  words,  and  practices  ;  and,  as 
much  as  in  him  lies,  he  must  live  peaceably  with  all  men  ;  1  Cor. 
i.  10.  Phil.  ii.  1—3.  Eph.  iv.  3,  4.  14,  15,  16.  Rom.  xvi. 
17.  andxii.  18.  1  Thess.  v.  17.  John  xvii.  24.  When  Paul 
saith  that  "  Dividers  serve  not  the  Lord  Jesus,  but  their  own  bel- 
lies," he  intimateth  to  us,  that  though  truth  and  purity  be  in  their 
mouths,  and  really  intended  by  them,  as  they  take  it,  yet  there  is 
usually  a  secret  self-interest  that  is  carried  on,  that  biaseth  the  judg- 
ment. And  when  he  telleth  them,  (Acts  xx.  30.)  that  "  of  their 
own  selves  should  men  arise,  speaking  perverse  things,"  which  they 
called  (and  it  is  like  believed  to  be)  the  truth  ;  yet  self-interest 
lay  at  the  bottom,  to  be  somebody  in  drawing  disciples  after  them ; 
for  it  is  so  notorious  a  truth,  that  unity  and  concord  are  indispen- 
sably necessary  to  the  church,  as  it  is  to  our  body,  to  families,  to 
kingdoms,  that  men  could  not  do  so  destructive  a  thing  as  dividing 
is,  if  some  sin  had  not  first  caused  the  error  of  their  minds.  It 
greatly  honoreth  Christ  and  religion  in  the  world,  when  believers 
live  in  love  and  unity :  and  their  discords  and  divisions  have  in  all 
ages  been  the  scandal  of  the  world,  and  the  great  reproach  and 
dishonor  of  the  church.  When  Christ's  disciples  are  one  in  him, 
it  is  the  way  to  the  infidel  world's  conversion,  that  they  may  be- 
lieve that  the  Father  sent  him;  Job  xvii.  24. 

And  here  the  devil  has  two  sorts  of  servants :  1 .  The  true 
schismatic,  or  heretic,  who  fearlessly  and  blindly  divideth  the 
churches.  2.  The  overdoing  Papist,  and  church-tyrant,  who  will 
have  a  greater  unity  than  Christ  will  here  give  us,  that  so  we  may 
have  none.  And  when  Christ  prays  that  we  may  be  one  in  him,  the 
pope  saith  that  we  shall  also  be  one  in  him,  or  we  shall  be  account- 
ed schismatics,  and  destroyed  as  such.  And  when  the  ancient 
church,  according  to  Christ's  institution,  united  all  in  the  baptismal 
covenant,  explained  in  the  creed,  and  Paul  numbereth  the  neces- 
sary terms  of  unity  ;  Eph.  iv.  4 — 6.  1.  One  body  (or  church  of 


SHINE    IN    OKR    WORKS.  438 

Christ)  into  which  we  are  baptized.  2.  One  spirit  of  holiness  in 
all.  3.  One  hope  of  the  glorious  reward.  4.  One  Lord  by  whom 
we  do  attain  it.  5.  One  faith,  even  Christian  verity.  6.  One 
baptism,  or  covenant  of  Christianity.  7.  And  one  God  and  Fa- 
ther of  all.  And  in  these  God  would  have  all  his  servants  to  be 
one  ;  then  come  in  these  overdoers,  and  they  must  have  us  to  be  all 
one  in  all  their  Papal  policy,  and  all  the  decrees  of  their  pope  and 
Councils  de  Fide,  and  in  their  multitude  of  corruptions,  and  cere- 
monious impositions ;  which  is  as  much  as  to  say,  '  You  shall  have 
no  unity  ; '  for  he  that  saith  to  all  the  city  or  kingdom,  You  shall 
be  destroyed  for  discord,  or  reproached  as  dividers,  if  you  are  not 
all  of  one  complexion,  or  have  not  all  the  same  appetite,  age,  or 
bodily  stature,  doth  pronounce  reproach  or  destruction  on  them 
absolutely  :  so  is  it  with  all  others  that  put  their  self-devised  terms 
on  their  brethren  as  necessary  to  unity  and  peace,  on  how  pious  or 
fair  pretenses  soever ;  impossible  conditions  make  the  thing  impos- 
sible. These  are  the  church-tearing  scandals.  These  are  the 
snares  by  which  Satan  hath  made  the  church  a  scorn,  and  our  re- 
ligion a  stumbling-block  to  Turks  and  heathens  ;  but  had  the  peace- 
makers been  heard,  who  learned  of  the  Holy  Ghost  (Acts  xv.)  to 
impose  nothing  on  the  brethren  but  necessary  things,  and  who  have 
labored  to  revive  love,  and  shame  emulations  and  divisions,  God 
had  been  more  glorified  by  men,  and  the  reproach  of  the  churches 
and  solemn  assemblies  taken  away.  When  all  sects  and  parties 
have  bustled  and  raised  a  dust  in  the  world  to  foul  the  church,  and 
to  blind  each  other,  if  ever  the  church's  glory  be  restored,  and 
our  shame  taken  away,  it  will  be  by  men  of  love  and  peace,  by 
healing,  uniting,  reconciling  principles  and  means. 

XIX.  He  that  will  glorify  God  must  live  in  and  to  the  will  of 
God,  and  seek  to  reduce  his  own  will  wholly  into  God's,  and  to 
destroy  in  himself  all  will  that  striveth  against  God's  will. 

1.  The  disposing  will  of  God.  our  owner,  must  be  absolutely 
submitted  to,  and  the  bounteous  will  of  God,  our  benefactor,  thank- 
fully and  joyfully  acknowledged. 

2.  The  ruling  will    of  God,  our  lawgiver,  must  be  with  daily 
study  and  care  obeyed,  and  his  punishing  and  rewarding  justice 
glorified. 

3.  The  final  felicitating  will  and  love  of  God,  our  ultimate  end 
and  object,  that  we  may  please  him,  and  be  everlastingly  pleased 
in  him,  love  him,  and  be  loved  by  him,  must  be  totally  desired  and 
sought,  as  the  only  and  perfect  rest  of  souls. 

O!  that  is  the  holy,  the  joyful,  the  honorable  Christian,  who 
daily  laboreth,  and  in  some  good  measure  doth  prevail,  to  have  no 
will  but  the  will  of  God,  and  that  which  wholly  is  resolved  into  it1; 
who  looketh  no  further  to  know  what  he  should  do,  but  to  know 


484  WHAT    LIGHT    MUST 

by  his  word  what  is  the  law  or  will  of  God  :  who  believeth  that  all 
that  God  willcth  is  good,  and  had  rather  have  his  life,  and 
health,  and  wealth,  and  friends,  at  God's  will  and  disposal,  than 
his  own ;  who  knoweth  that  God's  will  is  love  itself,  and  that  to 
please  him  is  the  end  of  all  the  world,  and  the  only  felicity  of 
men  and  angels  ;  and  resteth  wholly  in  the  pleasing  of  that  will. 
What  can  be  more  wise  and  just  than  to  have  the  same  will  (ob- 
jectively) witl>  him  who  is  infinitely  wise  and  just  ?  What  can  be 
more  honorable  than  to  have  the  same  will  as  God  himself,  and  (so 
far)  as  his  children,  to  be  like  our  Father  ?  What  can  be  more 
orderly  and  harmonious  than  for  the  will  of  the  creature  to  move 
according  to  the  Creator's  will,  and  to  be  duly  subservient  to  it, 
and  accurately  compliant  with  it?  What  can  be  more  holy,  nay, 
what  else  is  holiness,  but  a  will  and  life  devoted  and  conformed  to 
the  will  of  God  ?  What  can  be  more  safe,  or  what  else  can  be 
safe  at  all,  but  to  will  the  same  things  which  the  most  perfect  wis- 
dom doth  direct  to,  and  infinite  love  itself  doth  choose  ?  And 
what  can  be  more  easy  and  quieting  to  the  soul,  than  to  rest  in 
that  will  which  is  always  good,  which  never  was  misguided,  and 
never  chose  amiss,  and  never  was  frustrated,  or  missed  of  its  de- 
creed ends  ?  If  we  have  no  will  but  what  is  (objectively)  the 
same  with  God's,  that  is,  if  we  wholly  comply  with,  and  follow 
his  will  as  our  guide,  and  rest  in  his  will  as  our  ultimate  end,  our 
wills  will  never  be  disordered,  sinful,  misled,  or  frustrated.  God 
hath  all  that  he  willeth,  (absolutely,)  and  is  never  disappointed  ; 
and  so  should  we,  if  we  could  will  nothing  but  what  he  willeth. 
And  would  you  not  take  him  unquestionably  for  a  happy  man,  who 
hath  whatsoever  he  would  have  ?  Yea,  and  would  have  nothing 
but  what  is  more  just  and  good  ?  There  is  no  way  to  this  happi- 
ness but  making  the  will  of  God  our  will.  God  will  not  mutably 
change  his  will  to  bring  it  to  ours :  should  holiness  itself  be  con- 
formed to  sinners,  and  perfection  to  imperfection  ?  But  we  must, 
by  grace,  bring  over  our  wills  to  God's,  and  then  they  are  in  joint ; 
and  then  only  will  they  find  content  and  rest.  O,  what  would  I 
beg  more  earnestly  in  the  world,  than  a  will  conformed  wholly  to 
God's  will,  and  cast  into  that  mould,  and  desiring  nothing  but  what 
God  willeth ! 

But  contrarily,  what  can  be  more  foolish  than  for  such  infants 
and  ignorant  souls  as  we  to  will  that  which  infinite  wisdom  is 
against  ?  What  more  dishonorable  than  to  be  even  at  the  very 
heart  so  contrary  or  unlike  to  God  ?  What  can  be  more  irregular 
and  unjust  than  for  a  created  worm  to  set  his  will  against  his  Ma- 
ker's? What  else  is  sin  but  a  will  and  life  that  is  cross  to  the  reg- 
ulating will  of  God  ?  What  can  be  more  perilous  and  pernicious 
than  to  forsake  a  perfect,  unerring  guide,  and  to  follow  such  igno- 


•- 


«11!\E    IN    Orii     WORKS.  485 

rant  judgments  as  our  own  in  matters  of  eternal  consequence  ? 
What  can  that  soul  expect,  but  a  restless  state  in  an  uncomfortable 
wilderness,  yea,  perpetual  self-vexation  and  despair,  who  forsakes 
God's  will  to  follow  his  own,  and  hath  a  will  that  doth  go  cross  to 
God's  ?  Poor,  self-tormenting  sinners !  consider  that  your  own 
wills  are  your  idols,  which  you  sat  up  against  the  will  of  God,  and 
your  own  wills  are  the  tyrants  to  which  you  are  in  bondage ;  your 
own  wills  are  your  prison,  and  the  executioners  that  torment  you 
with  fear,  and  grief,  and  disappointments.  What  is  it  that  you 
are  afraid  of,  but  lest  you  miss  of  your  own  wills?  For  sure  you 
fear  not  lest  God's  will  should  be  overcome  and  frustrated  ;  what 
are  your  cares  about  but  this  ?  What  are  your  sighs,  and  groans, 
and  tears  for?  And  what  is  it  else  that  you  complain  of,  but  that 
your  own  wills  are  not  fulfilled  ?  It  is  not  that  God  hath  not  his 
will.  What  is  it  that  you  are  so  impatient  of,  but  the  crossing 
of  your  own  wills  ?  This  person  crosseth  them,  and  that  accident 
crosseth  them,  and  God  crosseth  them,  and  you  cross  them  your- 
selves ;  and  crossed  they  will  be  while  they  are  cross  to  the  will 
of  God  ;  for  all  this  while  they  are  as  a  bone  out  of  joint  ;  there 
is  no  ease  till  it  be  set  right.  In  a  word,  a  will  that  is  contrary 
to  God's  will,  and  striveth  and  struggled!  against  it,  is  the  offspring 
of  the  devil,  the  sum  of  all  sin,  and  a  foretaste  of  hell,  even  a 
restless  self-tormentor;  and  to  will  nothing  but  what  God  willed), 
and  to  love  his  will,  and  study  to  please  him,  and  rest  therein,  is 
the  rectitude  and  only  rest  of  souls ;  and  he  that  cannot  rest  con- 
tentedly in  the  will  of  God  must  be  forever  restless. 

And  when  such  a  holy  will  and  contentment  appeareth  in  you, 
mankind  will  reverence  it,  and  see  that  your  natures  are  divine  ; 
and  as  they  dare  not  reproach  the  will  of  God,  so  they  will  fear  to 
speak  evil  of  yours :  when  they  see  that  you  choose  but  what  God 
first  chooseth  for  you,  and  your  wills  do  but  follow  the  will 
of  God,  men  will  be  afraid  of  provoking  God  against  them  as 
blasphemers,  if  they  should  scorn,  deride  or  vilify  you.  And 
could  we  convince  all  men  that  our  course  is  but  the  same  which 
God  commanded),  it  would  do  much  to  stop  their  reproach  and 
persecution.  And  if  they  see  that  we  can  joyfully  suffer  reproach, 
or  poverty,  or  pains,  or  death,  and  joyfully  pass  away  to  God 
when  he  shall  call  us,  and  live  and  die  in  a  contented  complacency 
in  the  will  of  God,  they  will  see  that  you  have  a  beginning  of 
heaven  on  earth,  which  no  tyrant,  no  loss,  or  cross,  or  suffering, 
can  deprive  you  of,  while  you  can  joyfully  say,  "  The  will  of  the 
Lord  be  done  ;  "  Acts  xxi.  14. 

Object.  But  if  it  be  God's  will  for  sin  to  punish  me,  or  forsake 
me,  should  I  contentedly  rest  in  that  revenging  will  ? 

Answ.  1 .  That  sin  of  ours  which  maketh  us  incapable  objects 


486  WHAT    LIGHT    MUST 

of  the  complacent  will  of  God  is  evil,  and  to  be  hated.  But  that 
will  of  God  which  is  terminated  on  such  an  object,  according  to 
the  nature  of  it,  by  just  hatred,  is  good,  and  should  be  loved. 
And  punishment  is  hurtful  to  us;  but  God's  will  and  justice  is  good 
and  amiable.  2.  If  you  will  close  with  God's  will,  you  need  not  fear 
his  will.  If  your  will  be  unfeignedly  to  obey  his  commanding  will, 
and  to  be  and  do  what  he  would  have  you,  his  will  is  not  to  con- 
demn or  punish  you.  But  if  God's  will  prescribe  you  a  holy  life, 
and  your  will  rebel,  and  be  against  it,  no  wonder  if  God's  will  be 
to  punish  you  when  your  wills  would  not  be  punished ;  John  i.  13. 
Heb.  x.  10.  John  vii.  17.  Luke  xii.  47. 

XX.  It  glorifieth  God  and  religion  in  the  world  when  Chris- 
tians are  faithful  in  all  their  relations,  and  diligently  endeavor 
the  sanctifying  and  happiness  of  all  the  societies  which  they  are 
members  of. 

I.  Holy  families,  well  ordered,  do  much  glorify  God,  and  keep 
up  religion  in  the  world. 

1.  When  husbands  live  with  their  wives  in  wisdom,  holiness, 
and  love,  and  wives  are  pious,  obedient,  meek,  and  peaceable, 
(Eph.  v.  22.  25.     Col.  iii.  18,  19.)  yea,  unto  such  husbands  as 
"  obey  not  the  word,  that  without  the  word  may  be  won  by  the 
conversation  of  the  wives  ;  "  1  Pet.  iii.  1,  2. 

2.  When  parents  make  it  their  great  and  constant  care  and  la- 
bor, with  all  holy  skill,  and  love,  and  diligence,  to  educate  their 
children  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  the  love  of  goodness,  and  the 
practice  of  a  holy  life,  and  to  save  them  from  sin,  and  the  tempta- 
tions of  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil ;  and  have  more  tender 
care  of  their  souls  than  of  their  bodies,  that  so  the  church  may 
have    a   succession  of  saints ;    and  when  children    love,    honor 
and  obey  their  parents,  and  comfort  them  by  their  forwardness  to 
all  that  is  good,  and  their  avoiding  the  ways  and  company  of  the 
ungodly;  Eph.  vi.  1.     Psalm  i.  1,  2. 

3.  When  masters  rule  their  servants  as  the  servants  of  God,  and 
servants  willingly  obey  their  masters,  and  serve  them  with  cheer- 
ful diligence  and  trust,  and  are  as  careful  and  faithful  about  all 
their  good  and  business  as  if  it  were  not  their  own  ;  Eph.  vi.  5.  9. 
Col.  iii.  21.  and  iv.  1.     1  Pet.  ii.  18. 

When  the  houses  of  Christians  are  societies  of  saints,  and 
churches  of  God,  and  live  in  love  and  concord  together,  and  all 
are  laborious  and  faithful  in  their  callings,  abhorring  idleness,  glut- 
tony, drunkenness,  pride,  contention,  and  evil  speaking,  and  deal- 
ing justly  with  all  their  neighbors,  and  denying  their  own  right  for 
love  and  peace ;  this  is  the  way  to  glorify  religion  in  the  world. 

II.  Well-ordered  churches  are  the  second  sort  of  societies  which 
must  glorify  God  and  propagate  religion  in  the  world. 


SHINE    JN    OUR    WORKS.  497 

1.  When  the  pastors  are  learned  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and 
skillful  in  their  sacred  work,  and  far  excel  all  the  people  in  the 
light  of  faith  and  knowledge,  and  in  love  to  goodness,  and  to  men's 
souls,  and  in  lively,  zealous  diligence  for  God,  and  for  men's  sal- 
vation, thinking  no  labor,  cost,  or  suffering,  too  dear  a  price  for 
the  people's  good  ;  when  no  sufferings  or  reproaches  move  them, 
nor  account  they  their  lives  dear  to  them,  that  they  may  but  finish 
their  course  and  ministry  with  joy.  When  their  public  preaching 
hath  convincing  light  and  clearness,  and  powerful,  .affectionate 
application  ;  and  their  private  oversight  is  performed  with  impar- 
tiality, humility,  and  unwearied  diligence,  and  they  are  able  to 
resolve  the  people's  cases  of  conscience  solidly,  and  to  exhort 
them  earnestly,  with  powerful  reason,  and  melting  love ;  this  hon- 
oreth  religion,  and  winneth  souls. 

When  they  envy  not  one  another,  nor  strive  who  shall  be  great- 
est or  uppermost ;  but  contrariwise,  who  shall  be  most  serviceable 
to  his  brethren,  and  to  the  people's  souls.  When  they  oversee 
and  feed  the  flock  of  God  which  is  among  them,  not  by  constraint, 
but  willingly  ;  not  for  filthy  lucre,  but  of  a  ready  mind  ;  neither  as 
being  lords  over  God's  heritage,  but  being  ensamples  to  the  flock ; 
and  seeking  not  theirs,  but  them ;  are  willing  to  spend  and  be 
spent  for  their  sakes ;  yea,  though  the  more  they  love  them  the 
less  they  are  beloved ;  not  minding  high  things,  but  condescending 
to  men  of  low  estate  ;  this  is  the  way  for  ministers  to  glorify  God ; 
1  Pet.  v.  1—4.  Acts  xx.  2  Tim.  i.  14,  15.  1  Tim.  iv.  10. 
Heb.  iv.  11—13.  Acts  xx.  24.  1  Thess.  ii.  8.  2  Tim.  iv. 
1—3.  Luke  xxii.  21—26.  2  Cor.  xii.  14,  15.  Rom.  xii.  16. 

When  ministers  are  above  all  worldly  interest,  and  so  teach  and 
live  that  the  people  may  see  that  they  seek  not  the  honor  which 
is  of  men,  but  only  that  which  is  of  God,  and  lay  not  up  a  treasure 
on  earth,  but  in  heaven ;  and  trade  all  for  another  world,  and  are 
further  from  pride  than  the  lowest  of  the  flock  ;  when  they  have 
not  only  the  clothing  of  sheep,  but  their  harmless,  profitable  nature, 
and  not  the  ravenousness  or  bloody  jaws  of  destroying  wolves. 
When  they  use  not  carnal  weapons  in  their  warfare,  but  by  an 
eminency  of  light,  and  love,  and  life,  endeavor  to  work  the  same 
in  others ;  when  they  are  of  more  public  spirit  than  the  people, 
and  more  self-denying,  and  above  all  private  interests,  and  envy- 
ings  and  revenge,  and  are  more  patient  in  suffering  than  the  people, 
through  the  power  of  stronger  faith,  and  hope,  and  love.  When 
they  are  wholly  addicted  to  holiness  and  peace,  and  are  zealous 
for  the  love  and  unity  of  believers,  and  become  all  things  to  all 
men,  to  win  some ;  in  meekness  instructing  opposers,  abhorring 
contention,  doing  nothing  in  strife  or  vain  glory,  but  preferring 
others  before  themselves ;  not  preaching  Christ  in  pride  or  envy, 
nor  seeking  their  own  praise,  but  thirsting  after  men's  conversion, 


. 

488  WHAT    MGHT    MUST 

edification,  and  salvation.     Thus  must  Christ  be  honored  by  his 
ministers  in  the  world. 

When  they  speak  the  same  things,  being  of  one  mind  and  judg- 
ment, uniting  in  the  common  faith,  and  contending  for  that  against 
infidels  and  heretics,  and,  so  far  as  they  have  attained,  walk  by 
the  same  rule,  and  mind  the  same  things ;  and  where  they  are 
differently  minded  or  o pinioned,  wait  in  meekness  and  love  till 
God  reveal  to  them  the  reconciling  truth.  When  they  study  more 
to  narrow  controversies  than  to  widen  them,  and  are  skillful  in 
detecting  those  ambiguous  words,  and  verbal  and  notional  differ- 
ences, which  to  the  unskillful  seem  material.  When  they  are  as 
chirurgeons,  and  not  as  soldiers,  as  skillful  to  heal  differences  as 
the  proud  and  ignorant  are  ready  to  make  them,  and  can  plainly 
show  the  dark  contenders  wherein  they  agree,  and  do  not  know 
it.  When  they  live  in  that  sweet  and  amicable  concord,  which 
may  tell  the  world  that  they  love  one  another,  and  are  of  one 
faith  and  heart,  being  one  in  Christ.  This  is  the  way  for  minis- 
ters to  glorify  God  in  the  world.  And  with  thankfulness  to  God 

1  acknowledge  that  such,  for  many  years,  I  had  my  conversation 
with,  of  whom  the  world  that  now  despiseth  them  is  not  worthv  ; 
Phil.  ii.  21.     Matt.  vi.    19—21.     John    v.  44.     2  Cor.  x.  4. 

2  Tim.  ii.  25,  26.  1  Cor.  ix.  19,  20.  22.  and  x.  33.  Phil.  ii.  1—3. 
1  Tim.  vi.  3,  4.    Jam.  iii.  14—16.    2  Tim.  ii.  14.  24.    Phil.  iii. 
15—17.       John   xvii.    24.     Eph.    iv.   3—5.      1    Cor.    i.    10. 
James  iii.  17,  18. 

And  the  maintaining  of  sound  doctrine,  spiritual,  reasonable, 
and  reverent  worship,  without  ludicrous  and  unreverent  trifling,  or 
rudeness,  or  ignorance,  or  superstition,  or  needless  singularity, 
much  honoreth  God,  (as  is  aforesaid.)  And  so  doth  the  exercise 
of  holy  discipline  in  the  churches.  Such  discipline  whereb}  the 
precious  may  be  separated  from  the  vile,  and  the  holy  from  the 
profane,  by  authority  and  order ;  and  not  by  popular  usurpation, 
disorder,  or  unjust  presumptions.  Where  the  cause  is  fairly  tried 
and  judged,  before  men  are  cast  out,  or  denied  the  privileges  of  the 
church.  Where  charity  appears  in  embracing  the  weakest,  and 
turning  away  none  that  turn  not  away  from  Christ,  and  condemn- 
ing none  without  just  proof;  and  justice  and  holiness  appeareth  in 
purging  out  the  dangerous  leaven,  and  in  trying  and  rejecting  the 
obstinately  impenitent  heretic  and  gross  sinner  after  the  first  and 
.second  ad. Monition,  and  disowning  them  that  will  not  hear  the 
church;  Matt,  xviii.  15,  16."  Tit.  iii.  10.  1  Cor.  v.  11. 
When  tlie  neglect  of  discipline  doth  leave  the  church  as  polluted 
a  society  as  the  infidel  world,  and  Christians  that  are  owned  in  the 
public  communion  are  as  vicious,  sensual,  and  ungodly,  as  hea- 
thens and  Mahometans,  it  is  one  of  the  greatest  injuries  to  Christ 
and  our  religion  in  the  world.  For  it  is  by  the  purifying  of  a 


•*„ 


SHINE    IN    OUR    WORKS. 

peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works,  that  Christ  is  known  to  be 
really  the  Savior  of  the  world ;  and  by  making  his  followers  better 
than  others,  that  he  and  his  doctrine  and  religion  are  known  to 
be  the  best.  Travellers  tell  me  that  nothing  so  much  hindereth 
the  conversion  of  the  Mahometans  as  their  daily  experience  that 
the  lives  of  the  Greek  Christians,  and  others  that  live  among 
them,  are  too  ordinarily  worse  than  theirs.  More  drunkenness, 
and  more  falsehood,  lying,  deceit,  it  is  said,  are  among  those  Chris- 
tians than  among  the  Turks.  If  that  be  true,  those  are  no  true 
Christians  ;  but  woe  be  to  them  by  whom  such  offense  cometh.  I 
have  oft  heard  those  soldiers  justly  censured  as  profane  who  turn 
churches  into  stables,  (without  great  necessity.)  But  how  much 
more  hurtfully  profane  are  they  who,  for  carnal  ends,  confound 
the  world  and  the  church,  and  keep  the  multitude  of  the  most 
sensual,  ungodly  persons  in  their  communion,  without  ever  calling 
them  personally  to  repentance !  and  use  the  church  keys  but  to 
revenge  themselves  on  those  that  differ  from  them  in  some  opin- 
ions, or  that  cross  their  interest  and  wills,  or  that  seem  too  smart 
and  zealous  in  the  dislike  of  their  carnality,  sloth,  and  church 
pollutions  !  When  the  churches  are  as  full  of  scandalous  sinners 
as  the  assemblies  of  infidels  and  heathens,  the  world  will  hardly 
ever  believe  that  infidelity  and  heathenism  is  not  as  good  as  the 
Christian  faith.  It  is  more  by  persons  than  by  precepts  that  the 
world  will  judge  of  Christ  and  Christianity.  And  what  men  on 
earth  do  more  scandalize  the  world,  more  expose  Christianity  to 
reproach,  more  harden  infidels,  more  injure  Christ,  and  serve  the 
devil,  than  they  that  fill  the  church  with  impious,  carnal  pastors, 
(as  in  the  church  of  Rome,)  and  then  with  impious,  carnal  people, 
maintained  constantly  in  her  communion,  without  any  open  dis- 
owning by  a  distinguishing,  reforming  discipline  ?  When  such 
pastors  are  no  better  than  the  soberer  sort  of  heathens,  save  only 
in  their  opinion  and  formal  words,  and  when  their  ordinary  com- 
municants are  no  better,  it  is  no  thanks  to  them  if  all  turn  not 
infidels  that  know  them,  and  if  Christianity  be  contemned,  and 
decay  out  of  the  world ;  and  it  is  along  of  such  that  disorderly 
separations  attempt  that  discipline,  and  distinguishing  of  the  godly 
and  notoriously  wicked,  which  such  ungodly  pastors  will  not 
attempt.  See  Lev.  xix.  17.  Matt,  xviii.  15,  16.  1  Cor.  v. 
Tit.  iii.  10.  Jer.  xv.  19.  Psalm  xv.  2  Thess.  iii.  Rom.  xvi. 
17.  2  Tim.  iii.  4,  5. 

III.  But  O  how  great  an  honor  is  it  to  God  and  to  religion, 
when  kings,  princes,  and  states  do  zealously  devote  their  power 
to  God,  from  whom  they  do  receive  it,  and  labor  to  make  their 
kingdoms  holy  !  When  truth,  sobriety,  and  piety  have  the  coun- 
tenance of  human  powers,  and  rulers  wholly  set  themselves  to 
VOL.  IT.  62 


490  WH 


AT    LIGHT    MUST 


further  the  faithful  preaching  and  practicing  of  the  holy  faith,  and 
to  unite  and  strengthen  the  ministers  and  churches,  and  to  suppress 
iniquity,  and  to  be  a  terror  to  evil  doers,  it  taketh  Satan's  great 
advantage  out  of  his  hand,  and  worketh  on  carnal  men  by  such 
means  as  they  can  feel  and  understand.  Not  that  God  needs  the 
help  of  man,  but  that  he  hath  settled  officers  and  a  natural  order, 
by  which  he  usually  worketh  in  the  world  :  and  as  it  cannot  be 
expected  that  an  unholy  parent  and  master  should  have  a  holy 
family,  or  an  unholy  pastor  a  holy  church,  unless  by  extraordinary 
mercy ;  no  more  can  we  expect  that  ungodly  magistrates  should 
have  a  godly  kingdom  or  commonwealth,  of  which  the  sacred 
history  of  the  Jewish  and  Israelitish  kings  doth  give  you  a  full 
confirmation.  But  this  I  must  now  say  no  more  of.  And  thus  I 
have  told  you,  in  twenty  particulars,  what  are  those  good  works  in 
which  the  light  of  Christians  must  shine  before  men  to  the  glorify- 
ing of  God. 

Object.  Doth  not  Matt.  v.  10 — 12.  contradict  all  this?  "  Bless- 
ed are  ye  when  men  revile  you  and  persecute  you,  and  say  all 
manner  of  evil  against  you  falsely,  for  my  sake." 

Ans.  No.  You  must  here  distinguish,  first,  of  men ;  secondly, 
of  righteousness  and  good  works. 

I.  The  men  that  we  have  to  do  with  are,  first,  ordinary,  natural 
men,  corrupted  by  original  sin,  but  yet  not  hardeaed  to  serpentine 
malignity,  as  some  are ;  secondly,  or  they  are  men  that,  by  sinning 
against  nature  and  common  light,  are  forsaken  and  given  up  to 
malignant  minds. 

II.  The  good  works  which  natural  light  and  human  interest  can 
discern  and  commend,  do  differ  from  those  which  are  merely 
evangelical,  of  supernatural  revelation. 

1.  Maligaant  persons,  hardened  in  enmity,  will  scorn  and  per- 
secute holiness  itself,  and  even  that  good  which  reason  justifies, 
and  therefore  are  called  unreasonable,  wicked  men ;  2  Thess.  iii. 
2.     Good  works  with  these  men  make  us  odious,  unless  they  are 
such  as  gratify  their  lusts. 

2.  But  there  are  natural  men  not  yet  so  hardened  and  forsaken, 
who  are  usually  them  that  the  gospel   doth  convert;  and  these 
have  not  yet  so  blinded  nature,  nor  lost  all  sense  of  good  and  evil, 
but  that  they  honor  him  that  doth  good  in  all  the  twenty  particu- 
lars which  I  have  named,  and  think  ill  of  those  that  do  the  con- 
trary, though  yet  they  relish  not  the  Christian  righteousness,  and 
things  of  supernatural  revelation,  for  want  of  faith. 

Let  us  briefly  now  apply  it. 

Use  1.  This  informs  us  what  an  honorable  state  Christianity 
and  true  godliness  is.  When  God  hath  made  us  to  be  the  lights 
of  the  world,  to  shine  before  men  to  the  glory  of  his  holiness,  as 
the  sun  and  stars  do  to  the  glory  of  his  power,  no  wonder  if  in 


SHINE    IN    OUR    \VORKS. 


glory  we  shall  shine  as  stars  in  the  firmament  of  our  Father,  if  we 
do  so  here;  Dan.  xii.  3.  Matt.  xiii.  43.  Phil.  ii.  15.  This 
must  not  make  us  proud,  but  thankful ;  for  our  pride  is  our  shame, 
and  our  humility  is  our  glory. 

Use  2.  And  what  wonder  if  all  the  powers  of  darkness  do  bend 
their  endeavors  to  obscure  this  sacred  light !  The  Prince  of 
Darkness  is  the  enemy  of  the  Father  of  Lights ;  and  this  is  the 
great  war  between  Christ  and  Satan  in  the  world.  Christ  is  the 
light  of  the  world,  and  setteth  up  ministerial  lights  for  the  world 
and  for  his  house.  His  work  is  to  send  them  forth,  to  teach  them, 
and  defend  them,  to  send  his  Spirit  to  work  in  and  by  them,  to 
bring  men  to  the  everlasting  light.  And  Satan's  work  is  to  stir 
up  all  that  he  can  against  them,  high  and  low,  learned  and  un- 
learned, and  to  put  Christ's  lights,  both  ministers  and  people, 
under  a  bushel ;  and  to  make  the  world  believe  that  they  are  ene- 
mies, and  come  to  hurt  them,  that  they  may  be  hated  as  the  scorn 
and  ofiscouring  of  the  world,  and  to  keep  up  ignorance  in  ministers 
themselves,  that,  the  church's  eyes  being  dark,  the  darkness  may 
be  great. 

But  let  us  pray  that  God  would  "  forgive  our  enemies,  perse- 
cutors, and  slanderers,  and  turn  their  hearts ; "  and  that  he  would 
"  open  our  lips,  that  our  mouths  may  show  forth  his  praise  ;  "  and 
though  his  ministers  and  people  have  their  faulty  weaknesses,  that 
he  would  "  be  merciful  to  our  infirmities,  and  grant  that  those 
things  which  the  craft  and  subtlety  of  the  devil  or  man  vvorketh 
against  us  may  be  brought  to  nought,  and  by  the  providence  of 
his  goodness  may  be  dispersed ;  that  we,  his  servants,  being  hin- 
dered by  no  persecution,  may  give  thanks  to  him  in  his  holy  church, 
and  serve  him  in  holiness  and  pureness  of  life,  to  his  glory,"  through 
Jesus  Christ. 

Use  3.  You  may  see  hence  how  much  those  men  are  mistaken, 
who  talk  of  the  good  works  or  lives  of  Christians,  as  that  which 
must  have  no  honor,  lest  it  dishonor  God  ;  as  if  all  the  honor 
were  taken  from  Christ  which  is  given  to  good  works,  and  the 
patient's  health  were  the  dishonor  of  the  physician,  when  we 
are  redeemed  and  purified  to  be  zealous  of  good  works,  and  created 
for  them  in  Christ  Jesus,  as  Titus  ii.  14.  Eph.  ii.  10.  Yea, 
and  shall  be  judged  according  to  our  works. 

Use  4.  This  informeth  you  that  the  good  works  or  lives  of 
Christians  is  a  great  means  ordained  by  Christ  for  the  convincing 
of  sinners,  and  the  glorifying  of  God  in  the  world.  Preaching 
doth  much,  but  it  is  not  appointed  to  do  all.  The  lives  of  preach- 
ers must  also  be  a  convincing  light ;  and  all  true  Christians,  men 
and  women,  are  called  to  preach  to  the  world  by  their  good  works  ; 
and  a  holy,  righteous  and  sober  life  is  the  great  ordinance  of  God, 
appointed  for  the  saving  of  yourselves  and  others.  0  that  the 


, 

402  WHAT    IJGHT    MtTST 

Lord  would  bring  this  close  to  all  our  hearts !  Christians,  if  you 
abhor  dumb  teachers,  because  they  starve  and  betray  souls,  take 
heed  lest  you  condemn  yourselves:  you  owe  men  the  convincing 
helps  of  a  holy,  fruitful  life,  as  well  as  the  preacher  owes  them 
his  ministry.  Preach  by  well  doing,  shine  out  in  good  works,  or 
else  you  are  no  lights  of  Christ,  but  betrayers  of  men's  souls :  you 
rob  all  about  you  of  a  great  ordinance  of  God,  a  great  means 
appointed  by  him  for  men's  salvation.  The  world  will  judge  of 
the  Scriptures  by  your  lives,  and  of  religion  by  your  lives,  and  of 
Christ  himself  by  your  lives.  If  your  lives  are  such  as  tend  to 
persuade  men  that  Christians  are  but  like  other  men,  yea,  that 
they  are  but  self-conceited  sinners,  as  carnal,  sensual,  uncharitable, 
proud,  self-seeking,  worldly,  envious,  as  others,  and  so  that  Chris- 
tianity is  but  such,  this  is  a  horrid  blaspheming  of  Christ,  how 
highly  soever  your  tongues  may  speak  of  him,  and  how  low  soever 
your  knees  may  bow  to  him.  O  that  you  knew  how  much  of 
God's  great  work  of  salvation  in  the  world  is  to  be  done  by  Chris- 
tians' lives.  Your  lives  must  teach  men  to  believe  that  there  is  a 
heaven  to  be  won,  and  a  hell  to  be  escaped :  your  lives  must  help 
men  to  believe  that  Christ  and  his  word  are  true :  your  lives  must 
tell  men  what  holiness  is,  and  convince  them  of  the  need  of  regen- 
eration ;  and  that  the  Spirit  of  sanctification  is  no  fancy,  but  the 
witness  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the  world :  your  lives  must  tell  men,  by 
repentance  and  obedience,  that  sin  is  the  greatest  evil ;  and  must 
show  them  the  difference  between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked : 
yea,  the  holiness  of  God  must  be  glorified  by  your  lives.  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  the  Scripture,  the  church,  and  heaven 
itself,  must  be  known  much  by  our  lives.  And  may  not  I  say, 
then,  with  the  apostle,  (2  Peter  Hi.  11.)  "  What  manner  of  per- 
sons, then,  ought  we  to  be,  in  all  holy  conversation  and  godliness, 
when  the  grace  of  God,  which  bringeth  salvation,  hath  appeared 
to  all  men,  teaching  us  to  deny  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  and 
to  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly,  in  this  present  world  ? " 
Tit.  ii.  11,  12. 

Use  5.  But  alas !  what  suitable  and  plentiful  matter  doth  this 
offer  us  for  our  humiliation  and  lamentation  on  such  a  day  as  this ! 
A  flood  of  tears  is  not  too  much  to  lament  the  scandals  of  the 
Christian  world.  With  what  wounded  hearts  should  we  think  of 
the  state  of  the  churches  in  Armenia,  Syria,  Egypt,  Abaseia,  and 
all  the  oppressed  Greeks,  and  all  the  poor  deceived  and  oppressed 
Papists,  and  all  the  ignorant,  carnal  Protestants !  O,  how  unlike 
are  your  lives  to  your  Christian  faith,  and  to  the  pattern  left  them 
by  their  Lord  !  Doth  a  worldly,  proud,  and  fleshly,  and  conten- 
tious clergy  glorify  God?  Doth  an  ignorant  ministry  glorify  him, 
who  understand  not  the  message  which  they  should  deliver? 
Will  the  world  turn  Christians  by  seeing  Christians  seek  the  blood 

. 
- 


• 


SHINE    IN 


and  ruin  of  each  other?  and  hearing  even  preachers  reproach 
each  other?  or  seeing  them  silence  or  persecute  each  other?  or 
by  seeing  the  people  run  into  many  sects,  and  separate  from  one 
another,  as  unworthy  of  Christian  communion  ?  Will  proud,  igno- 
rant, censorious,  fleshly,  worldly  professors  of  religion  ever  draw 
the  world  to  love  religion  ?  Or  will  peevish,  self-willed,  impatient, 
discontented*  souls,  that  are  still  wrangling,  crying,  and  repining, 
make  men  believe  that  their  religion  rejoiceth,  blesseth,  and  sanc- 
tifieth  the  soul,  and  maketh  men  far  happier  than  all  others  in  the 
world  ?  Alas  !  what  wonder  that  so  small  a  part  of  the  world  are 
Christians,  and  so  few  converted  to  the  love  of  holiness,  when  the 
great  means  is  denied  them  by  you  which  God  hath  appointed  for 
their  conversion,  and  the  world  hath  not  one  helper  for  a  hundred 
or  thousand  that  it  should  have  !  You  cry  out  at  those  that  put 
out  the  church-lights,  under  pretense  of  snuffing  them,  while  your- 
selves are  darkness,  or  as  a  stinking  snuff. 

O,  brethren  and  Christians  all,  I  beseech  you,  let  us  now,  and 
often,  closely  ask  ourselves,  What  do  we  more  than  an  Antonine, 
a  Seneca,  or  a  Cicero,  or  a  Socrates  did,  beyond  opinions,  words, 
and  formalities  ?  What  do  you  which  is  like  to  convert  the  world, 
to  convince  an  infidel,  or  glorify  God  ?  Nay,  do  not  some  among 
us  think  that  it  is  the  height,  or  part  of  their  religion,  to  live  so 
contrary  to  the  world,  as  to  be  singular  from  others,  even  in  lawful 
or  indifferent  things,  and  to  do  little  or  nothing  which  the  world 
thinks  well  of?  As  if  crossing  and  displeasing  men  needlessly 
were  their  winning  conversation.  O,  when  once  we  go  as  far 
beyond  them  in  love,  humility,  meekness,  patience,  fruitfulness, 
mortification,  self-denial,  and  heavenliness,  as  we  do  in  opinions, 
profession,  and  self-esteem,  then  we  shall  win  souls,  and  glorify 
God,  and  he  will  also  glorify  us. 

Use  6.  And  here  we  see  the  wonderful  mercy  of  God  to  the 
world,  who  hath  appointed  them  so  much  means  for  their  convic- 
tion and  salvation.  So  many  Christians  as  there  be  in  the  world, 
so  many  practical  preachers  and  helps  to  men's  conversion  are 
there  appointed  by  God ;  and  let  the  blame  and  shame  lie  on  us, 
where  it  is  due,  and  not  on  God,  if  yet  the  world  remain  in  dark- 
ness. It  is  God's  will  that  every  Christian  in  the  world  should  be 
as  a  star,  to  shine  to  sinners  in  their  darkness;  and  O,  then,  how 
gloriously  would  the  world  be  bespangled  and  enlightened !  If 
you  say,  'Why,  then,  doth  not  God  make  Christians  better?' 
That  is  a  question  which  cannot  be  well  answered,  without  a  larger 
opening  of  the  methods  of  grace  than  we  can  now  have  leisure  for, 
and  therefore  must  be  done  in  its  proper  season. 

Use  7.  Those  that  honor  God  he  will  honor;  and  therefore 
let  us  also  give  them  that  honor  which  is  their  due.  The  barren 
professors,  who  honor  themselves  by  overvaluing  their  poor 


* 


494  WHAT    LIGHT    MUST    SHINE    IN    OUR    WORKS. 

knowledge,  gifts,  and  grace,  and  affecting  too  great  a  distance  from 
their  brethren,  and  censuring  others  as  unworthy  of  their  com- 
munion without  reproof,  are  not  the  men  that  honor  God,  and 
can  lay  claim  to  no  great  honor  from  men.  But  God  hath  among 
us  a  prudent,  holy,  humble,  laborious,  patient  ministry,  that  glorify 
him  by  their  works  and  patience,  and  he  hath  among  us  a  meek 
and  humble,  a  blameless,  and  a  loving  and  fruitful  s6rt  of  Chris- 
tians, who  imitate  the  purity,  charity,  and  simplicity,  yea,  and 
concord  of  the  primitive  church.  These  tell  the  world,  to  their 
sight  and  experience,  that  religion  is  better  than  ignorance  and 
carnality.  These  tell  the  world,  that  Christ  and  his  holy  word 
are  true,  while  he  doth  that,  in  renewing  and  sanctifying  souls, 
which  none  else  in  the  world  can  do.  These  show  the  world,  that 
faith,  and  holiness,  and  self-denial,  and  the  hopes  of  immortality, 
are  no  deceits.  These  glorify  God,  and  are  the  great  benefactors 
of  the  world.  I  must  solemnly  profess,  that  did  I  not  know  such 
a  people  in  the  world,  who,  notwithstanding  their  infirmities,  do 
manifest  a  holy  and  heavenly  disposition  in  their  lives,  I  should 
want  myself  so  great  a  help  to  my  faith  in  Christ,  and  the  promise 
of  life  eternal,  that  I  fear,  without  it,  my  faith  would  fail.  And 
had  I  never  known  a  holier  ministry  and  people  than  those  that 
live  but  a  common  life,  and  excel  heathens  in  nothing  but  their 
belief  or  opinions,  and  church  orders  and  formalities,  I  should  find 
my  faith  assaulted  with  so  great  temptations  as  I  doubt  I  should 
not  well  withstand.  No  talk  will  persuade  men  that  he  is  the 
best  physician  that  healeth  no  more  nor  worse  diseases  than  others 
do.  Nor  would  Christ  be  taken  for  the  Savior  of  the  world  if 
he  did  not  save  men.  And  he  saveth  them  not  if  he  make  them 
not  holier  and  better  than  other  men. 

O,  then,  how  much  do  we  owe  to  Christ  for  sending  his  Spirit 
into  his  saints,  and  for  exemplifying  his  holy  word  on  holy  souls, 
and  for  giving  us  as  many  visible  proofs  of  his  holiness,  power,  and 
truth,  as  there  are  holy  Christians  in  the  world !  We  must  not 
natter  them,  nor  excuse  their  faults,  nor  puff  them  up.  But 
because  the  righteous  is  more  excellent  than  his  neighbor,  we 
must  accordingly  love  and  honor  them,  and  Christ  in  them. 
For  Christ  telleth  us,  that  he  is  glorified  in  them  here,  (John  xvii. 
10.)  and  that  what  is  done  to  them,  his  brethren,  even  the  least, 
is  taken  as  done  to  him,  (Matt,  xxv.)  and  he  will  be  glorified  and 
admired  in  them  when  he  cometh  in  his  glory  at  the  last,  (2 
Thess.  i.  8,  10.)  and  he  will  glorify  their  very  works  before  all 
the  world,  with  a  "  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant ;  enter 
thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord." 


THE 


FAREWELL    SERMON 


OF 


RICHARD    BAXTER; 


PREPARED  TO  HAVE  BEEN  PREACHED  TO  HIS  HEARERS 


AT    KIDDERMINSTER, 


AT    HIS    DEPARTURE,    BUT    FORBIDDEN. 


TO    THE 

INHABITANTS 

OF    THE 

BOROUGH   AND   FOREIGN   OF   KIDDERMINSTER, 

IN 

THE    COUNTY   OF   WORCESTER. 


DEAR  FRIENDS, 

WHILE  I  was  lately  turning  up  the  rubbish  of  my  old 
papers,  I  found  this  sermon  in  the  bottom,  which  I  had  quite  for- 
gotten that  I  kept,  but  thought  it  had  been  cast  away  with  many 
hundred  others.  Much  of  the  last  sheet  was  added  to  the  sermon 
after  I  came  from  you  ;  and  I  remember  that  when  I  intended  to 
send  you  this  sermon  as  my  farewell,  I  durst  not  then  have  so  much 
converse  with  you,  for  your  own  sakes,  lest  it  should  raise  more 
enmity  against  you,  and  your  displeasing  circumstances  of  reli- 
gious practice  should  be  said  to  come  from  my  continued  counsels 
to  you. 

I  have  lately  taken  my  farewell  of  the  world,  in  a  book  which  I 
called  '  My  Dying  Thoughts  ; '  my  pain  of  body  and  debility  in- 
creasing, and  my  flesh  being  grown  to  me  more  grievous  than  all 
my  enemies  or  outward  troubles.  I  remembered  the  benefit  I  often 
received  upon  your  prayers ;  and  craving  the  continuance  of  them, 
till  you  hear  of  my  dissolution,  therewith  I  send  this,  as  my  spe- 
cial farewell  to  yourselves,  whom  I  am  bound  to  remember  with 
more  than  ordinary  love  and  thankfulness,  while  I  am 

RICHARD  BAXTER. 


BAXTER'S   FAREWELL   SERMON. 


JOHN  xvi.  22. 

AND  YE  NOW,  THEREFORE,  HAVE  SORROW;  HUT  I  WILL  SEE  YOU 
AGAIN,  AND  YOUR  HEART  SHALL  REJOICE,  AND  YOUR  JOY  NO 
MAN  TAKETH  FROM  YOU. 

MY    DEARLY    BELOVED    IN    OUR    DEAREST    L6"llD, 

I  WILL  so  far  consent  to  your  troubled  thoughts  of  this 
unwelcome  day,  as  to  confess  that  to  me,  as  well  as  you,  it  some- 
what resembleth  the  day  of  death.  1.  Death  is  the  separation  of 
the  dearest  consorts,  soul  and  body  ;  and  how  near  the  union  is  be- 
twixt us,  both  that  of  relation  and  that  of  affection,  which  must  admit 
this  day  of  some  kind  of  dissolution,  I  will  rather  tell  to  strangers  than 
to  you.  2.  Death  is  unwelcome  both  to  soul  and  body,  of  itself; 
(though  it  destroy  not  the  soul,  it  doth  the  body.)  So  dear  compan- 
ions part  not  willingly.  Your  hearts  and  minds  are  here  so  over-for- 
ward in  the  application,  that  words  may  be  well  spared,  where  sense 
hath  taken  so  deep  possession.  3.  Death  is  the  end  of  human  con- 
verse here  on  earth.  We  must  see  and  talk  with  our  friends  here 
no  more.  And  .this  our  separation  is  like  to  end  that  converse  be- 
tween you  and  me,  which  formerly  we  have  had  in  the  duties  of 
our  relations.  We  must  no  more  go  up  together,  as  formerly,  to 
the  house  of  God ;  I  must  no  more  speak  to  you  publicly  in  his 
name,  nor  solace  my  own  soul,  in  opening  to  you  the  gospel  of  sal- 
vation, nor  in  the  mention  of  his  covenant,  his  grace,  or  kingdom. 
Those  souls  that  have  not  been  convinced  and  converted,  are  never 
like  to  hear  more  from  me  for  their  conviction  or  conversion.  I 
have  finished  all  the  instruction,  reproof,  exhortation,  and  persuasion, 
which  ever  I  must  use,  in  order  to  their  salvation.  I  must  speak 
here  no  more  to  inform  the  ignorant,  to  reform  the  wicked,  to  re- 
duce the  erroneous,  to  search  the  hypocrite,  to  humble  the  proud, 
to  bow  the  obstinate,  or  to  bring  the  worldly,  the  impenitent,  and 
ungodly  to  the  knowledge  of  the  word,  themselves,  and  God.  I 
must  speak  no  more  to  strengthen  the  weak,  to  cornibrt  the  afflict- 
ed, nor  to  build  you  up  in  faith  and  holiness.  Our  day  is  past; 
our  night  is  come,  when  we  cannot  work  as  formerly  we  have 
done.  My  opportunities  here  are  at  an  end.  4.  Death  is  the 
VOL.  n.  63 


498  BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON. 

end  of  earthly  comforts,  and  our  separation  is  like  to  be  the  end  of 
that  comfortable  communion,  which  God  for  many  years  hath 
granted  us.  Our  public  and  private  communion  hath  been  sweet 
to  us.  The  Lord  hath  been  our  pastor,  and  hath  not  suffered  us 
to  want.  He  made  us  lie  down  in  his  pleasant  pastures,  and  hath 
led  us  by  the  silent  streams  ;  Psalrn  xxiii.  1,  2.  He  restored 
our  souls,  and  his  very  rod  and  staff  did  comfort  us ;  but  his  smiting 
and  scattering  time  is  come.  These  pleasures  now  are  at  an  end. 

5.  Death  is  the   end  of  human  labors ;  there  is  no  ploughing  or 
sowing.no  building  or  planting  in  the   grave.     And   so  doth  our 
separation  end  the  works  of  our  mutual  relation  in  this  place. 

6.  Death  is  the  effect  of  painful  sickness,  and  usually  of  the  folly, 
intemperance,  or  oversight  of  ourselves.     And,  though  our  con- 
science reproach  us  act  with  gross  unfaithfulness,  yet  are  our  fail- 
ings so  many,  and  so  great,  as  force  us  to  justify  the  severity  of 
our  Father,  and  to  confess  that  we  deserve  this  rod.     Though  we 
have  been  censured  by  the  world  as  being  over-strict,  and  doing 
too  much  for  the  saving  of  our  own  and  others'  souls,  yet  it  is  an- 
other kind  of  charge  that  conscience  hath  against  us.    How  earnestly 
do  we  now  wish  that  we  had  done  much  more ;  tljat  I  had  preach- 
ed more  fervently,  and  you  had  heard  more  diligently,  and  we  had 
all  obeyed  God  more  strictly,  and  done  more  for  the  souls  of  the 
ignorant,  careless,  hardened  sinners  that  were  among  us  !     It  is 
just  with  God  that  so  dull  a  preacher  should  be  put  to  silence,  that 
could   ever  speak  without  tears   and   fervent  importunity  to  im- 
penitent sinners,  when  he  knew  that  it  was  for   no  less  than  the 
saving  of  their  souls,  and  foresaw  the  joys  which  they  would  lose, 
and  the  torment  which  they  must  endure,  if  they  repented  not. 
With  what  shame  and  sorrow  do  I  now  look  back  upon  the  cold 
and  lifeless  sermons  which  I  preached  ;  and  upon  those  years'  neg- 
lect of  the   duty  of  private  instructing  of  your  families,  before  we 
set   upon  it  orderly  and  constantly.     Our  destruction  is  of  our- 
selves !     Our  undervaluihgs  and  neglects  have   forfeited  our  op- 
portunities.    As  good  Melancthon  was  wont  to  say,  '  In  vulneribus 
nostris  proprihs  agnoscimus  pcnnas.'    The  arrow  that  woundeth  us 
was  feathered  from  our  own  wings.     7.  Death  useth  to  put  surviv- 
ing friends  into  a  dark  and  mourning  habit.     Their  lamentations  are 
the  chief  part  of  funeral   solemnities.     And  in  this   also  we  have 
our  part.     The  compassion  of  condolers  is  greater  than  we  desire  ; 
for  sorrow  is  apt  to  grow  unruly,  and  exceed  its  bounds,  and  bring 
en  more  sufferings  by  lamenting  one,  and  also  to  look  too  much  at 
the  instruments,  and  to  be  more  offended  at  them  than  at  our  sins. 
8.  But   death   is  the   end  of  all  the  living.     The  mourners  also 
ni'ist  come  after  us,  and,  alas  !  how  soon  !     It  maketh  our  fall 
more  grievous  to  us  to  foresee  how  many  must  ere  long  come 


BAXTER'S  FAHKWELI.  SERMON.  499 

down !  How  many  hundred  pastors  must  shortly  be  separated 
from  their  flocks !  If  there  were  no  epidemical  malady  to  destroy 
us,  our  ministry  hath  its  mortality.  Your  fathers,  where  are  they  ? 
and  the  prophets,  do  they  live  forever?  Zech.  i.  5.  This  made 
us  the  more  importunate  with  you  in  our  ministry,  because  we 
knew  that  we  must  preach  to  you,  and  pray  with  you,  and  in- 
struct you,  and  watch  over  you  but  a  little  while.  Though  we 
knew  not  what  instrument  death  would  use,  we  knew  our  final  day 
was  coming,  when  we  must  preach,  and  exhort,  and  pray  our  last 
with  you.  We  knew  that  it  behoved  us  to  work  while  it  was  day 
(and,  O,  that  we  had  done  it  better  !)  because  the  night  was  com- 
ing, when  none  could  work  ;  John  ix.  4.  9.  And  as  it  is  appoint- 
ed to  all  men  once  to  die,  so  after  death  there  followed)  judgment. 
And  we  also  have  our  further  judgment  to  undergo.  We  must 
expect  our  hour  of  temptation.  We  must  be  judged  by  men,  as 
well  as  chastened  by  God.  We  must  prepare  to  bear  the  reproach 
and  slanders  of  malicious  tongues,  and  the  unrighteous  censures  of 
those  that  know  us  not,  and  of  those  who  think  it  their  interest  to 
condemn  us.  And  we  must  also  call  ourselves  to  judgment.  We 
are  like  to  have  unwelcome  leisure,  to  review  the  days  and  duties 
which  are  past.  It  will  then  be  time  for  us  to  call  ourselves  to  ac- 
count of  our  preaching  and  studies,  and  other  ministerial  works, 
and  to  sentence  our  labors  and  our  lives ;  and  it  will  be  time  for 
you  to  call  yourselves  to  account  of  your  hearing  and  profiting, 
and  to  ask,  '  How  have  we  used  the  mercies  which  are  taken  from 
us  ? '  Yea,  God  himself  will  judge  us  according  to  our  works. 
He  will  not  justify  us,  if  we  have  been  unfaithful  in  our  little,  and 
have  been  such  as  Satan  and  his  instruments,  the  accusers  of  the 
brethren,  do  report  us.  But  if  we  have  been  faithful,  we  may  ex- 
pect his  double  justification.  1.  By  pardon  he  will  justify  us  from 
our  sins.  2.  By  plea  and  righteous  sentence,  he  will  justify  us 
against  the  false  accusations  of  our  enemies ;  and  that  is  enough. 
How  small  a  thing  should  it  seem  to  us  to  be  judged  of  man,  who 
must  stand  or  fall  to  the  final  sentence  of  the  Almighty  God ! 
10.  The  separated  soul  and  body  do  retain  their  relations,  and  the 
soul  its  inclination  to  a  reunion  with  its  body.  And  though  our  near- 
est obligations  maybe  now  dissolved,  and  the  exercise  of  our  com- 
munion hindered,  yet  I  know  we  shall  never  forget  each  other,  nor 
shall  the  bond  of  love  which  doth  unite  usbe  ever  loosed  and  made 
void.  And  so  much  of  our  relation  shall  still  continue,  as  intimated 
in  those  texts,  1  Cor.  iv.  15,  16.  xii.  14.  Phil.  iv.  1,  &.c.  11.  And 
the  power  of  death  will  not  be  everlasting :  a  resurrection  and 
reunion  there  will  be  at  last,  but  whether  in  this  world,  I  cannot 
prophesy.  I  am  apter  to  think  that  most  of  us  must  die  in  the 
wilderness,  and  that  our  night  must  bear  some  proportion  with  our 


500  BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON. 

day.  But  things  unrevealed  belong  only  unto  God.  It  suf- 
ficeth  me  to  be  sure  of  this,  that  as  our  kingdom,  so  our  com- 
forts are  not  of  this  world,  and  that  as  Christ,  so  his  servants  under 
him,  may  say,  "  Behold  I  and  the  children  which  God  hath  given  me, 
(Heb.  ii.  13.)  and  that  we  shall  present  you  as  chaste  virgins  unto 
Christ ; "  2  Cor.  xi.  2.  "  And  therefore  we  have  preached, 
taught,  and  warned,  that  we  might  present  you  perfect  in  Christ 
Jesus  ; "  Col.  i.  28.  "  For  what  is  our  hope,  or  joy,  or  crown 
of  rejoicing?  Are  not  even  ye  in  the  presence  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  at  his  coming  ?  For  ye  are  our  glory  and  our  joy ; "  1 
Thess.  ii.  19,  20. 

But  yet  the  resemblance  between  death  and  this  our  separation 
holdeth  not  in  all  things.  1.  It  is  not  I,  nor  any  pastor,  that  is  the 
church's  soul  or  life.  This  is  the  honor  of  Christ,  the  Head. 
Being  planted  into  him,  you  may  live,  though  all  his  ministers 
were  dead,  or  all  your  teachers  driven  into  corners  ;  Isa.  xxx.  20. 
2.  The  continuance  of  your  church  state  dependeth  not  on  the  con- 
tinuance of  any  one  single  pastor  whatsoever.  God  can  provide  you 
others  to  succeed  us,  that  may  do  his  work  for  you  more  success- 
fully than  we.  And  could  I  but  hope  that  they  should  be  as  able, 
and  holy,  and  diligent  as  I  desire,  how  little  should  I  partake  with 
you  in  this  day's  sorrows  !  Had  I  not  given  you  these  exceptions, 
malicious  tongues  would  have  reported  that  I  made  myself  your 
life  or  soul,  and  take  the  churches  to  be  all  dead,  when  such  as  I 
are  silenced  and  cast  out.  But  I  remember  Psalm  xii. 

Though  what  I  have  said,  and  what  you  feel,  may  make  you 
think  that  a  funeral  sermon  is  most  seasonable  on  such  a  day,  yet 
I  have  rather  chosen  to  preach  to  you  the  doctrine  of  rejoicing,  be- 
cause you  sorrow  not  as  men  that  have  no  hope,  and  because  I 
must  consider  what  tendeth  most  to  your  strength  and  steadfast- 
ness ;  and  that  you  may  see  herein  I  imitate  our  Lord,  I  have  cho- 
sen his  words  to  his  troubled  disciples,  before  his  departure  from 
them ;  John  xvi.  22.  And  though  I  make  no  question  but  it  will 
be  said  with  scorn,  that  thus  I  make  myself  as  Christ,  and  that  I 
seditiously  encourage  you  by  the  expectations  of  my  restitution, 
yet  will  I  not  therefore  forbear  to  use  my  Savior's  consolatory 
words,  but  will  remember  to  whom,  and  on  what  occasion,  he  said, 
"  Every  plant  which  my  heavenly  Father  hath  not  planted,  shall 
be  rooted  up.  Let  them  alone  ;  they  be  blind  leaders  of  the  blind ; 
and  if  the  blind  lead  the  blind,  both  shall  fall  into  the  ditch ; " 
Matt.  xv.  13,  14. 

The  words  are  Christ's  comforts  to  his  orphans,  sorrowful  disci- 
ples, expressing,  first,  their  present  condition,  and  that  which  they 
were  now  to  taste  of,  and,  secondly,  their  future  state.  Their  pres- 
ent case  is  a  state  of  sorrow,  because  that  Christ  must  be  taken 


BAXTER'S  F  ARK  WELL.  SERMON.  50 1 

from  them.     Their  future   case  will  be  a  state  of  joy,  which  is  ex- 
pressed, 1.  In  the  futurity  of  the  cause,"  but  I  will  sec  you  again." 

2.  In  the  promise  of  the  effect,  "and  your  heart  shall  rejoice." 

3.  In  the  duration  and  invincibility  of  it, "  and  your  joy  no  man  taketh 
from  you,"  or  "shall  take  from  you."    He  had  before  likened  their 
sorrows  on  this  occasion  to  the  pains  of  a  woman  in  her  child-bear- 
ing, which  is  but  short,  and  endeth  in  joy.    And  in  relation  to  that 
similitude,  the  Syriac  translateth  Xu#»jv,  '  sickness,'  and  the  Persian 
translated!  it  'calamity.'     Some  expositors  limit  the  cause  of  their 
sorrows  to  the  absence  of  Christ,  or  that  death  of  his  which  will  for 
a  time  both  shake  their  faith,  and  astonish  their  hopes,  and  deprive 
them  of  their  former  comforts.     And  others  limit  the  word  '  there- 
fore '  to  the  following  crosses  or  sufferings  which  they  must  under- 
go for  the  sake  of  Christ;  and  accordingly  they  interpret  the  cause 
of  their  succeeding  joy.     But  1  see  no  reason  but  both  are  includ- 
ed in  the  text,  but  principally  the  first,  and  the  other  consequent- 
ly.    As  if  he  had  said,  '  When  you  see  me  crucified,  your  hearts 
and  hopes  will  begin  to  fail,  and  sorrow  to  overwhelm  your  minds, 
and  you  will  be  exposed  to  the  fury  of  the  unbelieving  world  ;  but 
it  will  be  but  for  a  moment ;  for  when  you  see  that  I  am  risen  again, 
your  joy  will  bd  revived,  and  my  Spirit  afterwards,  and  continual 
encouragements  shall  greatly  increase  and  perpetuate  your  joys, 
which  no  persecutions  or  sufferings  shall  deprive  you   of,  but  they 
shall  at  last  be  perfected  in  the  heavenly,  everlasting  joys.'     The 
cause  of  their  sorrow  is,  first,  his  absence,  and,  next,  their  suffer- 
ings with  him   in  the  world:    when  the  bridegroom  is  taken  from 
them,  they  must  fast,  that  is,  live  an  afflicted  kind  of  life  in  various 
sorrows  ;  and  the  causes  of  their  succeeding  joy  are,  first,  his  res- 
urrection, and,  next,  his  Spirit,  which  is  their  comforter,  and,  lastly, 
the  presence  of  his  glory  at  their  reception  into  his  glorious  king- 
dom.    Their  sorrow  was  to  be  short,  as  that  of  a  woman  in  travail, 
and  it  was  to  have  a  tendency  to  their  joy.     And  their  joy  was  to 
be  sure  and  near  ;  "  I  will  see  you  again  ;  "  and  great ;  "  your  heart 
shall  rejoice ; "  and  everlasting;  "  your  joy  no  man  taketh  from  you." 

The  sense  of  the  text  is  contained  in  these  six  doctrinal  prop 
ositions  : — 

Doct.  1.  Sorrow  goeth  before  joy  with  Christ's  disciples. 

Doct.  2.  Christ's  death  and  departure  was  the  cause  of  his  dis- 
ciples' sorrows. 

Doct.  3.  The  sorrows  of  Christ's  disciples  are  but  short.     It  is 
but  '  now.' 

Doct.  4.  Christ  will  again  visit  his  sorrowful  disciples,  though 
at  the  present  he  seem  to  be  taken  from  them. 

Doct.  5.  When  Christ   returneth  or  appeareth  to  his  disciples, 
their  sorrows  will  be  turned  into  joy. 


BAXTER  S  FAREWELL  SERMON. 

Doct.  6.  The  joy  of  Christians  in  the  return  or  re-appearing  of 
their  Lord  is  such  as  no  man  shall  take  from  them. 

Of  these,  by  God's  assistance,  I  shall  speak  in  order,  and  there- 
fore be  but  short  on  each. 

Doct.  I.  Sorrow  goeth  before  joy  with  Christ's  disciples. 

The  evening  and  the  morning  make  their  day.  They  must  sow 
in  tears  before  they  reap  in  joy.  They  must  have  trouble  in  the 
world,  and  peace  in  Christ.  God  will  first  dwell  in  the  contrite 
heart,  to  prepare  it  to  dwell  with  him  in  glory.  The  pains  of 
travail  must  go  before  the  joy  of  the  beloved  birth. 

Quest.   What  kind  of  sorrow  is  it  that  goeth  before  our  joy  ? 

Answ.  1.  There  is  a  sorrow  positively  sinful,  which  doth,  but 
should  not,  go  before  our  joy.  Though  this  be  not  meant  direct- 
ly in  the  text,  yet  it  is  too  constant  a  foregoer  of  our  comforts.  It 
is  not  the  joys  of  innocency  that  are  our  portion,  but  the  joys  of 
restoration  ;  and  the  pains  of  our  disease  go  before  the  ease  and  com- 
fort of  our  recovery.  We  have  our  worldly  sorrows,  and  our  pas- 
sionate and  peevish  sorrows,  like  Jonah's  for  the  withering  of  his 
gourd.  According  to  the  degree  of  our  remaining  corruption,  we 
have  our  sorrows,  which  must  be  sorrowed  for  again.  Sometimes 
we  are  troubled  at  the  providences  of  God,  and  sometimes  at  the 
dealings  of  men  ;  at  the  words  or  doings  of  enemies,  of  friends,  of 
all  about  us.  We  are  grieved  if  we  have  not  what  we  would  have  ; 
and  when  we  have  it,  it  becomes  our  greater  grief:  nothing  well 
pleaseth  us,  till  we  so  devote  ourselves  to  please  our  God,  as  to  be 
pleased  in  the  pleasing  of  him. 

2.  And  we   have  our  sorrows,  which  are   sinful  through  our 
weakness  and  imperfection,  when,  through   the  languishing  feeble- 
ness of  our  souls,  we  are  overmuch  troubled  at  that  which  we  may 
lawfully  sorrow  for  with  moderation  ;  when  impatience   causeth  us 
to  make  a  greater  matter  of  our  afflictions  than  we  ought.     If  God 
do  but  try  us  with  wants  or  crosses  ;  if  we  lose  our  friends,  or  if 
they  prove  unkind  ;  we  double  the  weight  of  the  cross  by  our  im- 
patience.    This  cometh  from  the  remnants  of  unmortified  selfish- 
ness, carnality,  and  overloving  earthly  things.     Were  they  less 
loved,  they  would  be   less  sorrowed  for.     If  we  had  seen  their 
vanity,  and   mortification  had  made  them  nothing  to  us,  we  should 
then  part  with  them  as  with  vanity  and  nothing.     It  is  seldom  that 
God  or  men  afflict  us,  but  we  therefore  afflict  ourselves  much  more. 
As  the  destruction  of  the  wicked,  so  the  troubles  of  the  godly  is 
chiefly  of  themselves. 

3.  There  is  a  mere  natural  suffering  or  sorrow,  which  is  neither 
morally  good  or  bad.     As  to  be  weary  with  our  labor  ;  to  be  pain- 
ed with  our  diseases  ;  to  be  sensible  of  hunger  and  thirst,  of  cold 


BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON.  503 

and  heat ;  to  be  averse  to  death  as  death,  as  Christ  himself  was ; 
and  at  last  to  undergo  it,  and  lie  down  in  the  dust.  There  are 
many  sorrows  which  are  the  fruits  of  sin,  which  yet,  in  themselves, 
are  neither  sin  nor  duty. 

4.  There  are  castigatory  sorrows  from  the  hand  of  God,  which 
have  a  tendency  to  our  cure,  if  we  use  them  according  to  his  ap- 
pointment.    Such  are  all  the  fbresaid  natural  sufferings,  consider- 
ed as  God's  means  and  instruments  of  our  benefit.     He  woundeth 
the  body  to  heal  the  soul :   he  lanceth  the  sore,  to  let  out  the  cor- 
ruption :  he  letteth  us  blood  to  cure  our  inflammations  and  aposte- 
mated  parts.     He  chasteneth   all  that  he  loveth  and  receiveth  ; 
(Heb.  xii.  1 — '14.)  and  we  must  be  subject  to  a  chastening  Father, 
if  we  will  live  ;  for  he  doth  it  for  our  profit,  "  that  we  may  be  par- 
takers of  his  holiness." 

5.  There  are  honorable  and  gainful  sufferings,  from  blind,  malici- 
ous, wicked  men,  for  the  cause  of  Christ  and  righteousness,  such 
as  the  gospel  frequently  warneth  believers  to  expect.     These  are 
the  sorrows  that  have  the  promises  of  fullest  joy,  not  that  the  mere 
suffering  in  itself  is  acceptable  to  God  ;  but  the  love  which  is  mani- 
fested by  suffering  for  him,  is  that  which  he  cannot  but  accept ;  so 
that  the  same  measure  of  sufferings  are  more  or  less  acceptable,  as 
there  is  more  or  less  love  to  God  expressed  by  them,  and   as  the 
honor  of  Christ  is  more  or  less  intended  in  them.     For  to  give  the 
body  to  be  burned  without  love,  will  profit  us  nothing.     But  when 
the  cause  is  Christ's,  and  the  heart  intendeth  him  as  the  end  of 
the  suffering,  (1  Cor.  xiii.  3.)  then  "  blessed  are  they  which  are 
persecuted   for  righteousness'  sake,  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,"  &tc.  Matt.  v.  10 — 12. 

6.  There  are  penitential  and  medicinal  sufferings,  for  the  killing 
of  sin,  and  helping  on  the  work  of  grace,  which  are  made  our  duty. 
In  the  former  we  are  to  be  but  submissive  patients,  but  in  these  we 
must  be  obedient  agents,   and    must  inflict  them  on    ourselves. 
Such  are  the  sorrows  of  contrition  and  true  repentance ;  the  exer- 
cises of  fasting,  abstinence,  and  humiliation  ;  the  grief  of  the  soul 
for  God's  displeasure,  for  the  hiding  of  his  face,  and  the  abatement 
of  his  graces  in  us ;  and  all  the  works  of  mortifying  self-denial,  and 
forbearing  all  forbidden  pleasures  which  God  doth  call  his  servants 
to,  though  in  the  primitive  and  principal  part  of  holiness  there  is 
nothing  but  what  is  sweet  and  pleasant  to  a  soul,  so  far  as  it  is  holy ; 
(as  the  love  of  God  and  the  love  of  others,  and  worshiping  God, 
and  doing  good,  and  joy,  and  thanks,  and  praise,  and  obedience, 
&.c.)     Yet  the  medicinal  parts  of  grace,  or  holiness,  have  some- 
thing necessarily  in  them  that  is  bitter,  even  to  nature  as  nature, 
and  not  only  as  corrupt,  such   as  are  contrition,  self-denial,  mor- 
tification, abstinence,  as  aforesaid. 


504          BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON. 

7.  There  are  charitable  sorrows  for  the  dishonor  of  God,  and  for 
the  sin,  hurt,  and  miseries  of  others.  These,  also,  are  our  duties, 
and  we  must  be  agents  in  them  as  well  as  patients.  As  we  must 
first  pray  for  the  hallowing  of  the  name  of  God,  and  the  coming  of 
his  kingdom,  and  the  doing  of  his  will  on  earth  as  it  is  done  in 
heaven,  so  we  must  most  grieve  for  the  abuse  and  dishonor  of 
God's  name,  the  hindering  of  his  kingdom,  and  the  breaking  of  his 
laws ;  that  so  many  nations  see  not  the  peril,  and  know  not  God, 
and  have  not  the  gospel,  or  will  not  receive  it,  but  live  in  rebellion 
against  their  Maker,  and  in  blindness,  obstinacy,  and  hardness  of 
heart,  and  are  given  up  to  commit  uncleanness  with  greediness  ; 
(JEph.  iv.  18,  19.)  that  so  many  nations  which  are  called  Chris- 
tians are  captivated  in  ignorance  and  superstition,  by  the  blind- 
ness, pride,  carnality,  and  covetousness  of  their  usurping,  self-ob- 
truding guides ;  that  so  many  men  professing  Christianity  have  so 
little  of  the  knowledge  or  power  of  what  they  generally  and  igno- 
rantly  profess,  and  live  to  the  shame  of  their  profession,  the  great 
dishonor  and  displeasure  of  their  Lord,  and  the  grief  or  hardening 
of  others  ;  that  the  church  of  Christ  is  brok'en  into  so  many  sects 
and  factions,  possessed  with  such  an  uncharitable,  destroying  zeal 
against  each  other,  and  persecuting  their  brethren  as  cruelly  as 
Turks  and  heathens  do ;  that  the  best  of  Christians  are  so  few, 
and  yet  so  weak  and  liable  to  miscarriages.  All  these  are  the 
matter  of  that  sorrow  which  God  hath  made  our  duty  ;  and  all  these 
sorts  of  sorrow  do  go  before  a  Christian's  fullest  joy. 

Reason  1.  God  will  have  some  conformity  between  the  order 
of  nature  and  of  grace.  Non-entity  was  before  created  entity  ;  the 
evening  before  morning  ;  infancy  before  maturity  of  age  ;  weakness 
before  strength  ;  the  buried  seed  before  the  plant,  the  flower,  and 
fruit ;  and  infants  cry  before  they  laugh ;  weakness  is  soon  hurt, 
and  very  querulous.  No  wonder,  then,  if  our  sorrows  go  before 
our  joys. 

2.  Sin  goeth  before  grace,  and  therefore  our  sorrows  are  before 
our  joys.     The  seed  is  first  fruitful  which  was  first  sown.     Joy, 
indeed,  hath  the  elder  parent,  in  esse  reali  et  absolute,  but  not  in 
esse  causali  et  relative.     We  are  the  children  of  the  first  Adam, 
before  we  are  children  of  the  second;  we  are  born  flesh  of  flesh, 
before  we  are  born  spiritual  of  the  Spirit ;  1  Cor.  xv.    John  iii.  6. 
And  where  Satan  goeth  before  Christ,  it  is  equal  that  sorrow  be 
before  joy. 

3.  Our  gracious  Father  and  wise  Physician  doth  see  that  this  is 
the  fittest  method  for  our  cure.     That  we  may  deny  ourselves,  we 
must  know  how  little  we  are  beholden  to  ourselves,  and  must  smart 
by  the  fruit  of  our  sin  and  folly  before  we  are  eased  by  the  fruit  of 
love  and  grace.     It  is  the  property  of  the  flesh  to  judge  by  sense, 


BAXTER'S  FAREWELL,  SERMON.          505 

and  therefore  sense  shall  help  to  mortify  it.  The  frowns  of  the  world 
shall  be  an  antidote  against  its  flatteries.  It  killeth  by  pleasing, 
and  therefore  it  may  help  our  cure  by  displeasing  us.  Loving  it 
is  men's  undoing ;  and  hurting  us  is  the  way  to  keep-  us  from  over- 
loving  it.  These  wholesome  sorrows  do  greatly  disable  our  most 
dangerous  temptations,  and  preserve  us  from  the  pernicious  poison 
of  prosperity.  They  rouse  us  up  when  we  are  lazy  and  ready  to 
sit  down  ;  they  awake  us  when  we  are  ready  to  fall  asleep ;  they 
drive  us  to  God  when  we  are  ready  to  forget  him,  and  dote  upon 
a  deceiver  ;  they  teach  us  part  of  the  meaning  of  the  gospel  ;  with- 
out them  we  know  not  well  what  "  a  Savior,"  a  "  promise,"  a 
"pardon,"  "grace,"  and  many  other  gospel  terms,  do  signify. 
They  teach  us  to  pray,  and  teach  us  to  hear  and  read  with  under- 
standing ;  they  tell  us  the  value  of  all  our  mercies,  and  teach  us 
the  use  of  all  the  means  of  grace.  They  are  needful  to  fix  our 
flashy,  light,  inconstant  minds,  which  are  apt  to  be  gazing  upon 
every  bait,  and  to  be  touching  or  tasting  the  forbidden  fruit ;  and 
to  be  taken  with  those  things  which  we  had  lately  cast  behind  our 
backs,  till  medicinal  sorrow  doth  awake  our  reason,  and  make  us 
see  the  folly  of  our  dreams.  Yea,  if  sorrow  check  us  not,  and 
make  us  wise,  we  are  ready  to  lay  by  our  grace  and  wit,  and  to 
follow  any  goblin  in  the  dark,  and,  like  men  bewitched,  to  be  de- 
ceived by  we  know  not  what,  and  to  go  on  as  a  bird  to  the  fowler's 
snare,  as  an  ox  to  the  slaughter,  and  as  a  fool  to  the  correction  of 
the  stocks ;  Prov.  vii.  22,  23. 

4.  Moreover;  precedent  sorrows  will  raise  the  price  of  following 
joys.     They  will  make  us  more  desirous  of  the  day  of  our  deliver- 
ance, and  will  make  it  the  welcomer  to  us  when  it  comes.     Heav- 
en will  be  seasonable  after  a   life  of  so  much  trouble ;  and  they 
that  come  out  of  great  tribulation,  will  joyfully  sing  the  praises  of 
their  Redeemer ;  Rev.  vii.  14. 

5.  And  God  will  have  the  members  conformed  to  their  Head  : 
(Luke  xiv.  28,  33.)  this   was   Christ's  method,  and  it  must  be 
ours;  (Rom.  viii.  17,  18.)  we  must  take  up  the  cross,  ajid  follow 
him,  if  ever  we  will  have  the  crown;  and  we  must  suffer  with  him 
if  \ve   will  be  glorified  with  him;  (2  Tim.  ii.  12.)     Though  the 
will  of  God  be  the  reason  which  alone  should  satisfy  his  creatures, 
yet  these  reasons  show  you  the  equity  and  goodness  of  his  ways. 

Use  1.  If  sorrow  before  joy  be  God's  ordinary  method  of  deal- 
ing with  his  most  beloved  servants,  learn  hence  to  understand  the 
importance  of  your  sorrows.  You  say  as  Baruch,  "  Woe  is  me 
now  ;  for  the  Lord  hath  added  grief  to  my  sorrow.  I  fainted  in  my 
sighing,  and  I  find  no  rest ; "  Jer.  xlv.  3.  You  are  ingenious  in  re- 
counting and  aggravating  your  afflictions.  But  are  you  as  ingeni- 
ous in  expounding  them  aright  ?  do  you  not  judge  of  them  rather 
VOL,,  ii.  64 


•  t 


506          BAXTER'S  FAREWELL,  SERMON. 

by  your  present  sense,  than  by  their  use  and  tendency  ?  You  u  ill 
not  do  so  by  the  bitterness  of  a  medicine,  or  the  working  of  a  purge 
or  vomit.  You  will  like  it  best  when  it  worketh  in  that  way  as 
usually  it  doth  with  them  that  it  cureth.  And  should  you  not  be 
glad  to  find  that  God  taketh  that  way  with  you,  which  he  most 
usually  takes  with  those  that  he  saveth.  Sure  you  do  not  set  light 
by  the  love  of  God.  Why  then  do  you  complain  so  much  against 
the  signs  and  products  of  it  ?  Is  it  not  because  you  have  yet  much 
unbelief,  and  judge  of  God's  love  as  the  flesh  directethyou,  instead 
of  judging  by  the  effects  and  prognostics  which  he  himself  hath 
bid  you  judge  by  ?  We  will  grant  to  the  flesh,  that  no  chastise- 
ment for  the  present  seemeth  joyous,  but  grievous  ;  if  you  will  be- 
lieve the  Spirit  that,  nevertheless,  afterward  it  yieldeth  the  peace- 
able fruit  of  righteousness  to  them  that  are  exercised  thereby ;  and 
that  "  whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chasteneth,  and  scourgeth  every 
son  whom  he  receiveth  ;"  Heb.  xii.  6,  11.  Misunderstand  not, 
then,  the  prognostics  of  your  present  sorrows.  Think  how  they 
will  work  as  well  as  how  they  taste.  They  bode  good,  though 
they  are  unpleasant.  If  you  were  bastards  and  reprobates,  you 
might  feel  less  of  the  rod.  When  the  ploughers  make  furrows  on 
you,  it  prepareth  you  for  the  seed  ;  and  the  showers  that  water  it 
prognosticate  a  plenteous  harvest.  Think  it  not  strange  if  he  thresh 
and  grind  you,  if  you  would  be  bread  for  your  Master's  use.  He 
is  not  drowning  his  sheep  when  he  washeth  them,  nor  killing  them 
when  he  is  shearing  them.  But  by  this  he  showeth  that  they  are 
his  own  :  and  the  new-shorn  sheep  do  most  visibly  bear  his  name 
or  mark,  when  it  is  almost  worn  out,  and  scarce  discernible,  on 
them  that  have  the  longest  fleece.  If  you  love  the  world  and 
prosperity  best,  rejoice  most  in  it,  and  grieve  most  for  the  want  of 
it.  But  if  you  love  God  best,  and  take  him  for  your  part  and 
treasure,  rejoice  in  him,  and  in  that  condition  which  hath  the  full- 
est significations  of  his  love,  and  grieve  most  for  his  displeasure, 
and  for  that  condition  which  either  signifieth  it,  or  most  enticeth 
you  to  displease  him  ;  2  Cor.  iv.  18.  Matt.  vi.  20,  21.  If  things 
present  be  your  portion,  then  seek  them  first,  and  rejoice  in  them, 
and  mourn  when  they  are  taken  from  you ;  Col.  iii.  1 — 4.  But  if 
really  your  portion  be  above  with  Christ,  let  your  hearts  be  there ; 
and  let  your  joys,  and  sorrows,  and  endeavors  signify  it.  The 
sense  of  brutes  doth  judge  of  pain  and  pleasure  only  by  their  pres- 
ent feeling ;  but  the  reason  of  a  man,  and  the  faith  of  a  Christian, 
do  estimate  them  according  to  their  signification  and  importance. 
I  know  that  it  is  in  vain  to  think  by  reason  to  reconcile  the  flesh 
and  sense  unto  its  sufferings  :  but  if  I  may  speak  to  you  as  to  men, 
much  more  if  as  to  Christians,  and  reason  with  your  reasonable 
part,  I  shall  not  at  all  despair  of  the  success. 


BAXTER'S  FARKWELL,  SERMON.  507 

Quest.  I.  Tell  me,  then,  who  it  is  that  you  suffer  by;  that  hath 
the  principal  disposing  hand  in  all  ?  Is  it  one  that  you  can  rea- 
sonably suspect  of  any  want  of  power,  wisdom,  or  goodness  ?  Is 
he  not  much  fitter  to  dispose  of  you  than  you  or  any  mortals  are? 
If  the  physician  be  better  than  the  patient,  to  determine  how  he 
shall  be  ordered,  and  if  you  are  fitter  than  your  infant  child,  and  if 
you  are  fitter  than  your  beast,  to  determine  of  his  pasture,  work, 
and  usage,  sure,  then,  you  will  grant,  that  God  is  much  more  fit  than 
we.  And  if  he  would  give  you  your  choice  and  say,  '  It  shall  go 
with  thee,  all  thy  days,  for  prosperity  or  adversity,  life  or  death,  as 
thou  wilt  thyself,  or  as  thy  dearest  friend  will ; '  you  should  say, 
'Nay,  Lord,  but  let  it  bo  as  thou  wilt ;  for  I  and  my  friend  are  fool- 
ish and  partial,  and  know  not  what  is  best  for  ourselves.  Not  our 
wills,  but  thy  will  be  done.' 

Quest.  2.  Do  you  not  see  that  carnal  pleasure  is  far  more  dan- 
gerous than  all  your  sorrows  ?  Look  on  the  ungodly  that  prosper 
in  the  world,  and  tell  me  whether  you  would  be  in  their  condition. 
If  not,  why  do  you  long  for  their  temptations ;  and  to  live  in  that 
air  whose  corruption  causeth  such  epidemical  mortalities  ?  If  you 
would  not,  with  the  rich  man,  (Luke  xvi.)  be  damned  for  sensuali- 
ty, nor  with  the  fool,  (Luke  xii.  19,  20.)  say,  Soul,  take  thy  ease, 
&c.  when  your  souls  are  presently  to  be  taken  from  you ;  or  with 
him,  (Luke  xviii.  22,  23.)  go  away  sorrowful  from  Christ ;  desire 
not  the  temptations  which  brought  them  to  it.  If  you  would  not 
oppress  the  people  of  God  with  Pharaoh,  nor  persecute  the  proph- 
ets with  Ahab  and  Jezebel,  nor  resist  the  gospel,  and  persecute 
the  preachers  of  it,  with  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  ;  (2  Thess.  xiv. 
15,  16.)  desire  not  the  temptations  which  led  them  to  all  this. 

Quest.  3.  Would  not  you  follow  your  Savior,  and  rather  be 
conformed  to  him  and  to  his  saints,  than  to  the  wicked  that  have 
their  portion  in  this  life  ?  I  doubt  you  do  not  well  study  the  life 
and  sufferings  of  Christ,  and  the  reason  of  them,  when  you  find 
yourselves  so  little  concerned  in  them,  and  so  desirous  of  another 
way.  And  would  you  not  go  to  heaven  in  the  common  way  that 
the  saints  of  old  have  gone  before  you  in  ?  Read  the  Scripture 
and  all  church  history,  and  observe  which  is  the  beaten  path  of 
life ;  and  whether  even  among  believers,  and  the  pastors  of  the 
church,  it  was  the  persecuted  or  the  prosperous  that  most  honored 
their  profession,  and  which  of  them  it  was  that  corrupted  the  church 
with  pride  and  domination,  and  kindled  in  it  those  flames  of  conten- 
tion which  are  consuming  it  to  this  day ;  and  sowed  those  seeds  of 
divisions  whose  sour  fruit  have  set  their  children's  teeth  on  edge. 
Mark  whether  it  was  the  suffering  or  the  prospering  part  that  hath 
had  the  greatest  hand  in  her  after-sufferings. 

Quest.  4.  What  saith  your  own  experience,  and  how  hath  God 


508          BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON. 

dealt  with  you  in  the  time  that  is  past  ?  Hath  not  your  suffering 
done  you  good  ?  If  it  have  not,  you  may  thank  yourselves ;  for  1 
am  sure  God's  rod  hath  a  healing  virtue,  and  others  have  received 
a  cure  by  it.  How  much  is  mankind  beholden  to  the  cross ! 
When  David  went  weeping  up  mount  Olivet,  he  was  in  a  safer 
case  than  when  he  was  gazing  on  Bathsheba  from  his  battlements. 
And  when  Christ  was  sweating  blood  upon  mount  Olivet,  (Luke 
xxii.  44.)  it  was  a  sign  that  man's  redemption  was  in  hand  ;  and 
when  he  was  bleeding  on  the  cross,  and  drinking  vinegar  and  gall, 
it  was  almost  finished.  And  if  the  cross  hath  borne  such  happy 
fruit,  what  reason  have  we  to  be  so  much  against  it  ?  If  it  have 
proved  good  for  you  that  you  were  afflicted,  and  no  part  of  your  lives 
have  been  more  fruitful,  why  should  your  desires  so  much  contra- 
dict your  own  experience  ?  If  bitter  things  have  proved  the  most 
wholesome,  and  a  full  and  luscious  diet  hath  caused  your  disease, 
what  need  you  more  to  direct  your  judgment,  if  you  will  judge  as 
men,  and  not  as  brutes? 

Obj.  But  (you  will  say)  it  is  not  all  sorrow  that  foretelleth  joy : 
some  pass  from  sorrow  unto  greater  sorrow.  How,  then,  shall  we 
know  whether  our  sorrows  tend  to  worse  or  unto  better  ? 

Answ.  It  is  true  that  there  are  sorrows  which  have  no  such  prom- 
ise as  these  have  in  the  text.  As,  1.  The  mere  vindictive  pun- 
ishment of  the  wicked.  2.  The  sinful  sorrows  which  men  keep 
up  in  themselves,  proceeding  from  their  sinful  love  of  creatures. 
3.  And  the  corrections  which  are  not  improved  by  us  to  our 
amendment  and  reformation. 

But  the  promise  belongeth,  1.  To  those  sorrows  which  in  sin- 
cerity we  undergo  for  the  sake  of  Christ  and  righteousness.  2.  To 
those  sorrows  which  we  ourselves  perform  as  duties,  either  for  the 
dishonor  of  God,  or  the  sins  or  miseries  of  others  ;  or  our  peniten- 
tial sorrows  for  our  own  offenses.  3.  And  to  those  sorrows  of 
chastisement  which  we  patiently  submit  to,  and  improve  to  a  true 
amendment  of  our  hearts  and  lives.  For  though  sin  be  the  mate- 
rial cause,  or  the  meritorious  cause,  yet  love,  which  maketh  ref- 
ormation the  effect,  will  also  make  the  end  to  be  our  comfort. 

Use  2.  If  this  be  God's  method,  condemn  not,  then,  the  genera- 
tion of  the  just,  because  you  see  them  undermost  in  the  world,  and 
suffer  more  than  other  men.  Think  it  not  a  dishonor  to  them  to 
be  in  poverty,  prisons,  banishment,  or  reproach,  unless  it  be  for  a 
truly  dishonorable  cause.  Call  not  men  miserable,  for  that  which 
God  maketh  the  token  of  his  love,  and  the  prognostic  of  their  joy. 
Methinks  he  that  hath  once  read  the  Psalms  xxxvii.  and  Ixxiii.  ; 
and  Matt.  v.  10 — 12  ;  and  Job  xiii.  and  xv. ;  and  2  Thess.  i.,and 
well  believeth  them,  should  never  err  this  old  condemned  error  any 
more.  And  yet  it  is  common,  among  carnal  men,  to  do  as  some 


BAXTER'S  FAREWEM.  SERMON.  509 


ists  do ;  when  one  of  their  fellows  is  wounded,  they  all  forsake 
him  :  so  these  stand  looking  with  pity,  or  fear,  or  strangeness  upon 
a  man  that  is  under  sufferings  and  slanders,  as  if  it  must  needs  bo 
a  deserved  thing  ;  and  think  it  a  great  dishonor  to  a  man,  how  in- 
nocent soever,  when  they  hear  that  he  is  used  as  offenders  and  mal- 
efactors are  ;  forgetting  how  by  this  they  condemn  their  Savior,  and 
all  his  apostles  and  martyrs,  and  the  wisest,  best,  and  happiest  men 
that  the  earth  hath  borne.  And  all  this  is  but  the  blind  and  hasty 
judgment  of  sense  and  unbelief,  which  hath  neither  the  wit  to  judge 
oy  the  word  of  God,  nor  yet  the  patience  to  stay  the  end,  and  see 
how  the  sorrows  of  the  godly  will  conclude,  and  where  the  triumph 
of  the  hypocrite  will  leave  them. 

And  yet  some  there  be  that  are  apt  to  err  on  the  other  extreme, 
and  to  think  that  every  man  is  happy  that  is  afflicted,  and  that 
such  have  all  their  sorrow  in  this  life  ;  and  that  the  suffering  party 
is  always  in  the  right,  and  therefore  they  are  ready  to  fall  in 
with  any  deluded  sect,  which  they  see  to  be  under  reproach  and 
suffering.  But  the  cause  must  be  first  known,  before  the  suffering 
can  be  wrell  judged  of. 

Doct.  II.  Christ's  death  and  departure  was  the  cause  of  his  dis- 
ciples' sorrows. 

This  is  plain  in  the  words  "  Ye  now  therefore  have  sorrow  ;  but 
I  will  see  you  again."  And  the  causes  of  this  sorrow  were  these 
three  conjunct :  1.  That  their  dear  Lord,  whom  they  loved,  and 
whom  they  had  heard,  and  followed,  and  put  their  trust  in,  must 
now  be  taken  from  them.  If  the  parting  of  friends  at  death  do  turn 
our  garments  into  the  signs  of  our  sad  and  mournful  hearts,  and  cause 
us  to  dwell  in  the  houses  of  mourning,  we  must  allow  Christ's  dis- 
ciples some  such  affections,  upon  their  parting  with  their  Lord. 

2.  And  the  manner  of  his  death,  no  doubt,  did  much  increase 
their  sorrows.  That  the  most  innocent  should  suffer  as  a  reputed 
malefactor,  that  he  that  more  contemned  the  wealth,  and  pleasures, 
and  glory  of  the  world,  than  ever  man  did,  and  chose  a  poor,  infe- 
rior life,  and  would  not  have  a  kingdom  of  this  world,  and  never 
failed  in  any  duty  to  high  or  low,  should  yet  be  hanged  ignomini- 
ously  on  a  cross,  as  one  that  was  about  to  usurp  the  crown  ! 
That  deluded  sinners  should  put  to  death  the  Lord  of  life,  and  spit 
in  the  face  of  such  a  majesty,  and  hasten  destruction  to  their  nation 
and  themselves  ;  and  that  all  Christ's- disciples  must  thus  be  esteem- 
ed the  followers  of  a  crucified  usurper, — judge,  if  we  had  been  in 
their  case  ourselves,  whether  this  would  have  been  matter  of  sor- 
row to  us  or  not.  Had  it  not  been  enough  for  Christ  to  have  suf- 
fered the  pain,  but  he  must  also  suffer  the  dishonor,  even  the  im- 
putation of  sin,  which  no  man  wras  so  far  from  being  guilty  of?  and 


510         BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON. 

of  that  particular  sin,  usurpation  of  dominion,  and  treason  against 
Caesar,  which  his  heart  and  life  were  as  contrary  to  as  light  to 
darkness  ?  And  was  it  not  enough  for  Christians  to  suffer  so 
great  calamities  of  bodies  for  righteousness'  sake,  but  they  must 
also  suffer  the  reproach  of  being  the  seditious  followers  of  a  cruci- 
fied malefactor  whom  they  would  have  made  a  king?  No  !  our 
Lord  would  stoop  to  the  lowest  condition  for  our  sakes,  which  was 
consistent  with  his  innocency  and  perfection  !  Sin  is  so  much 
worse  than  suffering,  that  we  may  take  this  for  the  greatest  part 
of  his  condescension,  and  strangest  expression  of  his  love,  that  he 
should  take  not  only  the  nature  and  the  sufferings  of  a  man,  but  also 
the  nature  and  the  imputation  of  sinners.  Though  sin  itself  was 
inconsistent  with  his  perfection,  yet  so  was  not  the  false  accusation 
and  imputation  of  it :  he  could  not  become  a  sinner  for  us  ;  but  he 
could  be  reputed  a  sinner  for  us,  and  die  as  such.  And  when  our 
Lord  hath  submitted  to  this  most  ignominious  kind  of  suffering,  it 
is  not  fit  that  we  should  be  the  choosers  of  our  sufferings,  and  say, 
Lord,  we  will  suffer  any  thing  except  the  reputation  of  being  of- 
fenders, and  the  false  accusations  of  malicious  men  !  If  in  this  we 
must  be  made  conformable  to  our  Head,  we  must  not  refuse  it,  nor 
repine  at  his  disposal  of  us. 

3.  And  their  sorrow  for  Christ's  departure  was  the  greater,  be- 
cause they  had  so  little  foresight  of  his  resurrection  and  return. 
It  is  strange  to  see  how  dark  they  were  in  these  articles  of  the 
faith,  for  all  their  Jong  converse  with  Christ,  and  his  plain  foretell- 
ing them  his  death  and  resurrection  ;  and  how  much  of  their  teach- 
ing Christ  reserved  to  the  Spirit  after  his  departure  from  them. 
"  Then  took  he  unto  him  the  twelve,  and  said  unto  them,  Behold, 
we  go  up  to  Jerusalem ;  and  all  things  that  are  written  by  the  proph- 
ets concerning  the  Son  of  man  shall  be  accomplished  ;  for  he  shall 
be  delivered  unto  the  Gentiles,  and  shall  be  mocked,  and  spitefully 
entreated,  and  spit  upon,  and  they  shall  scourge  him  and  put  him 
to  death,  and  the  third  day  he  shall  rise  again  ;"  John  xii.  16. 
Luke  xviii.  31 — 34.  And  they  understood  none  of  these  things, 
and  this  saying  was  hid  from  them,  neither  knew  they  the  things 
which  were  spoken.  Had  they  known  all  that  would  follow,  and 
clearly  foreseen  his  resurrection  and  his  glory,  they  would  then 
have  been  troubled  the  less  for  his  death ;  but  when  they  saw  him 
die,  and  foresaw  him  not  revive,  and  rise,  and  reign,  then  did  their 
hearts  begin  to  fail  them,  and  they  said,  "  We  trusted  that  it  had 
been  he  which  should  have  redeemed  Israel;"  Luke  xxiv.  21. 
Even  as  we  use  to  lament  immoderately,  when  we  lay  the  bodies 
of  our  friends  in  the  grave,  because  we  see  not  whither  the  soul  is 
gone,  nor  in  what  triumph  and  joy  it  is  received  unto  Christ ;  which 


BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMOV.  511 

if  we  saw,  it  would  moderate  our  griefs.  And  even  so  we  over- 
pity  ourselves  and  our  friends  in  our  temporal  sufferings,  because 
we  see  not  whither  they  tend  and  what  will  follow  them.  We  see 
Job  on  the  dunghill,  but  look  not  so  far  as  his  restoration.  "Be- 
hold we  count  them  happy  which  endure :  ye  have  heard  of  the 
patience  of  Job,  and  have  seen  the  end  of  the  Lord,  that  the  Lord 
is  very  pitiful  and  of  tender  mercy;"  Jam.  v.  11.  There  is  no 
judging  by  the  present,  but  either  by  staying  [for]  the  end,  or  be- 
lieving God's  predictions  of  it. 

Use.  It  is  allowable  in  Christ's  disciples  to  grieve  (in  faith  and 
moderately)  for  any  departure  of  his  from  them :  they  that  have 
had  the  comfort  of  communion  with  him  in  a  life  of  faith  and  grace, 
must  needs  lament  any  loss  of  that  communion  :  it  is  sad  with  such  a 
soul,  when  Christ  seemeth  strange,  or  when  they  pray  and  seek,  and 
seem  not  to  be  heard.  It  is  sad  with  a  believer,  when  he  must  say, 
'  I  had  once  access  to  the  Father  by  the  Son ;  I  had  helps  in  prayer, 
and  I  had  the  lively  operations  of  the  Spirit  of  grace,  and  some  of 
the  joy  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  but  now,  alas !  it  is  not  so.'  And  they 
that  have  had  experience  of  the  fruit  and  comfort  of  his  word,  and 
ordinances,  and  discipline,  and  the  communion  of  saints,  may  be 
allowed  to  lament  the  loss  of  this,  if  he  take  it  from  them.  It  was 
no  unseemly  thing  in  David,  when  he  was  driven  from  the  tabernacle 
of  God,  to  make  that  lamentation,  "  As  the  hart  panteth  after  the 
water-brooks,  so  panteth  my  soul  after  thee,  O  God ;  my  soul 
thirsteth  for  God,  for  the  living  God  ;  when  shall  I  come  and  ap- 
pear before  God  ?  My  tears  have  been  my  meat  day  and  night, 
while  they  continually  say  unto  me,  Where  is  thy  God  ?  O  my 
God,  my  soul  is  cast  down  within  me,"  &;c. ;  Psalm  xlii.  and  xliii. 
And,  "  My  soul  longeth,  yea,  even  fainteth  for  the  courts  of  the 
Lord  ;  my  heart  and  my  flesh  crieth  out  for  the  living  God ;  yea, 
the  sparrow  hath  found  a  house,  and  the  swallow  a  nest,"  &,c. 
"  Blessed  are  they  that  dwell  in  thy  house  ;  they  will  be  still  prais- 
ing thee.  For  a  day  in  thy  courts  is  better  than  a  thousand ;  I 
had  rather  be  a  door-keeper  in  the  house  of  my  God,  than  to  dwell 
in  the  tents  of  wickedness  ; "  Psalm  Ixxxiv.  2 — 4.  It  signifieth  ill 
when  men  can  easily  let  Christ  go,  or  lose  his  word,  or  helps,  and 
ordinances.  When  sin  provoketh  him  to  hide  his  face,  and  with- 
draw his  mercies,  if  we  can  senselessly  let  them  go,  it  is  a  con- 
tempt which  provoketh  him  much  more.  If  we  are  indifferent 
what  he  giveth  us,  it  is  just  with  him  to  be  indifferent  too,  and  to 
set  as  little  by  our  helps  and  happiness  as  we  set  by  them  our- 
selves. But  we  little  know  the  misery  which  such  contempt  pre- 
pareth  for  :  "  Be  thou  instructed,  O  Jerusalem,  lest  my  soul  depart 
from  thee,  lest  I  make  thee  desolate;  a  land  not  inhabited  ;"  Jer. 
vi.  8.  "  Yea,  woe  also  unto  them  when  I  depart  from  them;" 


512  BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON. 

Hos.  ix.  12.  When  God  gbeth,  all  goeth  ;  grace  and  peace,  help 
and  hope,  and  all  that  is  good  and  comfortable,  is  gone  when  God 
is  gone.  Wonder  not,  therefore,  if  holy  souls  cry  after  God,  and 
fear  the  loss  of  his  grace  and  ordinances ;  and  if  they  lament  the 
loss  of  that  which  dead-hearted  sensualists  are  weary  of,  (Luke 
viii.  47.)  and  would  drive  away  :  it  will  be  the  damning  sentence, 
(Matt.  xxv.  41.)  "  Depart  from  me,  all  ye  workers  of  iniquity  ;" 
Matt.  vii.  23.  And,  therefore,  all  that  is  but  like  it,  is  terrible  to 
them  that  have  any  regard  of  God,  or  their  salvation ;  Luke 
xiii.  27. 

Doct.  III.  The  sorrows  of  Christ's  disciples  are  but  short.  It 
is  but  now  that  they  have  sorrow  ;  and  how  quickly  will  this  now 
be  gone  ! 

Reas.  1.  Life  itself  is  but  short,  and,  therefore,  the  sorrows  of 
this  life  are  but  short.  Man  that  is  born  of  a  woman  is  of  few  days, 
and  full  of  trouble  ;  he  cometh  forth  like  a  flower,  and  is  cut  down  ; 
he  fleeth  also  as  a  shadow,  and  continueth  not;  Job  xiv.  1,2. 
Though  our  days  are  evil,  they  are  but  few  ;  Gen.  xlvii.  9.  As 
our  time  maketh  haste,  and  posteth  away,  so  also  do  our  sorrows, 
which  will  attain  their  period  together  with  our  lives.  As  the 
pleasure  of  sin,  so  the  sufferings  of  the  godly,  are  but  for  a  season; 
Heb.  xi.  26.  "  Now,  for  a  season,  if  need  be,  ye  are  in  heaviness 
through  manifold  temptations  ;  "  1  Pet.  i.  6.  The  pleasures  and  the 
pains  of  so  short  a  life  are  but  like  a  pleasant  or  a  frightful  dream  : 
how  quickly  shall  we  awake,  and  all  is  vanished  !  If  we  lived  as 
long  as  they  did  before  the  flood,  then  worldly  interest,  prosperity, 
and  adversity,  would  be  of  greater  signification  to  us,  and  yet  they 
should  seem  nothing  in  comparison  of  eternity ;  for  where  now  are 
all  the  fleshly  pains  or  pleasures  of  Adam  or  Methuselah  ?  Much 
more  are  they  inconsiderable  in  so  short  a  life  as  one  of  ours. 
Happy  is  the  man  whose  sorrows  are  of  no  longer  continuance  than 
this  short  and  transitory  life  ! 

Reas.  2.  God's  displeasure  with  his  servants  is  but  short,  and, 
therefore,  his  corrections  are  but  short ;  Psalm  xxx.  5.  "  His 
anger  endureth  but  for  a  moment,  but  in  his  favor  is  life  ; "  Isa.  liv. 
7,  8.  "  For  a  small  moment  have  I  forsaken  thee,  but  with  great 
mercy  will  I  gather  thee.  In  a  little  wrath  I  hid  my  face  from  thee 
for  a  moment ;  but  with  everlasting  kindness  will  I  have  mercy  on 
thee,  saith  the  Lord  thy  Redeemer ;"  Isa.  xxvi.  20.  "  Come,  my 
people,  enter  into  thy  chambers,  and  shut  thy  doors  about  thee  ; 
hide  thyself  as  it  were  for  a  little  moment,  until  the  indignation  be 
overpast."  Thus  even  in  judgment  doth  he  remember  mercy, 
and  consumeth  us  not,  because  his  compassions  fail  not ;  Lam.  iii. 
"  He  will  not  always  chide,  nor  will  he  keep  his  anger  forever ; 
for  he  knoweth  our  frame,  he  remembereth  that  we  are  dust;" 


BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON.  513 

Psalm  ciii.  9.  14.     His  short  corrections  are  purposely  fitted   to 
prepare  us  for  endless  consolations. 

Reas.  3.  Our  trial  also  must  be  but  short,  and,  therefore,  so 
must  be  our  sorrows.  Though  God  will  not  have  us  receive  the 
crown,  without  the  preparation  of  a  conflict  and  a  conquest,  yet  will 
he  not  have  our  fight  and  race  too  long,  lest  it  overmatch  our 
strength,  and  his  grace,  and  we  should  be  overcome.  Though  our 
faith  and  we  must  be  tried  in  the  fire,  yet  God  will  see  that  the 
furnace  be  not  over  hot,  and  that  we  stay  no  longer,  but  till  our 
dross  be  separated  from  us  ;  1  Pet.  i.  6,7.  9.  God  putteth  us  not 
into  the  fire  to  consume  us,  but  to  refine  us,  (Psalm  cxix.  67.  75.) 
that  when  we  come  out  we  may  say,  (Psalm  cxxix.  1 — 3.)  "  It  is 
good  for  us  that  we  were  afflicted,"  (Psalm  cxix.  71  ;  Isaiah  xlix. 
13.)  and  then  he  will  save  the  afflicted  people  ;  Psalm  xviii.  27. 

Reaa.  4.  The  power  of  those  that  afflict  God's  servants  wrong- 
fully is  but  short ;  and,  therefore,  the  sorrows  of  such  affliction  can 
be  but  short ;  though  it  be  foreign  churches  of  whom  I  speak,  I 
hope  it  is  to  such  as  take  their  case  to  be  to  them  as  their  own  : 
while  they  are  breathing  out  threatenings,  they  are  ready  to  breathe 
out  their  guilty  souls.  If  a  man  in  a  dropsy  or  consumption  per- 
secute us,  we  would  not  be  over  fearful  of  him,  because  we  see  he 
is  a  dying  man.  And  so  little  is  the  distance  between  the  death  of 
one  man  and  another,  that  we  may  well  say,  '  All  men's  lives  are 
in  a  consumption,  and  may  bear  their  indignation,  as  we  would  do 
the  injuries  of  a  dying  man.  How  short  is  the  day  of  the  power 
of  darkness  !  Christ  calleth  it  but  an  hour  ;  "  This  is  your  hour, 
and  the  power  of  darkness  ;"  Luke  xxii.  53.  How  quickly  was 
Herod  eaten  of  worms,  and  many  another  cut  off  in  the  height  of 
their  prosperity,  when  they  have  been  raging  in  the  heat  of  perse- 
cution. Little  thought  Abab  that  he  had  been  so  near  his  woful 
day,  when  he  had  given  order  that  Micaiah  should  be  fed  with  the 
bread  and  water  of  affliction,  till  he  returned  in  peace.  What 
persecutions  have  the  death  of  a  Licinius,  a  Julian,  a  Queen  Mary, 
&c.,  shortened!  While  they  are  raging,  they  are  dying;  while 
they  are  condemning  the  just,  they  are  going  to  be  condemned  by 
their  most  just  avenger.  How  quickly  will  their  corpse  be  laid  in 
dust,  and  their  condemned  souls  be  put  under  the  chains  of  dark- 
ness, till  the  judgment  of  the  great  and  dreadful  day  !  2  Pet. 
xxiv.  He  is  not  only  an  unbeliever,  but  irrational  or  inconsiderate, 
that  cannot  see  their  end  (Jude  6.)  in  the  greatest  of  their  glory. 
How  easy  is  it  to  see  these  bubbles  vanishing,  and  to  foresee  the 
sad  and  speedy  period  of  all  their  cruelties  and  triumphs!  "  Know- 
est  thou  not  this  of  old,  since  man  was  placed  upon  earth,  that  the 
triumphing  of  the  wicked  is  short,  and  the  joy  of  the  hypocrite  but 
for  a  moment  ?  Though  his  excellency  mount  up  to  the  heavens, 
VOL.  ii.  65 


514  BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON. 

and  his  head  reach  unto  the  clouds,  yet  he  shall  perish  forever  like 
his  own  dung.  They  which  have  seen  him  shall  say,  Where  is 
he  ?  He  shall  fly  away  as  a  dream,  and  shall  not  be  found ;  yea, 
he  shall  be  chased  away  as  a  vision  of  the  night.  The  eye  also 
which  saw*  him  shall  see  him  no  more,  neither  shall  his  place  be- 
hold him;"  Job  xx.  4 — 9.  Though  pride  do  compass  them  about 
as  a  chain,  and  violence  cover  them  as  a  garment,  and  they  are 
corrupt,  and  speak  oppression,  or  calumny,  wickedly,  they  speak 
loftily,  or  from  on  high.  Though  they  set  their  mouth  against  the 
heavens,  and  their  tongue  walketh  through  the  earth,  yet  surely 
they  are  set  in  slippery  places.  God  doth  cast  them  down  into 
destruction.  How  are  they  brought  into  desolation  as  in  a  mo- 
ment? They  are  utterly  consumed  with  terrors;  as  a  dream* 
from  one  that  avvaketh,  so,  O  Lord,  in  awaking,  (or  raising  up, 
that  is,  saith  the  Chaldee  paraphrase,  in  thy  day  of  judging,  or  as 
all  the  other  translations,  in  civitate  tua,  in  thy  kingdom  or  govern- 
ment,) thou  shalt  despise  their  image,  that  is,  show  them  and  all 
the  world  how  despicable  that  image  of  greatness,  and  power,  and 
felicity  was  which  they  were  so  proud  of.  If  such  a  bubblef  of 
vain-glory,  such  an  image  of  felicity,  such  a  dream  of  power  and 
greatness  be  all  that  the  church  of  God  hath  to  be  afraid  of,  it  may 
well  be  said, "  Cease  ye  from  man,  whose  breath  is  in  his  nostrils  ;"J 
Isa.  ii.  22.  "  For  wherein  is  he  to  be  accounted  of?  "  Psalm 
cxlvi.  4.  His  breath  goeth  forth  ;  he  returneth  to  his  earth  ;  in  that 
very  day  his  thoughts  perish.  And,  u  Behold,  the  Lord  God  will 
help  me ;  who  is  he  that  shall  condemn  me  ?  Lo,  they  all  shall 
wax  old  as  a  garment ;  the  moth  shall  eat  them  up;'*3  Isa.  1.  9. 
And,  "  Hearken  unto  me,  ye  that  know  righteousness,  the  people 
in  whose  heart  is  my  law.  Fear  ye  not  the  reproach  of  men, 
neither  be  ye  afraid  of  their  revilings,  for  the  moth  shall  eat  them 
up  like  a  garment,  and  the  worm  shall  eat  them  like  wood,  but 
my  righteousness  shall  be  forever,  and  my  salvation  from  genera- 
tion to  generation  ;  "  Isa.  li.  7,  8.  The  sorrows  which  so  short- 
lived power  can  inflict,  can  be  but  short.  You  read  of  their  vic- 
tories and  persecutions  in  the  news-books  one  year,  and  quickly 
after  of  their  death. 

Use..  Hence,  therefore,  you  may  learn  how  injudicious  they  are, 

*  Or  as  Amyrahlus  Paraplira:;..  "  Cum  olim  evigilabflnt,  pritscns  eorum  felici- 
tas  erit  instar  somnii.  quod  somrvo  discnsso  disfupatum  cst :  qnin  etiam  antequam 
rvigilont.  in  ipsa  ilia  urhe  in  qua  antea^florebant  vanam  istam  f'elicitatia  pompam, 
in  qua  antca  volitabant,  reddes  eontemnendam,  taaquam  unibram  aut  imaginem 
evanoscentem  ;  in  qua  nihil  solidi  est." 

1  "  Nubecula  estcitoevanescit,"  said  Athanasius  of  Julian. 

I  When  Julian's  death  was  told  at  Antioch,  they  all  cried  out,  "  Maxime 
fatue  !  ubi  sunt  vaticinia  tua  ?  Vieit  Deus  et  Christus  ejus."  Abbas  Uspar- 
gens.  pige  HI. 


BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON.  515 

that  think  religion  is  disparaged  by  such  short  and  small  afflictions 
of  believers,  and  how  unexcusable  they  are  who  yield  unto  temp- 
tation, and  venture  upon  sin,  and  comply  with  the  ungodly,  and 
forsake  the  truth,  through  the  fear  of  so  short  and  momentary  sor- 
rows, when  there  is  none  of  them  but  would  endure  the  prick  of  a 
pin,  or  the  scratch  of  a  brier,  or  the  biting  of  a  flea,  to  gain  a  king- 
dom, or  the  opening  of  a  vein,  or  the  griping  of  a  purge  to  save 
their  lives.  O,  how  deservedly  are  ungodly  men  forsaken  of 
God  !  For  how  short  a  pleasure  do  they  forsake  him,  and  the  ever- 
lasting pleasures  !  And  how  short  a  trouble  do  they  avoid  by  run- 
ning into  everlasting  trouble  !  If  sin  had  not  first  subdued  reason, 
men  would  never  make  it  a  matter  of  question,  whether,  to  escape 
so  small  a  suffering,  they  should  break  the  laws  of  the  most  righteous 
God,  nor  would  they  once  put  so  short  a  pain  or  pleasure  into  the 
balance  against  the  endless  pain  and  pleasure.  Nor  would  a  temp- 
tation bring  them  to  deliberate  on  a  matter,  which  should  be  past 
deliberation  with  a  man  that  is  in  his  wits.  And  yet,  alas !  how 
much  do  these  short  concernments  prevail  through  all  the  world! 
Unbelievers  are  short-sighted  ;  they  look  only  or  chiefly  to  things 
near  and  present.  A  lease  of  this  empty  world  for  a  few  years, 
yea,  an  uncertain  tenure  of  it,  is  preferred  before  the  best  security 
for  eternal  life.  Its  present  pleasures  which  they  must  have,  and 
its  present  sorrows  which  they  take  care  to  escape.  As  Christ 
hath  taught  us  to  say  about  these  worldly  things,  so  the  devil  hath 
taught  them  to  say  about  everlasting  things — "  Care  not  for  to-mor- 
row, for  the  morrow  shall  take  thought  for  the  things  of  itself; 
sufficient  to  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof;  "  Matt.  vi.  34.  There- 
fore, when  the  day  of  their  calamity  shall  come,  a  despairing  con- 
science will  perpetually  torment  them,  and  say,  '  This  is  but  the 
sorrow  which  thou  choosest  to  endure,  or  the  misery  which  thou 
wouldest  venture  on,  to  escape  a  present,  inconsiderable  pain.' 

If  there  be  any  of  you  that  shall  think  that  present  sufferings 
are  considerable  things,  to  be  put  into  the  scales  against  eternity, 
or  that  are  tempted  to  murmuring  and  impatience  under  such  short 
afflictions,  I  desire  them  but  to  consider,  1.  That  your  suffering 
will  be  no  longer  than  your  sin.  And  if  it  endure  but  as  long,  is 
it  any  matter  of  wonder  or  repining  ?  Can  you  expect  to  keep 
your  sickness,  and  yet  to  be  wholly  freed  from  the  pain  ?  Can  sin 
and  suffering  be  perfectly  separated  ?  Do  you  think  to  continue 
ignorant  and  proud,  and  selfish,  and  in  so  much  remaining  unbe- 
lief, carnality,  worldliness,  and  sloth,  and  yet  never  to  feel  the  rod 
or  spur,  nor  suffer  any  more  than  if  you  had  been  innocent  ?  De- 
ceive not  yourselves  ;  it  will  not  be ;  Geu.  iv.  7.  Sin  lieth  at  the 
door ;  and  be  sure  at  last  it  will  find  you  out ;  Numb,  xxxii.  23.  "  Be- 
hold, the  righteous  shall  be  recompensed  in  the  earth,  much  more 


516  BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON. 

the  ungodly  and  the  sinner ;  "  Prov.  xi.  31 .  "  Judgment  must  begin 
at  the  house  of  God,  and  the  righteous  are  saved  with  much  ado;" 
I  Pet.  iv.  17, 18.  God  is  not  reconciled  to  the  sins  of  any  man; 
and  as  he  will  show  by  his  dealings  that  he  is  reconciled  to  their 
persons,  so  will  he  show  that  he  is  not  reconciled  to  their  sins.  If 
God  continue  your  sufferings  any  longer  than  you  continue  your 
sin,  and  if  you  can  truly  say, '  I  am  afflicted  though  I  am  innocent,' 
then  your  impatience  may  have  some  excuse. 

2.  Your  sorrows  shall  be  no  longer  than  you  make  them  neces- 
sary ;  and  will  you  grudge  at  your  own  benefit  ?     Or  at  the  trouble 
of  your  physic  while  you  continue  your  disease  ?     It  is  but  "  if 
need  be  that  now  for  a  season  ye  are  in  heaviness  through  manifold 
temptations  ; "  1  Peter  i.  6.    And  who  maketh  the  need  ?    Is  rt  God 
or  you  ?    Who  maketh  you  dull,  and  slothful,  and  sensual  ?     Who 
turneth  your  hearts  to  earthly  things,  and  deprives  you  of  the  sweet- 
ness of  things  spiritual  and  heavenly  ?    Who  maketh  you  proud,  and 
unbelieving,  and  uncharitable  ?     Is  it  he  that  doth  this,  that  caus- 
eth  the  need  of  your  afflictions,  and  is  to  be  blamed  for  the  bitter- 
ness of  them?     But  it  is  your  physician  that  is  to  be  thanked  and 
praised  for  fitting  them  so  wisely  to  your  cure. 

3.  Your  sorrows  shall  not  be  so  long  as  you  deserve.     It  is 
strange  ingratitude  for  that  man  to  grudge  at  a  short  affliction  that  is 
saved  from  everlasting  misery,  and  confesseth  he  hath  deserved  the 
pains  of  hell.     Confess  with  thankfulness,  that  "  it  is  his  mercy 
that  you  are  not  consumed  and  condemned,  because  his  compassions 
fail  not.     If  God  be  your  portion,  hope  in  him ;   for  the  Lord  is 
good  to  them  that  wait  for  him,  to  the  soul  that  seeketh  him.     It 
is  good  that  you  both  hope  and  quietly  wait  for  the  salvation  of 
the  Lord  ;  it  is  good  for  a  man  that  he  bear  the  yoke  in  his  youth  ; 
he  sitteth  alone  and  keepeth  silence,  because  he  hath  borne  it  upon 
him  ;  he  putteth  his  mouth  in  the  dust,  if  so  be  there  may  be  hope. 
He  giveth  his  cheek  to  him  that  smiteth  him  ;  he  is  filled  full  with 
reproach ;  for  the  Lord   will  not  cast  off  forever  ;  but  though   he 
cause  grief,  yet  will  he  have  compassion,  according  to  the  multi- 
tude of  his  mercies  ;  Lam.  iii.  22 — 33.     All  that  is  come  upon  us 
is  for  our  evil  deeds,  and  for  our  great  trespasses ;   and  God  hath 
punished  us  less  than  our  iniquities  ;  Ezra  ix.  13. 

4.  Your  sorrows  shall  not  be  so  long  as  the  sorrows  of  the  un- 
godly, nor  as  those  that  you  must  endure,  if  you  will  choose  sin  to 
escape  these  present  sorrows.     Abel's  sorrow  is  hot  so  long  as 
Cain's ;  nor  Peter's  or  Paul's  so  long  as  Judas's.     If  the  offering 
of  a  more  acceptable  sacrifice  do  cost  a  righteous  man   his  life, 
alas !  what  is  that  to  the  punishment  that  malignant,  envious  Cain- 
ites   or  treacherous    Judases  must  endure.     What  is  the   worst 
that  man  can  do,  or  the  most  that  God  will  here  inflict,  to  the  rep- 


BAXTER'S  FAREWELL,  SERMON.          517 

rebates,  endless,  hellish  torments  ?  O,  had  you  seen  what  they 
endure,  or  had  you  felt  those  pains  but  a  day  or  hour,  I  can  hardly 
think  that  you  would  ever  after  make  so  great  a  matter  of  the  suf- 
ferings of  a  Christian  here  for  Christ,  or  that  you  would  fear  such 
sufferings  more  than  hell.  It  is  disingenuous  to  repine  at  so  gen- 
tle a  rod,  at  the  same  time  whilst  millions  are  in  the  flames  of  hell, 
and  when  these  sufferings  tend  to  keep  you  thence. 

5.  Your  sorrows  shall  not  be  so  long  as  your  following  joys,  if 
you  be  persevering,  conquering  believers.  What  is  a  sickness,  or 
a  scorn,  or  a  prison,  or  banishment,  or  shame,  or  death,  when  it 
must  end  in  the  endless  joys  of  heaven !  Oh,  do  but  believe  these 
with  a  lively,  sound,  effectual  faith,  and  you  will  make  light  of  all 
the  sufferings  in  the  way.  "Nihil  cms  sentit  in  nervo,"  saith  Ter- 
tullian,  "  cum  animus  est  in  coelo  ;  "  Heb.  xi.  25,  26,  &tc.  The 
mind  that  is  in  heaven,  and  seeth  him  that  is  invisible,  will  easily 
bear  the  body's  pains.  Mistake  not  in  your  accounts,  and  you 
will  reckon  that  the  sufferings  of  this  present  time  are  not  worthy 
to  be  compared  with  the  glory  which  shall  be  revealed  in  us ; 
Rom.  viii.  IS.  "  For  our  light  affliction,  which  is  but  for  a  mo- 
ment, doth  work  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight 
of  glory,  while  we  look  not  at  the  things  which  are  seen,  but  at 
the  things  that  are  not  seen ;  for  the  things  which  are  seen  are 
temporal,  but  the  things  which  are  not  seen  are  eternal ;  "  2  Cor. 
iv.  17,  18. 

Use  2.  And  if  it  be  but  for  a  now  that  you  must  have  sorrows, 
how  reasonable  is  it  that  those  sorrows  be  moderated  and  mixed 
with  joy  !  And  how  just  are  those  commands,  "  Rejoice  ever- 
more." "  Rejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad,  for  great  is  your  re- 
ward in  heaven;"  1  Thess.  v.  16.  Matt.  v.  10 — 12.  "  Rejoi- 
cing in  hope,  patient  in  tribulation  ;  "  Rom.  xii.  12.  How  rational 
was  their  joy,  who,  being  beaten  and  forbidden  to  preach,  "  depart- 
ed from  the  presence  of  the  council,  rejoicing  that  they  were 
counted  worthy  to  suffer  shame  for  the  name  of  Christ ! "  Acts  v. 
42.  "  Rejoice  inasmuch  as  ye  are  partakers  in  Christ's  sufferings. 
If  ye  be  reproached  for  the  name  of  Christ,  happy  are  ye;  for  the 
Spirit  of  glory  and  of  God  resteth  upon  you  ;  on  their  part  he  is 
evil  spoken  of,  but  on  your  part  he  is  glorified ; "  1  Pet.  iv.  13, 
14.  It  is  a  shame  to  be  dejected  under  a  short  and  tolerable  pain, 
which  is  so  near  to  the  eternal  pleasure,  and  to  suffer  as  if  we  be- 
lieved not  the  end,  and  so  to  sorrow  as  men  that  are  without  hope. 

Doct.  IV.  Christ  will  again  visit  his  sorrowful  disciples.  He  re- 
moveth  not  from  them  with  an  intent  to  cast  them  off.  When  he 
hideth  his  face,  he  meaneth  not  to  forsake  them  ;  when  he  taketh 
away  any  ordinances  or  mercies,  he  doth  not  give  them  a  bill  of 
divorce.  When  he  seemeth  to  yield  to  the  powers  of  darkness, 


518  BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON. 

he  is  not  overcome,  nor  will  he  give  up  his  kingdom  or  interest  in 
the  world.  When  he  letteth  the  boar  into  his  vineyard,  it  is  not 
to  make  it  utterly  desolate,  or  turn  it  common  to  the  barren  wilder- 
ness ;  for, 

1.  He  hath  conquered  the  greatest  enemies  already,  and,  there- 
fore, there  remaineth  none  to  conquer  him.     He  hath  triumphed 
over  Satan,  death  and  hell :  he  hath  conquered  sin ;  and  what  is 
there  left  to  depose  him  from  his  dominion  ? 

2.  He  retaineth  still  his  relation  to  his  servants  ;  whether  he  be 
corporally  present  or  absent,  he  knoweth  his  own,  and  it  is  their 
care  also  that,  whether  present  or  absent,  they  may  be  accepted 
of  him  ;  2  Cor.  v.  7 — 9.     He  is  their  head  while  they  are  suffer- 
ing on  earth,  and,  therefore,  he  feeleth  their  sufferings  and  infirm- 
ities ;  Heb.  iv.  15.     And  hence  it  is  that  he  thus  rebuketh  a  per- 
secuting   zealot,  "Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me  ?  "  Acts 
ix.  4. 

3.  He  hath  not  laid  by  the  least  measure  of  his  love  ;  he  loveth 
us  in  heaven  as  much  as  he  did  on  earth  :  "  Having  loved  his  own 
which  were  in  the  world,  to  the  end  he  loved  them  ; "  John  xiii. 
1.     And  as  Joseph's  love  could  not  long  permit  him  to  conceal 
himself  from  his  brethren,  but  broke  out  the  more  violently  after 
a  short  restraint,  so  that  he  fell  on  their  necks  and   wept ;   so  will 
not  the  more  tender  love  of  Christ  permit  him  long  to  hide  his 
face,  or  estrange  himself  from  the  people  of  his  love,  and  when  he 
returneth,  it  will  be  with  redoubled  expressions  of  endearment. 

4.  His  covenant  with  his  servants  is  still  in  force ;  his  promises 
are  sure,  and  shall  never  be  broken,  though  the   performance  be 
not  so  speedy  as  we  desire.     "  Know,  therefore,  that  the  Lord  thy 
God  he  is  God,  the  faithful  God,  which  keepeth  covenant  and 
mercy  with  them  that  love  him  and  keep  his  commandments,  to  a 
thousand  generations ;  and  repayeth  them  that  hate  him  to  their 
face  to  destroy  them  :  he  will  not  be  slack  to  him  that  hateth  him  ; 
he  will  repay  him  to  his   face ; "  Deut.  vii.  9.     "  He  keepeth 
covenant  and  mercy  with  his  servants  that  walk  before  him  with 
all  their  heart ;  "  1  Kings  viii.  23.     Dan.  ix.  4.     Neh.  i.  5.  and 
ix.  32.     And  it  is  the  promise  of  Christ,  when  he  departed  from 
his  servants,  that  "  He  will  come  again  and  take  them  to  himself, 
that  where  he  is,  there  they  may  be  also ;  "  John  xiv.  3.  and 
xii.  26. 

5.  His  own  interest,  and  honor,  and  office,  and  preparations,  do 
engage  him  to  return  to  his  disconsolate  flock  :  his  jewels  and   pe- 
culiar treasure  are   his  interest ;  Mai.  iii.  17.     1  Pet.  ii.  9.     Ex- 
odus xix.  5.     He  that  hath  chosen  but  a  little  flock,  (Luke  xii. 
32.)  and  confineth  his  interest  and  treasure  into  such  a  narrow 
compass,  will  not  forsake  that  little  flock,  but  secure  them  to  his 


BAXTER'S  FAREWKLI,  SEHMON.  519 

kingdom.  He  that  hath  made  it  his  office  to  redeem  and  save 
them,  and  hath  so  dearly  bought  them,  and  gone  so  far  in  the  work 
of  their  salvation,  will  lose  none  of  all  his  cost  and  preparations  ; 
but  for  his  people,  and  his  blood,  and  his  honor,  and  his  Father's 
will,  and  love,  will  certainly  finish  what  he  hath  undertaken.  And 
therefore  his  withdrawings  shall  not  be  everlasting. 

6.  It  is  for  their  sakes  that  he  withdraweth  for  a  time  :  though 
the  bitter  part  be  for  their  sin,  it  is  intended  as  medicinal  for  their 
benefit :  sometimes  he  doth  it  to  awake  and  humble  them,  and 
stir  them  up  to  seek  him,  and  call  after  him  ;  to  show  them  what 
they  have  done  in  provoking  him  to  withdraw,  and  hide  his  face, 
that  renewed  repentance  may  prepare  them  for  the  comforts  of 
his  return.  Sometimes  he  hath  such  work  for  them  to  do,  which 
is  not  so  agreeable  to  his  presence  ;  as  fasting,  and  mourning,  and 
confessing  him  in  sufferings;  Matt.  ix.  15.  And  sometimes  he 
hath  comforts  of  another  kind  to  give  them  in  his  seeming  absence. 
"  I  tell  you  the  truth  ;  it  is  expedient  for  you  that  I  go  aw  ay ;  for 
if  I  go  not  away,  the  Comforter  will  not  come  unto  you ;  but  if  I 
depart,  I  will  send  him  to  you  ;  "  John  xvi.  7.  As  there  were 
comforts  which  the  disciples  were  fittest  for  in  Christ's  bodily  ab- 
sence, so,  when  he  will  take  away  his  ordinances,  or  our  prosperity 
or  friends,  there  are  comforts  of  another  sort,  in  secret  communion 
with  him,  and  in  suffering  for  him,  which  his  people  may  expect ; 
not  that  any  can  expect  it,  who  on  that  pretense  do  reject  these 
ordinances  and  mercies,  no  more  than  the  disciples  could  have  ex- 
pected the  Comforter,  if  they  had  rejected  the  corporal  presence 
of  Christ ;  but  God  hath  such  supplies  for  those  that  mourn  for  his 
departure. 

Use  1.  Misunderstand  not,  then,  the  departings  of  your  Lord. 
It  is  too  bad  to  say  with  the  evil  servant,  "  My  Lord  delayeth  his 
coming  ;  "  and  worse  to  say  he  will  never  return.  1.  He  will  re- 
turn at  his  appointed  day  to  judge  the  world  ;  to  justify  his  saints, 
whom  the  world  condemned  ;  to  answer  the  desires,  and  satisfy  all 
the  expectations  of  believers ;  and  to  comfort  and  everlastingly 
reward  the  faithful  that  have  patiently  waited  his  return.  And 
when  he  returneth  with  salvation,  then  shall  we  also  return  from 
our  calamities,  and  shall  discern  between  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked,  between  him  that  served  God,  and  him  that  served  him 
not ;  Mai.  iii.  18.  Undoubtedly  our  "  Redeemer  liveth,  and  shall 
stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth  ;  and  though,  after  our  skin, 
worms  devour  these  bodies,  yet  in  our  flesh  shall  we  see  God ; 
Job  xix.  25,  26.  "  Behold  he  cometh  with  clouds ;  and  every 
eye  shall  see  him,  and  they  also  which  pierced  him  ;  and  all  kin- 
dreds of  the  earth  shall  wail  because  of  him.  Even  so,  Amen  ; " 
Rev.  i.  7.  Though  unbelieving  scoffers  shall  say,  "  Where  is  the 


520  BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON. 

promise  of  his  coming?"  2  Pet.  iii.  4.     Yet  believers  consider, 
"  That  a  day  is  with  the  Lord  as  a  thousand  years,  and  a  thou- 
sand years  but  as  a  day  ;  and  that  the  Lord  is  not  slack  of  his 
promise,  but  long-suffering ;  "  ver.  8,  9.     "  He  will  not  leave  us 
comfortless,  but   will  come    unto   us;"    John    xiv.    18.     "The 
patient  expectation  of  the  just  shall  not  be  forgotten,  nor  in  vain  ;  " 
Psalm  ix.  7,  8.     "  Seeing  it  is  a  righteous  thing  with  God  to  rec- 
ompense tribulation  to  them  that  trouble  you ;  and  to  you  who 
are  troubled  rest  with  us,  when  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed 
from  heaven  with  his  mighty  angels,  in  flaming  fire  taking  ven- 
geance on  them  that  know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not  the  gospel 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  who  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting 
destruction,  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of 
his  power  ;  when  he  shall  come  to  be  glorified  in  his  saints,  and 
admired  in  all  them  that  believe  in  that  day  ;  "  2  Thess.  i.  6 — 10. 
2.  And  he  will  return  also  to  the  seemingly  forsaken  flocks  of 
his  disciples  :  he  hath  his  times  of  trial,  when  the  shepherds  being 
smitten  the  sheep  are  scattered ;  and  he  hath  his  times  of  gathering 
the  scattered  ones  again  together,  and  "  giving  them  pastors  after 
his  own  heart,  that  shall  feed  them  with  knowledge  and  under- 
standing;"   Jer.  iii.  14,  15.     And  shall  say,  "  What  is  the  chaff 
unto  the  wheat ;  "  Jer.  xxiii.  28.     When  we  cry,  "  Woe  is  me 
for  my  hurt;  my  wound  is  grievous  !  "     We  must  also  say.  "  Tru- 
ly this  is  a  grief,  and  I  must  bear  it ;  my  tabernacle  is  spoiled,  and 
all  my  cords  are  broken  ;  my  children  are  gone  forth  of  me,  and 
they  are  not ;  there  is  none  to  stretch  forth  my  tent  any  more, 
and  to  set  up  my  curtains ;  for  the  pastors  are  become  brutish,  and 
have  not  sought  the  Lord.     O  Lord,  correct  me,  but  with  judg- 
ment, not  in  thine  anger,  lest  thou  bring  me  to  nothing;  "  Jer.  x. 
19 — 21.  24.     "Many  pastors  have  destroyed  my  vineyard;  they 
have  trodden  my  portion  under  foot,  they  have  made  my  pleasant 
portion   a  desolate  wilderness ;  and  being  desolate  it  mourneth  to 
me :    the  whole  land  is  made  desolate,  because  no  man  layeth  it  to 
heart;"  Jer.  xii.  10,  11.     "But  woe  be  unto  the  pastors  that  de- 
stroy and  scatter  the  sheep  of  my  pasture,  saith  the  Lord.     There- 
fore, thus  saith  the  Lord,  against  the  pastors  that  feed  my  people, 
Ye  have  scattered  my  flock,  and  driven  them  away,  and   have  not 
visited  them  ;  behold,  I  will  visit  upon  you  the  evil  of  your  doings, 
and  I  will  gather  the  remnant  of  my  flock.     And  1  will  set  up 
shepherds  over  them  which  shall  feed  them,  and  they  shall  fear  no 
more,  nor  be  dismayed,  neither  shall  they  be  lacking,  saith  the 
Lord;"  Ezek.  xxxiv.     "  Woe  to  the  shepherds  of  Israel  that  feed 
themselves  ;  should  not  the  shepherds  feed  the  flocks  ?     Ye  eat 
the  fat,  and  clothe  you  with  the  wool ;  ye  kill  them  that  are  fed, 
but  ye  feed  not  the  flocks.     The  diseased  have  ye  not  strengthen- 


BAXTER'S   FAREWELL   SERMON.  521 

ed,  neither  have  ye  healed  that  which  \vas  sick,  neither  have  ye 
bound  up  that  which  was  broken,  neither  have  ye  brought  again 
that  which  was  driven  away,  neither  have  ye  sought  that  which 
was  lost ;  but  with  force  and  with  cruelty  have  ye  ruled  them. 
Thus  saith  the  Lord,  Behold,  I  am  against  the  shepherds,  and  I  will 
require  my  flock  at  their  hands,  and  cause  them  to  cease  from  feed- 
ing the  flock  ;  neither  shall  the  shepherds  feed  themselves  any 
more  ;  for  I  will  deliver  my  flock  from  their  mouth.  Behold,  I, 
even  I,  will  both  search  my  sheep  and  seek  them  out,  and  will  de- 
liver them  out  of  all  places  where  they  have  been  scattered  in 
the  cloudy  and  dark  day.  And  as  for  you,  O  my  flock,  Behold, 
I  judge  between  cattle  and  cattle,  between  the  rams  and  the  he- 
goats.  Is  it  a  small  thing  to  you  to  have  eaten  up  the  good  pas- 
ture, but  ye  must  tread  down  with  your  feet  the  residue  of  your 
pastures  ?  and  to  have  drank  of  the  deep  waters,  but  you  must  foul 
the  residue  with  your  feet?  And  as  for  my  flock,  they  eat  that 
which  you  have  trodden  with  your  feet,  and  they  drink  that  which 
ye  have  fouled  with  your  feet.  Therefore,  thus  saith  the  Lord 
God  unto  them,  Behold,  I,  even  I,  will  judge  between  the  fat  cat- 
tle and  the  lean !  Because  ye  have  thrust  with  side  and  with 
shoulder,  and  pushed  all  the  diseased  with  your  horns,  till  ye 
have  scattered  them  abroad,"  &LC.  Read  the  rest.  Particular 
churches  may  be  scattered  to  dissolution,  but  none  of  the  faithful 
members. 

3.  And  Christ  hath  his  returning  time,  to  the  souls  of  his  ser- 
vants which  seem  to  be  forsaken  by  him  :  "  Weeping  may  endure 
for  a  night,  but  joy  cometh  in  the  morning ; "  Psalm  xxx.  5. 
When  he  seemeth  their  enemy,  and  writeth  bitter  things  against 
them,  he  is  their  surest  friend,  and  will  justify  them  himself  from 
their  accusers.  Though  they  may  he  troubled  when  they  remem- 
ber God,  and  their  spirit  be  overwhelmed  in  them,  and  their  souls 
refuse  to  be  comforted,  and  say,  Will  the  Lord  cast  off  forever,  and 
will  he  be  favorable  no  more  ?  Is  his  mercy  clean  gone  forever  ? 
Doth  his  promise  fail  for  evermore  ?  Hath  God  forgotten  to  be 
gracious?  Hath  he  in  anger  shut  up  his  tender  mercies?  Yet 
must  we  rebuke  this  unbelief,  and  say,  This  is  my  infirmity  ;  1  will 
remember  the  works  of  the  Lord ;  surely  I  will  remember  thy 
wonders  of  old.  I  will  meditate  of  thy  works,  and  talk  of  thy 
doings;"  Psalm  Ixxvii.  The  long  night  that  hath  no  day,  the 
long  winter  that  hath  no  summer,  is  the  reward  of  the  ungodly  ; 
but  light  ariseth  to  the  iig'iteou;  in  his  darkness,  and  "joy  to 
them  that  are  upright  in  heart  ;"  Psalm  xcii.  4.  Light  is  sown 
for  them,  and  in  season  will  spring  up  ;  Psalm  xcvii.  1 1 .  The 
righteousness  which  was  hid  from  the  world  by  false  accusations, 
and  from  ourselves  by  the  terrors  and  mistakes  of  darkness,  will 
VOL.  n.  66 


522  BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON. 

God  "  bring  forth  as  light,  and  our  judgment  as  the  noon-day ;  " 
Psalm  xxxvii.  6.  Our  eclipse  will  vanish  when  the  sun  returneth, 
and  our  sins  no  longer  interpose :  and  though  all  our  inquiries  and 
complainings  have  not  brought  us  out  of  the  dark,  yet  "  God  is  the 
Lord  who  showeth  us  light;"  (Psalm  cxviii.  27.)  "  and  in  his 
light  we  shall  see  light ;  "  Psalm  xxxvi.  9.  Say  then,  O  distrust- 
ful, trembling  Christian,  "Why  art  thou  cast  down,  O  my  soul? 
and  why  art  thou  thus  disquieted  within  me?  Hope  thou  in  God, 
for  I  shall  yet  praise  him,  who  is  the  health  of  my  countenance 
and  my  God  ;"  Psalm  xlii.  5.  11.  and  xliii.  5.  Though  now  you 
"  go  mourning  because  of  the  oppression  of  the  enemy,  God  will 
send  out  his  light  and  truth,  and  they  shall  lead  you,  and  bring 
you  to  his  holy  hill  and  tabernacle  ;  and  then  you  shall  go  with 
praise  to  the  altar  of  God,  even  of  God  your  exceeding  joy;" 
Psalm  xlii.  2 — 4. 

Use  2.  Learn,  then,  how  to  behave  yourselves  in  the  absence 
of  your  Lord,  till  his  return.  If  you  ask  me  how  : — Ans.  1.  Be 
not  content  and  pleased  with  his  absence.  You  must  bear  it, 
but  not  desire  it.  Else  you  are  either  enemies,  or  children  that 
have  run  themselves  into  such  guilt  and  fears,  that  they  take  their 
father  for  their  enemy.  2.  Nay,  be  not.  too  indifferent  and  insensi- 
ble of  your  Lord's  departure.  Love  is  not  regardless  of  the  com- 
pany of  our  beloved.  He  may  well  take  it  ill,  when  you  can 
let  him  go,  and  be  as  merry  without  him  as  if  his  absence  were  no 
loss  to  you.  If  you  care  no  more  for  him,  he  will  make  you  care, 
before  you  shall  feel  the  comforts  of  his  presence.  Such  contempt 
is  the  way  to  a  worse  forsaking  :  call  after  him  till  he  return,  if  he 
hide  his  face.  3.  Turn  not  aside  to  the  creature  for  content,  and 
seek  not  to  make  up  the  loss  of  his  presence  with  any  of  the  de- 
ceitful comforts  of  the  world.  Let  him  not  see  you  take  another 
in  his  stead,  as  if  riches,  or  power,  or  worldly  friends,  or  fleshly 
pleasure,  would  serve  your  turn  instead  of  Christ.  If  once  you 
come  to  this,  he  may  justly  leave  you  to  your  vain  contents,  and 
let  them  serve  your  turn  as  long  as  they  can,  and  see  how  well  they 
will  supply  his  room.  O,  see  that  no  idol  be  admitted  into  his 
place  till  Christ  return.  4.  Be  not  imboldened,  by  his  absence, 
to  sin.  Say  not,  as  the  evil  servant,  in  your  hearts,  '  My  Lord 
delayoth  his  coming,'  and  so  begin  to  smite  your  fellow-servants, 
and  to  eat,  and  drink  with  the  drunken,  lest  your  "  Lord  come  in  a 
day  when  you  look  not  for  him,  and  cut  you  asunder,  and  appoint 
your  portion  with  the  hypocrites :  there  shall  be  weeping  and 
gnashing  of  teeth;"  Matt.  xxiv.  48 — 51.  Because  Christ 
cometh  not  to  judge  the  wicked  as  soon  as  they  have  sinned,  they 
are  imboldened  to  sin  more  fearlessly ;  and  because  sentence 
against  an  evil  work  is  not  speedily  executed,  therefore  the  hearts 


BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON.  533 

of  the  sons  of  men  are  fully  set  in  them  to  do  evil;"  Eccles.  viii. 
11.  But  "  behold,  the  Judge  is  at  the  door  ;  "  James  v.  9.  "  He 
that  cometh  will  not  tarry  ;  and  for  all  these  things  you  must  come 
to  judgment ;  "  Eccles.  xi.  9.  and  xii.  14.  5.  Be  not  discourag- 
ed by  your  Lord's  delay,  but  wait  his  coming  in  faith  and  patience. 
Can  you  not  wait  for  him  so  short  a  time  ?  O,  how  quickly  will 
it  be  accomplished  !  Sink  not  into  despondency  of  mind.  Be 
not  dismayed  in  the  duties  or  sufferings  to  which  you  are  called. 
"  Lift  up  the  hands  that  hang  down,  and  the  feeble  knees,  and 
make  straight  paths  for  your  feet,  lest  that  which  is  lame  be 
turned  out  of  the  way,  but  let  it  rather  be  healed ; "  Heb.  xii.  12, 
13.  "Be  steadfast,  immovable,  always  abounding  in  the  work 
of  the  Lord,  forasmuch  as  ye  know  that  your  labor  is  not  in  vain 
in  the  Lord ; "  1  Cor.  xv.  53.  "  Be  sober,  and  hope  unto  the 
end;"  1  Pet.  i.  13.  "Ye  are  the  house  of  Christ,  if  ye  hold 
fast  the  confidence,  and  the  rejoicing  of  the  hope  firm  unto  the 
end;"  Heb.  iii.  6.  14.  and  vi.  11.  "Ye  have  need  of  patience, 
that,  having  done  the  will  of  God,  ye  may  inherit  the  promise  ; " 
Heb.  x.  36.  11. 

Doct.  V.  "  When  Christ  shall  again  appear  to  his  disciples, 
their  sorrows  shall  be  turned  into  joy  :  when  Christ  returneth,  joy 
returneth,"  saith  David  ;  Psal.  xxx.  7.  "Thou  didst  hide  thy  face, 
and  I  was  troubled."  But  (v.  11,  12.)  "Thou  hast  turned  forme 
my  mourning  into  dancing;  thou  hast  put  off  my  sackcloth,  and 
girded  me  with  gladness,  to  the  end  that  my  glory  may  sing  praise 
to  thee,  and  not  be  silent :  O  Lord,  my  God,  I  will  give  thanks 
unto  thee  forever."  When  the  sun  ariseth,  it  is  day,  and  its  ap- 
proach dispelleth  the  winter  frosts,  and  reviveth  the  almost  dying 
creatures,  and  calleth  up  the  life  which  was  hidden  in  the  seed,  or 
retired  unto  the  root,  after  a  sharp  and  spending  winter.  How 
quickly  doth  the  sun's  return  recover  the  verdure  and  beauty  of 
the  earth,  and  clothe  it  in  green,  and  spangle  it  with  the  ornaments 
of  odoriferous  flowers,  and  enrich  it  with  sweet  and  plenteous  fruits  ! 
The  birds  that  were  either  hid  or  silent,  appear  and  sing,  and  the 
face  of  all  things  is  changed  into  joy.  So  is  it,  1.  With  the  poor, 
deserted  soul,  upon  the  return  of  Christ :  unbelieving  doubts  and 
fears  then  vanish  ;  the  garments  of  sadness  are  laid  aside,  and  those 
of  gladness  are  put  on ;  the  language  of  distrust  and  despairing 
lamentations  are  first  turned  into  words  of  peace,  and  then  into 
joyful  thankfulness  and  praise.  The  soul  that  was  skilled  in  no 
spiritual  discourse,  but  complaining  of  a  dead  and  frozen  heart,  of 
dull,  and  cold,  and  lifeless  duties,  is  now  taken  up  in  the  rehearsals 
of  the  works  of  infinite  love,  and  searching  into  the  mysteries  of 
redemption,  and  reciting  the  great  and  precious  promises,  and  mag- 
nifying the  name  and  grace  of  its  Redeemer,  and  expatiating  in 


524  BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON. 

the  praises  of  the  everlasting  kingdom,  the  heavenly  glory,  the 
blessed  society,  and  especially  of  the  Lamb  and  of  the  eternal  God. 
You  would  not  think  that  this  is  the  same  person,  that  lately  could 
scarce  think  well  of  God,  or  that  dwelt  in  tears,  and  dust,  and  dark- 
ness, and  could  think  of  nothing  but  sin  and  hell,  and  from  every 
text  and  every  providence,  concluded  nothing  but  undone,  or 
damned  :  would  you  think  this  joyful,  thankful  soul  were  the  same 
that  lately  was  crying  on  the  cross,  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast 
tliou  forsaken  me  ? "  that  could  find  nothing  written  on  the  tables 
of  his  heart,  but  forsaken,  miserable  and  undone  ;  that  daily  cried 
out,  '  It  is  too  late ;  there  is  no  hope  ;  I  had  a  day  of  grace,  but 
it  is  past  and  gone.'  When  Christ  returneth,  and  causeth  his  face 
to  shine  upon  them,  all  this  is  turned  into  '  Praise,  and  honor,  and 
glory  unto  the  Lamb,  and  to  the  almighty  and  most  holy  God, 
that  liveth  forever,  and  is  the  everlasting  joy  and  portion  of  his 
saints.'  And,  sooner  or  later,  thus  will  it  be  with  all  the  upright, 
that  wait  on  God  in  the  day  of  trial,  and  deal  not  falsely  in  his 
covenant.  The  Son,  who  was  brought  up  with  the  Father,  and 
was  daily  his  delight,  rejoicing  always  before  him ;  rejoicing,  also, 
in  the  habitable  parts  of  the  earth,  whose  delights  were  with  the 
sons  of  men,  doth  bless  the  children  of  wisdom  with  a  participation 
of  his  delights ;  for  "  Blessed  are  they  that  keep  his  ways." — 
"  Blessed  is  the  man  that  heareth  him,  watching  daily  at  his  gates, 
waiting  at  the  posts  of  his  doors;  for  he  that  findeth  him  findeth 
life,  and  shall  obtain  favor  of  the  Lord ;  "  Prov.  viii.  30 — 36. 
Though  Christ  had  left  his  disciples  so  lately  under  fears  and 
trouble,  guilty  of  deserting  him,  and,  seehiingly,  now  deserted  by 
him ;  yet,  early  on  the  third  day,  he  ariseth  for  their  consolation, 
and  presently  sendeth  them  these  joyful  words,  in  the  first  speech 
he  uttereth,  and  that  by  a  woman  that  had  been  sorrowful  and  a 
sinner — "  Go  to  my  brethren,  and  say  unto  them,  I  ascend  to  my 
Father  and  your  Father,  and  to  my  God  and  your  God;"  John 
xx.  17.  Those  that  his  ministers  have  long  been  comforting  in 
vain,  when  Christ  returneth  he  will  revive  and  comfort  them  in  a 
moment,  and  with  a  word.  The  soul  that  now  crieth,  '  O,  it  is 
impossible;  it  will  never  be,'  doth  little  know  how  easy  it  is  with 
Christ.  It  is  but  saying,  "  Lazarus,  arise;"  or,  "Let  there  be 
light,"  and  there  will  be  life  and  light  immediately  at  his  command. 
2.  And  so,  when  he  restored)  his  ordinances  and  order  to  a  for- 
saken church,  and  restoreth  their  holy  opportunities  and  advantages 
of  grace,  what  gladness  and  praising  their  Redeemer  will*  there 
be !  as  it  was  with  the  churches  upon  the  death  of  Julian,  and 
after  the  heathen  and  the  Arian  persecutions,  in  the  happy  reign 
of  Constantine,  Theodosius,  Marcian,  &c.  How  joyfully  did 
the  English  exiles  return  to  worship  God  in  their  native  land, 


*•-       tf» 

-'. 
BAXTER'S   FAREWEM,  SERMON.  525 

upon  the  death  of  Queen  Mary  ;  and  s.°e  (lie  fill  of  Homier  and 
Gardiner,  that  had  sacrificed  so  many  holy  Christians  in  the  rlames  ! 
How  gladly  did  they  grow  in  the  soil  that  was  manured  with  the 
blood  and  ashes  of  their  faithful  brethren,  and  reap  the  fruit  of  their 
fortitude  and  sufferings !  When  Christ  whipped  the  buyers  and 
sellers  out  of  the  temple,  and  would  not  let  them  make  the  house 
of  prayer  a  place  of  merchandise,  what  hosannas  were  sounded  in 
Jerusalem!  Matt.  xxi.  15,  16.  "When  the  salvation  of  Israel 
cometh  out  of  Zion,  and  the  Lord  bringeth  back  the  captivity  of 
his  people,  Jacob  shall  rejoice,  and  Israel  shall  be  glad  ;  "  Psal. 
xiv.  7.  "Blessed  are  they  that  dwell  in  his  house,  for  they  will 
be  still  praising  him.  For  a  day  in  his  courts  is  belter  than  a 
thousand;"  Psal.  Ixxxiv.  4.  10.  "Blessed  is  the  people  that 
know  the  joyful  sound;  they  shall  walk,  O  Lord,  in  the  light  of 
thy  countenance ;  in  thy  name  shall  they  rejoice  all  the  day,  and 
in  thy  righteousness  shall  they  be  exalted ;  for  the  Lord  is  our  de- 
fense, and  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  is  our  king ; "  Psal.  Ixxxix. 
15 — 18.  What  gladness  was  there  at  a  private  meeting  of  a  few 
Christians  that  met  to  pray  for  Peter,  when  they  saw  him  deliv- 
ered and  come  among  them;"  Acts  xii.  12.  and  v.  14.  When 
the  churches  had  rest,  they  were  edified,  and  walked  in  the  fear 
of  the  Lord,  and  in  the  comfort  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  Acts  ix.  31. 

3.  But  the  great  joy  will  be  when  Christ  returneth  in  his  glory 
at  the  last  day.  What  a  multitude  of  sorrows  will  there  be  ended  ! 
And  what  a  multitude  of  souls  will  then  be  comforted !  What  a 
multitude  of  desires,  and  prayers,  and  expectations  will  then  be 
answered  !  How  many  thousand  that  have  sowed  in  tears  shall 
then  reap  in  everlasting  joy  !  When  the  creature  shall  be  deliver- 
ed from  the  bondage  of  corruption,  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the 
sons  of  God  ;  Rom.  viii.  26,  27.  When  all  the  faith,  and  labor, 
and  patience  of  all  the  saints,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  shall 
be  rewarded  with  the  rivers  of  celestial  pleasure,  and  the  just  shall 
enter  into  their  Master's  joy  ;  Matt.  xxv.  21. 

That  you  may  the  better  understand  the  sweetness  of  all  these 
sorts  of  joy,  which  Christ's  return  will  bring  to  saints,  observe  these 
following  ingredients  in  them  : — 

1.  It  is  Christ  himself  that  is  the  object  of  their  joy ;  he  that  is 
the  dearly  beloved  of  their  souls  ;  that,  for  their  sakes,  was  made  a 
man  of  sorrows  ;  it  is  he  who  is  their  hope  and  help ;  with  whom 
they  are  in  covenant  as  their  only  Savior ;  in  whom  they  have 
trusted,  with  whom  they  have  deponed  their  souls  !  If  he  should 
fail  them,  all  would  fail  them ;  and  they  were,  of  all  men,  most 
miserable :  they  would  be  comfortless  if  he  should  not  come  unto 
them,  and  were  not  their  comfort.  The  world  cannot  help  and 
comfort  them,  for  it  is  empty,  vain,  a  transient  shadow :  it  will  not, 


526         BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON. 

for  it  is  malignant,  and  our  professed  enemy.  For  we  know  that 
we  are  of  God,  and  the  whole  world  is  in  maligno  positus,  set  on 
wickedness,  (or,  as  some  think,  because  6  T/WJ/O^  is  put  for  the 
devil  in  the  foregoing  verse,  and  the  article  here  also  used,)  is,  as 
it  were,  planted  into  the  devil,  or  put  under  the  devil,  to  war  against 
Christ  and  the  holy  seed  ;  and  indeed,  Satan  seemeth,  in  this  war 
against  the  church,  to  have  somewhat  like  success  as  he  had 
against  Christ  himself:  as  Christ  must  be  a  man  of  sorrows  and 
scorn,  and  be  crucified  as  a  blasphemer  and  a  traitor,  before  he  re- 
joice the  hearts  of  his  disciples  by  his  resurrection,  so  the  church 
was  a  persecuted,  scorned  handful  of  men,  for  the  first  three  hun- 
dred years,  and  then  it  rose  by  Christian  emperors  to  some  reputa- 
tion, till  Satan,  by  another  game,  overcame  them  by  Judas  his  suc- 
cessors ;  that  for,  '  what  will  you  give  me '  by  pride  and  worldli- 
ness  betrayed  them  into  that  deplorable  state,  in  which  th'ey  have 
continued  these  900  years  at  least ;  so  that  the  Christian  name  is 
confined  to  a  sixth  part  of  the  world  ;  and  serious,  sanctified  be- 
lievers are  persecuted  more  by  the  hypocrites  that  wear  the  livery 
of  Christ,  than  by  heathens  and  infidels  themselves.  And  when 
the  church  is  so  low,  almost  like  Christ  on  the  cross  and  the  grave, 
will  not  a  resurrection  be  a  joyful  change  ?  When  it  crieth  out 
on  the  cross,  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?" 
will  not  Christ,  appearing  for  its  deliverance,  be  a  welcome  sight  ? 
It  was  when  Adam  had  brought  a  curse  on  himself  and  his  pos- 
terity, and  all  the  earth,  that  redemption,  by  the  holy  seed,  was 
promised ;  and  when  Satan  had  conquered  man,  that  Christ  was 
promised  to  conquer  him.  It  was  when  the  world  was  destroyed 
by  the  deluge,  that  its  reparation  was  promised  to  Noah:  it  was 
when  Abraham  was  a  sojourner  in  a  strange  land,  that  the  peculiar 
promises  were  made  to  him  and  his  seed.  It  was  when  the  Israel- 
ites were  enslaved  to  extremity,  that  they  were  delivered.  *  And 
it  was  when  the  sceptre  was  departing  from  Judah,  and  they  and 
the  world  were  gone  from  God,  that  Christ,  the  light  of  the  world, 
was  sent.  And  when  the  Son  of  man  cometh,  shall  he  find  faith 
on  the  earth  ?  When  we  see  how  vast  the  heathen  and  infidel 
kingdoms  are,  and  what  a  poor,  despised  people  those  are  that  set 
their  chief  hopes  on  heaven,  and  how  Satan  seemeth  every  where 
to  prevail  against  them,  and  most  by  false  and  worldly  Christians, 
what  a  trial  is  this  to  our  faith  and  hope !  As  the  disciples  said 
of  a  crucified  Christ,  we  trusted  it  had  been  he  that  should  have 
redeemed  Israel;  we  are  almost  ready,  in  the  hour  of  temptation, 
to  say,  we  trusted  that  God's  name  should  have  been  hallowed, 
and  his  kingdom  come,  and  his  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in 
heaven.  And,  O,  how  seasonable  and  how  joyful  will  the  church's 
resurrection  be  after  such  low  and  sad  distress !  Many  a  sad 


BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON.   .       527 

Christian,  under  the  sentence  of  death,  is  going  hence  with  fear 
and  trouble,  when  a  moment  shall  transmit  them  into  the  joyful 
presence  of  their  Lord,  and  the  possession  of  that  which,  with 
weakness  and  fear,  they  did  but  believe. 

2.  And  Christ  will  not  come  or  be  alone :  with  him  will  come 
the  New  Jerusalem :  he  will  put  glory  on  each  member,  but  much 
more  on  the  whole.  O,  how  many  of  our  old  companions  are 
now  there  !  Not  under  temptation,  or  any  of  the  tempter's  power ! 
Not  under  the  darkness  of  ignorance,  error,  or  unbelief!  Not 
under  the  pains  of  a  languid,  diseased,  corruptible  body  !  Not 
under  the  fear  of  sin,  or  Satan,  or  wicked  men ;  not  under  the 
terror  of  death  or  hell,  of  an  accusing  conscience,  or  the  wrath  of 
God  :  O,  with  what  joy  shall  we  see  and  enjoy  that  glorious  so- 
ciety !  To  be  translated  thither  from  such  a  world  as  this  ;  from 
such  temptations,  sins ;  such  fears  and  sorrows  ;  such  perfidious, 
malignant  wickedness ;  what  will  it  be  but  to  be  taken  as  from  a 
jail  unto  a  kingdom,  and  from  the  suburbs  of  hell  unto  the  com- 
munion of  blessed  saints  and  angels,  and  into  the  joy  of  our  Lord ! 

Doct.  VI.  Your  joy  shall  no  man  take  from  you :  the  joy  that 
cometh  at  Christ's  return  will  be  a  secure  and  everlasting  joy.  Im- 
pregnable as  heaven  itself,  Christ  and  his  church  will  be  crucified 
no  more.  Look  not,  then,  for  Christ  and  his  church  in  the  grave. 
He  is  not  here ;  he  is  risen.  Who,  can  we  fear,  will  deprive  us  of 
that  joy  ? 

1.  Not  ourselves  ;  and  then  we  need  to  fear  no  other  :  our  folly 
and  sin  is  our  enemies'  strength ;  they  can  do  nothing  against  us 
without  ourselves.     The  arrows  that  wound  us  are  all  feathered 
from  our  own  wings.     But  our  trying  time  will  then  be  past,  and 
confirmation  will  be  the  reward  of  conquest.     He  that  hath  kept 
us  in  the  day  of  our  trial,  will  keep  us  in  our  state  of  rest  and  tri- 
umph.    How  the  (now)  fallen  angels  came  to  lose  their  first  in- 
nocency  and  welfare,  is  unknown  to  us :  but  we  have  a  promise 
of  being  forever  with  Christ. 

2.  Nor  shall  devils  deprive  us  of  that  joy  ;  neither  by  those  ma- 
licious temptations  wherewith  they  now  molest  and  haunt  us  ;  not 
by  the  unhappy  advantages  which  we  have  given  them  by  our  sin, 
to  corrupt  our  imaginations,  and  thoughts,  and  affections,  or  to  dis- 
turb our  passions,  or  pervert  our  understandings.     Nor  by  any 
terror  or  violence  to  molest  us. 

3.  Nor  shall  any  men  take  from  us  that  joy :  the  blessed  will 
increase  it :  their  joy  will  be  ours  ;  and  the  wicked  will  be  utterly 
disabled ;  they  will  be  miserable  themselves  in  hell.     They  will 
no  more  endanger  us  by  flattering   temptations ;  nor  terrify  us  by 
threats  ;  nor  tread  us  down  by  their  power  ;  nor  hurt  us  in  their 


,      BAXTERS  F.VREWEM.  SERMON. 

malice  ;  nor  render  us  odious  by  false  accusations ;  nor  triumph 
over  us  with  pride  and  false  reproach.  They  that  said  of  the 
church,  as  of  Christ,  "  He  trusted  in  God ;  let  him  deliver  him 
now  if  he  will  have  him  ;  for  he  hath  said,  I  am  the  Son  of  God  ;  " 
(Matt,  xxvii.  43.)  they  shall  see  that  God  hath  delivered  his 
church,  and  he  will  have  it. 

Use  1 .  And  will  not  a  firm  belief  of  all  this  rejoice  the  soul 
under  all  disappointments  and  sufferings  on  earth  ?  And  doth  not 
our  dejectedness  and  want  of  joy  declare  the  sinful  weakness  of 
our  faith  ?  O,  sirs,  our  sadness,  our  impatience,  our  small  desire 
to  be  with  Christ,  the  little  comfort  that  we  fetch  from  heaven  do 
tell  us,  that  Christianity,  and  a  life  of  faith,  is  a  harder  work  than 
most  imagine ;  and  the  art,  and  form,  and  words  of  holiness  are 
much  more  common  than  a  holy,  heavenly  mind  and  life.  Christ 
speaketh  many  words  of  pity  to  his  servants  under  sorrows  and 
sinking  grief,  which  some  mistake  for  words  of  approbation  or 
command.  "  Why  are  ye  afraid,  O  ye  of  little  faith  ?  "  were  words 
both  of  compassion  and  reproof.  I  am  sure  the  great  unbelief  that 
appearetb  in  much  of  our  dejectedness  and  sorrow,  deserveth  more 
reproof  than  our  sufferings  deserve  to  be  entertained  with  those 
sorrows. 

Use  2.  I  will,  therefore,  take  my  farewell  of  you,  in  advising, 
and  charging  you,  as  from  God,  that  you  be  not  deceived  by  a 
flattering  world,  nor  dejected  by  a  frowning  world,  but  place  your 
hopes  on  those  joys  which  no  man  can  take  from  you.  If  you 
cannot  trust  the  love  of  God,  and  the  grace  and  promises  of  our 
Savior,  and  the  witness  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  you  must  despair ;  for 
there  is  no  other  trust. 

So  many  of  you  seem  to  have  chosen  this  good  part,  the  one 
thing  necessary,  which  shall  never  be  taken  from  you,  that,  in  the 
midst  of  our  sorrows,  I  must  profess  that  I  part  with  you  with 
thankfulness  and  joy.  And  I  will  tell  you  for  what  I  am  so  thank- 
ful, that  you  may  know  what  I  would  have  you  be  for  the  time 
to  come. 

I.  I  thank  the  Lord,  that  chose  for  me  so  comfortable  a  station, 
even  a  people  whom  he  purposed  to  bless. 

II.  I  thank  the  Lord  that  I  have  not  labored   among  you  in 
vain,  and  that  he  opened  the  hearts  of  so  great  a  number  of  yours, 
to  receive  his  word  with  a  teachable  and  willing  mind. 

III.  I  thank  the  Lord  that  he  hath  made  so  many  of  you  as 
helpful  to  your  neighbors  in  your  place  as  I  have  been  in  mine  ; 
and  that  you  have  not  been  uncharitable  to  the  souls  of  others,  but 
have,  with  great  success,  endeavored  the  good  of  all. 

IV.  I  rejoice  that  God  hath  kept  you  humble,  that  you  have 


BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON.  529 

not  been  addicted  to  proud  ostfiilation  of  your  gifts  or  wisdom;  nor 
inclined  to  invade  any  part  of  the  sacred  office,  but  to  serve  God 
in  the  capacity  where  lie  hath  placed  you. 

V.  I  rejoice  that  God  hath  made  you  unanimous,  and  kept  out 
sects,  and  heresies,  and  schisms,  so  that  you  have  served   him  as 
with  one  mind  and  mouth  ;  and  that  you  have  not  been  addicted 
to   proud  wranglings,  disputing?,  and  contentions,  but   have  lived 
in  unity,  love  and  peace,  and  the  practice  of  known  and  necessa- 
ry truths. 

VI.  I  rejoice  that  your  frequent  meetings  in  your  houses,  spent 
only  in  reading,  repeating  your  teacher's  sermons,  prayer  and  praise 
to  God,  have   had  none  of  those  effects  which  the  conventicles 
of  proud  opiniators  and  self-conceited  persons  use  to  have,  and 
which  have  brought  even  needful  converse  and  godly  communi- 
cation into  suspicion,  at  least  with  some  that  argue  against  duty 
from  the  abuse. 

Yea,  I  rejoice  that  hereby  so  much  good  hath  been  done  by  you. 
You  have  had  above  forty  years'  experience  of  the  great  benefit  of 
such  well-ordered  Christian  converse,  increasing  knowledge,  quicken- 
ing holy  desires,  prevailing  with  God,  for  marvelous,  if  not  miracu- 
lous answers  of  your  earnest  prayers,  keeping  out  errors  and  sects. 

VII.  1  am  glad  that  you  have  had  the  great  encouragement  of 
so  many  sober,  godly,  able,  peaceable  ministers,  in  all  that  part  of 
the  country  round  about  you,  and  mostly  through  that  and  the 
neighbor  countries  ;  men  that  avoided  vain  and  bitter  contentions, 
that  engaged  themselves  in  no  sects  or  factions  ;  that,  of  a  multi- 
tude, not  above  two,  that  I  know  of,  in  all  our  association,  had  ever 
any  hand  in  wars ;  but  their  principles  and  practices  were  recon- 
ciling and  pacificatory  :  they  consented  to  catechise  all  their  pa- 
rishioners, house  by  house,  and  to  live  in  the  peaceable  practice 
of  so  much  church  discipline,  as  good  Christians  of  several  parties 
were  all  agreed  in.     And  you  have  lived  to  see  what  that  disci- 
pline was,  and  what  were  the  effects  of  such  agreement. 

VIII.  I  am  glad  that  you  were  kept  from  taking  the  solemn 
league  and  covenant,  and  the  engagement,  and  all  consent  to  the 
change  of  the  constituted  government  of  this  kingdom.     I  took  the 
covenant  myself,  of  which  I  repent,  and  I  will  tell  you  why  :  I 
never  gave  it  but  to  one  man,  (that  I  remember,)  and  he  professed 
himself  to  be  a  Papist  physician  newly  turned  Protestant,  and  he 
came  to  me  to  give  it  him.     I  was  persuaded  that  he  took  it  in 
false  dissimulation,  and  it  troubled  me  to  think  what  it  was  to  draw 
multitudes  of  men,  by  carnal  interest,  so  falsely  to  take  it;  and  I 
kept  it  and  the  engagement  from  being  taken  in   your  town  and 
country.     At  first,  it  was  not  imposed,  but  taken  by  volunteers ; 
but  after  that  it  was  made  a  test  of  such  as  were  to  be  trusted  or 

VOL  ii.  67 


530  BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON. 

accepted.     Besides  the  illegality,  there  are  two  things  that  cause 
me  to  be  against  it. 

1.  That  men  should  make  a  mere  dividing  engine,  and  pretend 
it  a  means  of  unity  :  we  all  knew,  at  that  time,  when  it  was  impos- 
ed, that  a  great  part,  if  not  the  greatest,  of  church  and  kingdom 
were  of  another  mind  ;  and  that  as  learned  and  worthy  men  were 
for   prelacy,   as  most   the  world  had    (such  as   Usher,  Morton, 
Hall,  Davenant,  Brownrig,  &sc.)    And  to  make  our  terms  of  union 
to  be  such,  as  should  exclude  so  many,  and  such  men,  was  but  to 
imitate  those  church  dividers  and  persecutors,  who,  in  many  coun- 
tries and  ages,  have  still  made  their  own  impositions  the  engines 
of  division,  by  pretense  of  union.    And  it  seemeth  to  accuse  Christ, 
as  if  he  had  not  sufficiently  made  us  terms  of  concord,  but  we  must 
devise  our  own  forms  as  necessary  thereto. 

2.  And  it  was  an  imposing  on  the  providence  of  God,  to  tie  our- 
selves by  vows  to  that  as  unchangeable,  which  we  knew  not  but 
God  might  after  change,  as  if  we  had  been  the  masters  of  his  prov- 
idence.    No  man  then  knew  but  that  God  might  so  alter  many 
circumstances,  as  might  make  some  things  sins,  that  were  then 
taken  for  duty  ;  and  some  things  to  be  duty,  which  then  passed  for 
sin.     And  when  such  changes  come,  we  that  should  have  been 
content  with  God's  obligations,  do  find  ourselves  insnared  in  our 
own  rash  vows. 

And  I  wish  that  it  teach  no  other  men  the  way  of  dividing 
impositions,  either  to  cut  the  knot,  or  to  be  even  with  the  Cov- 
enanters. 

IX.  I  greatly  rejoice,  that  family  religion  is  so  conscionably 
kept  up  among  you,  that  your  children  and  apprentices  seem  to 
promise  us  a  hopeful  continuation  of  piety  among  you. 

X.  And  I  thank  God,  that  so  great  a  number  of  persons,  em- 
inent for  holiness,  temperance,  humility  and  charity  are  safely  got 
to  heaven  already,  since  I  first  came  among  you,  and,  being  escap- 
ed from  the  temptations  and  troubles  of  this  present  evil  world, 
have  left  you  the  remembrance  of  their  most  imitable  examples. 

And  having  all  this  comfort  in  you,  as  to  what  is  past,  I  shall 
once  more  leave  you  some  of  my  counsels  and  requests,  for  the 
time  to  come,  which  I  earnestly  entreat  you  not  to  neglect. 

I.  Spend  most  of  your  studies  in  confirming  your  belief  of  the 
truth  of  the  gospel,   the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and  the  life  to 
come,  and  in  exercising  that  belief,  and  laying  up  your  treasure  in 
heaven ;  and  see  that  you  content  not  yourselves  in  talking  of 
heaven,  and  speaking  for  it ;  but  that  your  hopes,  your  hearts,  and 
your  conversation  be  there  ;  and  that  you  live  for  it,  as  worldlings 
do  for  the  flesh. 

II.  Flatter  not  yourselves  with  the  hopes  of  long  life  on  earth, 


BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON.  531 

but  make  it  the  sum  of  all  your  religion,  care  and  business,  to  be 
ready  for  a  safe  and  comfortable  death ;  for,  till  you  can  fetch 
comfort  from  the  life  to  come,  you  can  have  no  comfort  that  true 
reason  can  justify. 

III.  Live  as  in  a  constant  war  against  all  fleshly  lusts,  and  love 
not  the  world,  as  it  cherisheth  those  lusts.     Take  heed  of  the  love 
of  money,  as  the  root  of  manifold  evils;  think  of  riches  with  more 
fear  than  desire ;  seeing  Christ  hath   told  us  how  hard  and  dan- 
gerous it  maketh  our  way  to  heaven.     When  once  a  man  falls 
deeply  in  love  with  riches,  he  is  never  to  be  trusted,  but  becomes 
false  to  God,  to  all  others,  and  to  himself. 

IV.  Be  furnished  beforehand  with   expectation    and  patience 
for  all  evils  that  may  befall  you  ;  and  make  not  too  great  a  matter 
of  sufferings,  especially  poverty,  or  wrong  from  men.     It  is  sin  and 
folly  in  poor  men,  that  they  overvalue  riches,  and  be  not  thankful 
for  their  peculiar  blessings.     I  am  in  hopes  that  God  will  give  you 
more  quietness  than  many  others,  because  there  are  none  of  you 
rich  :  it  is  a  great  means  of  safety  to  have  nothing  that  tempt- 
eth  another  man's  desire,  nor  that  he  envieth  you  for ;  despised 
men  live  quietly,  and  he  that  hath  an  empty  purse  can  sing  among 
the  robbers  ;  he  that  lieth  on  the  ground  feareth  not  falling.    When 
Judea  (and  so  vyhen  England  by  Saxons,  Danes,  &.c.)  was  con- 
quered, the  poor  were  let  alone  to  possess  and  till  the  land,  and 
had  more  than  before.     It  was  the  great  and  rich  that  were  de- 
stroyed, or  carried,  or  driven  away.     Is  it  not  a  great  benefit  to 
have  your  souls   saved  from  rich  men's   temptations,  and  your 
bodies  from  the  envy,  assaults,  and  fears,  and  miseries  that  they 
are  under? 

V.  Take  heed  of  a  self-conceited,  unhumbled  understanding, 
and  of  hasty  and  rash  conclusions :  it  is  the  fool  that  rageth  and 
is  confident ;  sober  men  are  conscious  of  so  much  darkness  and 
weakness,  that  they  are  suspicious  of  their  apprehensions  :  proud 
self-conceitedness,  and  rash,  hasty  concluding,  causeth  most  of  the 
mischiefs  in  the  world ;  which  might  be  prevented,  if  men  had  the 
humility  and  patience  to  stay  till  things  be  thoroughly  weighed  and 
tried.     Be  not  ashamed  to  profess  uncertainty,  where  you  are  in- 
deed uncertain.     Humble  doubting  is  much  safer  than  confident 
erring. 

VI.  Maintain  union  and  communion  with  all  true  Christians  on 
earth  ;  and,  therefore,  hold  to  catholic  principles  of  mere  Christi- 
anity, without  which  you  must  needs  crumble  into  sects.     Love 
Christians  as  Christians,  but  the  best  most :  locally  separate  from 
none,  as  accusing  of  them  further  than  "they  separate  from  Christ, 
or  deny  you  their  communion,  unless  you  will  sin.     The  zeal  of  a 
sect,  as  such,  is  partial,  turbulent,  hurtful  to  dissenters,  and  maketh 


532  BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON. 

men  as  thorns  and  thistles;  but  the  zeal  of  Christianity,  as  such, 
is  pure  and  peaceable,  full  of  mercy,  and  good  fruits,  mellow  and 
sweet,  and  inclincth  to  the  good  of  all.  If  God  give  you  a  faith- 
ful, or  a  tolerable  public  minister,  be  thankful  to  God,  and  love, 
honor,  and  encourage  him  ;  and  let  not  the  imperfections  of  the 
Common  Prayer  make  you  separate  from  his  communion :  preju- 
dice will  make  all  modes  of  worship  different  from  that  which  we 
prefer,  to  seem  some  heinous,  sinful  crime ;  but  humble  Chris- 
tians are  most  careful  about  the  frame  of  their  own  hearts,  and 
conscious  of  so  much  faultiness  in  themselves,  and  all  their  service 
of  God,  that  they  are  not  apt  to  accuse  and  aggravate  the  failings 
of  others,  especially  in  matters  which  God  has  left  to  our  own  de- 
termination. Whether  we  shall  pray  with  a  book,  or  without,  in 
divers  short  prayers,  or  one  long  one ;  whether  the  people  shall 
sing  God's  praise  in  tunes,  or  speak  it  in  prose,  &ic.,  is  left  to  be 
determined  by  the  general  rules  of  concord,  order,  and  edification. 
Yet  do  not  withdraw  from  tiie  communion  of  soberly,  godly  non- 
conformists, though  falsely  called  schismatics  by  others. 

VII.  Be  sure  that  you  maintain  due  honor  and  subjection  to 
your  governors  :  "  Fear  the  Lord,  and  the  king,  and  meddle  not 
with  them  that  are  given  to  change  ;  "  Prov.  xxiv.  21.  And  that, 
in  regard  of  the  oath  of  God,  (Eccles.  viii.  2.)  "Curse  not  the 
king,  no,  not  in  thy  thought,  and  curse  not  the  rich  in  thy,  bed- 
chamber ;  for  a  bird  of  the  air  shall  carry  the  voice,  and  that  which 
hath  wings  shall  tell  the  matter;"  Eccles.  x.  20.  Obey  God  with 
your  first  and  absolute  obedience,  and  no  man  against  him  ;  but 
obey  the  just  commands  of  magistrates,  and  that  out  of  obedience 
to  God  ;  and  suffer  patiently  when  you  cannot  obey.  And  if 
God  should  ever  cast  you  under  oppressing  and  persecuting  gov- 
ernors, in  your  patience  possess  your  souls ;  trust  God  and  keep 
your  innocency,  and  abhor  all  thoughts  of  rebellion  or  revenge; 
he  that  believeth  will  not  make  haste.  Do  nothing  but  what  God 
will  own,  and  then  commit  yourselves  and  your  way  to  him.  Re- 
press wrath,  and  hate  unpeaceable  counsels  ;  our  way  and  our  time 
must  be  only  God's  way  and  time.  Self-saving  men  are  usually 
the  destroyers  of  themselves  and  others.  Peter,  that  drew  his 
sword  for  Christ,  denied  him  the  same  night,  with  oaths  and  curses. 
Fools  trust  themselves,  and  wise  men  trust  God :  fools  tear  the 
tree  by  beating  down  the  fruit  that  is  unripe  and  harsh ;  and 
wise  men  stay  till  it  is  ripe  and  sweet,  and  will  drop  into  their 
hands :  fools  rip  up  the  mother  for  an  untimely  birth ;  but  wise 
men  stay  till  maturity  give  it  them.  Fools  take  red-hot  iron  to  be 
gold,  till  it  burn  their  fingers  to  the  bone;  they  rush  into  seditions 
and  blood,  as  if  it  were  a  matter  of  jest ;  but  wise  men  *  sow  the 
fruit  of  righteousness  in  peace,  and,  as  much  as  in  them  lieth,  live 


BAXTER'S  FAREWELI,  SERMON.  533 

peaceably  with  all  men  :  all  men  are  mortal,  both  oppressors  and 
oppressed :  stay  a  little,  and  mortality  will  change  the  scene : 
God's  time  is  best.  Martyrdom  seldom  killeth  the  hundredth  part 
so  many  as  wars  do  ;  and  he  is  no  true  believer  that  taketh  mar- 
tyrdom to  be  his  loss ;  and  Christ  is  more  interested  in  his  gospel, 
church,  and  honor,  than  we.  Queen  Mary's  cruelties,  and  the 
bishops'  bonfires,  made  religion  universally  received  the  more  easily 
when  her  short  reign  was  ended.  We  may  learn  wit  of  the  fool, 
that,  seeing  great  guns  and  muskets,  asked  what  they  were  to  do  ; 
and  the  answerer  said,  to  '  kill  men : '  saith  he,  '  Do  not  men  die 
here  without  killing  ?  In  our  country,  they  will  die  of  themselves.' 

VIII.  Be  sure  that  you  keep  up  family  religion  ;  especially  in 
the  careful  education  of  youth.     Keep  them  from  evil  company 
and  from  temptations  ;  and  especially  of  idleness,  fullness,  and  baits 
of  lust.     Read  the  Scripture,  and  good  books,  and  call  upon  God, 
and  sing  his  praise  ;  and  recreate  youth  with  reading  the  history 
of  the  church,  and  the  lives  of  holy  men   and  martyrs :  instruct 
them  in  catechisms  and  fundamentals. 

IX.  Above  all,  live  in  love  to  God  and  man  ;  and  let  not  selfish- 
ness and  worldliness  prevail  against  it.     Think  of  God's  goodness, 
as  equal  to  his  greatness  and  wisdom ;  and  take  yourselves  as  mem- 
bers of  the  same  body  with  all  true  Christians.     Blessed  are  they 
that  faithfully  practice  those  three  grand  principles  which  all  profess, 
viz.  1.  "To  love  God  as  God  above  all,  (and  so  to  obey  him.)    2.  To 
love  our  neighbors  as  ourselves.     3.  And  to  do  as  we  would  be 
done  by.     Love  is  not  envious,  malignant,  censorious ;  it  slander- 
eth  not ;  it  persecuteth  not ;  it  oppresseth  not ;  it  defraudeth  not ; 
it  striveth  not  to  gain  by  another's  loss :  get  men  once  to  love  their 
neighbors  as  themselves,  and  you  may  easily  prognosticate  peace, 
quietness,  and  concord  ;  happiness  to  the  land ;  and  salvation  to 
the  people's  souls. 

Finally,  brethren,  live  in  love,  and  the  God  of  love  and  peace 
shall  be  among  you.  The  Lord  save  you  from  the  evils  of  which 
I  have  here,  and  often  warned  you.  Remember,  with  thankful- 
ness, the  many  years  of  abundant  mercy  which  we  have  enjoyed, 
(though  too  much  mixed  with  our  sins,  and  vilified  by  some.) 
"  Comfort  yourselves  together,  and  edify  one  another,  even  as  also 
ye  do ;  and  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  to  know  them  which  labor 
among  you,  and  are  over  you  in  the  Lord,  and  admonish  you,  and 
to  esteem  them  very  highly  in  love,  for  their  work  sake,  and  be 
at  peace  among  yourselves;"  1  Thess.  v.  11 — 13.  And  the 
Lord  deeply  write  on  all  our  hearts  these  blessed  words,  "  We 
have  known  and  believed  the  love  that  God  hath  to  us:  God  is 
love,  and  he  that  dwelleth  in  love,  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in 
him  ;"  1  John  iv.  16.  And  remember,  "Seeing  all  these  things 


ti 
534  BAXTER'S  FAREWELL  SERMON. 

shall  be  dissolved,  what  manner  of  persons  ought  ye  to  be  in  all 
holy  conversation  and  godliness,  looking  for  and  hasting  the  com- 
ing of  the  day  of  God,  wherein  the  heavens,  being  on  fire,  shall 
be  dissolved,  and  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat ;  nev- 
ertheless we,  according  to  his  promise,  look  for  new  heavens  and  a 
new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness  ;"  2  Peter  iii.  11 — 13. 

I  need  not  lengthen  my  counsels  further  to  you  now,  having 
been  called  by  the  will  and  providence  of  God  to  leave  behind  me 
a.  multitude  of  books,  which  may  remember  you  of  what  you  heard, 
and  acquaint  the  world  what  doctrine  I  have  taught  you ;  and  if 
longer  studies  shall  teach  me  to  retract  and  amend  many  failings, 
in  the  writings  or  practice  of  my  unripe  and  less  experienced  age, 
as  it  will  be  to  myself  as  pleasing  as  the  cure  of  bodily  disease,  I 
hope  it  will  not  seem  strange  or  ungrateful  to  you  :  though  we 
must  hold  fast  the  truth  which  we  have  received,  both  you  and  I 
are  much  to  be  blamed,  if  we  grow  not  in  knowledge,  both  in 
matter,  words,  and  method  :  the  Lord  grant  that  also  we  may  grow 
in  faith,  obedience,  patience  in  hope,  love,  and  desire  to  be  with 
Christ. 

Now,  the  God  of  peace,  that  brought  again  from  the  dead  our 
Lord  Jesus,  that  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  through  the  blood 
of  the  everlasting  covenant,  make  you  perfect  in  every  good  work, 
to  do  his  will,  working  in  you  that  which  is  well-pleasing^  in  his 
sight,  through  Jesus  Christ,  to  whom  be  glory  forever  and  ever. 
Amen.  Heb.  xiii.  20,  21. 


V   * 


-•••.  . 

HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY: 

OR, 

' 

THE  PUBLIC   GOOD    IS  THE  CHRISTIAN'S   LIFE. 
DIRECTIONS   AND    MOTIVES    TO    IT. 


* 

NTENDED    FOR    AN    AUDITORY    OF   LONDON    CITIZENS  J 

AND    PUBLISHED    FOR   THEM   FOR   WANT    OF 

LEAVE    TO    PREACH    THEM. 


"  Who  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and 
purify  to  himself  a  people  zealous  of  good  works." — TITUS  ii.  14. 


TO   THE 


TRULY    CHRISTIAN   MERCHANTS 


As  my  disease,  and  the  restraint  of  rulers,  seem  to  tell  me 
that  my  pulpit  work  is  at  an  end,  so  also  tny  abode  among  you, 
or  in  this  world,  cannot  be  long.  What  work  I  have  lived  for, 
I  have  given  the  world  more  durable  notice  than  transient  words : 
it  hath  been  such  as  men  in  power  were  against,  and,  it  seems, 
will  no  longer  endure.  What  doctrine  it  was  that  I  last  pre- 
pared^w:  you,  I  thought  meet^o  desire  the  press  thus  to  tell 
you  ;  iBrot  to  vindicate  myself,"  nor  to  characterize  them  who 
think  that  it  deserves  six  months'  imprisonment,  but  to  be  in 
your  hands  a  provocation  and  direction ;  for  that  great  work 
of  a  Christian  life,  sincerely  done,  will  prepare  you  for  that 
safety,  joy,  and  glory,  which  London,  England,  or  earth  will 
not  afford,  and  which  men  or  devils  cannot  take  from  you. 
When,  through  the  meritorious  righteousness  of  Christ,  your 
holy  love  and  good  works  to  him  in  his  brethren  shall  make 
you  the  joyful  objects  of  that  sentence,  "  Come,  ye  blessed,  in- 
herit the  kingdom,"  &,c. ;  this  is  the  life  that  need  not  be  repent- 
ed of,  as  spent  in  vain. 

Dear  friends,  in  this  farewell,  I  return  you  my  most  hear- 
ty thanks  for  your  extraordinary  love  and  kindness  to  my- 
self, much  more  for  your  love  to  Christ,  and  to  his  ser- 
vants, who  have  more  needed  your  relief.  God  is  not  unjust 
to  forget  your  work  and  labor  of  love.  You  have  visited 
those  that  others  imprisoned,  and  fed  those  that  others  brought 
into  want ;  and  when  some  ceased  not  to  preach  for  our  affliction, 
it  quenched  not  your  impartial  charity.  It  has  been  an  unspeak- 
able mercy  unto  me  almost  all  my  days,  (when  I  received  noth- 
ing from  them,)  to  have  known  so  great  a  number  as  I  have 
VOL.  n.  68 


538  TO    THE    CITIZENS    OF    LONDON. 

done,  of  serious,  humble,  holy,  charitable  Christians,  in  whom 
I  saw  that  Christ  hath  an  elect,  peculiar  people,  quite  dif- 
ferent from  the  brutish,  proud,  hypocritical,  malignant,  unbelieving 
world  !  O,  how  sweet  hath  the  familiarity  of  such  been  to  me, 
whom  the  ignorant  world  hath  hated !  Most  of  them  are  gone  to 
Christ ;  I  am  following :  we  leave  you  here  to  longer  trial :  it  is 
like  you  have  a  bitter  cup  to  drink ;  but  be  faithful  to  the 
death,  and  Christ  will  give  you  the  crown  of  life.  The  word  of 
God  is  not  bound,  and  the  Jerusalem  above  is  free,  where  is  the 
general  assembly  of  the  first-born,  an  innumerable  company  of 
angels,  the  spirits  of  the  just  made  perfect,  with  Christ  their  glori- 
fied Head.  The  Lord  guide,  bless,  and  preserve  you. 
[1682.] 


HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY; 

OR, 

THE    PUBLIC   GOOD  IS   THE  CHRISTIAN'S    LIFE. 


GAL.  vi. 


10. 


AS  WE  HAVE,  THEREFORE,  OPPORTUNITY,  LET  US  DO  GOOD  TO  ALL 
MEN,  ESPECIALLY  UNTO  THEM  WHO  ARE  OP  THE  HOUSEHOLD  OF 
FAITH. 

GOOD  is  an  epithet  of  the  highest  signification  of  any  in  hu- 
man language.  Some  think  the  name  of  God  is  thence  derived. 
GreJkess  and  wisdom  are  equally  his  attributes,  but  goodness  is 
the  completion,  and  sweetness  to  the  creature.  Christ  appropri- 
ateth  it  to  God  to  be  good,  that  is,  essentially,  primarily,  and  per- 
fectly, and  universally  communicative:  when  it  is  said  that  God  is 
love,  the  sense  is  the  same,  that  he  is  the  infinite,  essential,  and 
efficiently,  and  finally  amiable,  perfect  good. 

But  though  no  one  of  his  attributes  in  propriety  and  perfection 
are  communicable,  (else  he  that  hath  one  part  of  the  Deity  must 
have  all,)  yet  he  imprinteth  his  similitude  and  image  on  his  works ; 
and  the  impress  of  his  love  and  goodness  is  the  chief  part  of  his 
image  on  his  saints :  this  is  their  very  holiness ;  for  this  is  the  chief 
part  of  their  likeness  to  God,  and  dedication  to  him :  when  the 
Spirit  of  sanctification  is  described  in  Scripture,  as  given  upon  be- 
lieving, it  signifieth,  that  our  faithful  perception  of  the  redeeming, 
saving  love  of  God  in  Christ  is  that  means  which  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  will  bless,  to  the  operating  of  the  habit  of  holy  love  to  God 
and  man,  which  becomes  a  new  and  divine  nature  to  the  soul,  and 
is  sanctification  itself,  and  the  true  principle  of  a  holy,  evangelical 
conversation.  And  as  it  is  said  of  God,  that  he  is  good,  and  doth 
good,  so  every  thing  is  inclined  to  work  as  it  is  :  Christ  tells  us  the 
good  tree  will  bring  forth  good  fruits,  Sic. ;  and  we  are  God's  work- 
manship created  in  Christ  Jesus  to  good  works,  which  God  hath 
ordained,  that  we  should  walk  in  them ;  Eph.  ii.  10. 


540  HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY. 

Yet  man  doth  not  good  as  the  sun  shineth,  by  a  full  bent  of  nat- 
ural necessitation,  else  the  world  would  not  be  as  it  is;  but  as  a 
free,  undetermined  agent,  which  hath  need  to  be  commanded  by  a 
law,  and  stirred  up  by  manifold  motives  and  exhortations ;  such  as 
the  Holy  Ghost  here  useth  in  the  text. 

Where,  1.  Doing  good  is  the  substance  of  the  duty.  2.  Men 
are  the  objects.  3.  To  all  men  is  the  extent.  4.  Especially  to 
them  of  the  household  of  faith  is  the  direction  of  precedency. 
5.  And  while  we  have  opportunity  is  the  season,  including  a  mo- 
tive to  make  haste.  So  large  and  excellent  a  theme  would  re- 
quire more  than  my  allotted  time  to  handle  it  fully ;  therefore  I 
shall  now  confine  myself  to  the  duty  extended — "  Do  good  to 
all  men." 

Doct.  To  do  good  to  all  men,  is  all  men's  duty,  to  which  every 
Christian  especially  must  apply  himself. 

All  men  should  do  it :  true  Christians  can  do  it,  through  grace, 
and  must  do  it,  and  will  do  it.  A  good  man  is  a  common  good  ; 
Christ's  Spirit  in  them  is  not  a  dead  or  idle  principle.  It  makes 
them  in  their  several  measures  the  salt  of  the  earth,  and  the  lights 
of  the  world ;  they  are  fruitful  branches  of  the  true  vine.  Every 
grace  tendeth  to  well  doing,  and  to  the  good  of  the  whole  body, 
for  which  each  single  member  is  made.  Even  hypocrites,  as 
wooden  legs,  are  serviceable  to  the  body  ;  but  every  living  niMnber 
much  more,  except  some  diseased  ones,  who  may  be  more  trifble- 
some  and  dangerous  than  the  wooden  leg.  It  is  a  sign  he  is  a 
branch  cut  off  and  withered,  who  careth  little  for  any  but  himself. 
The  malignant  diabolist  hateth  the  true  and  spiritual  good ;  the 
ignorant  know  not  good  from  evil ;  the  erroneous  take  evil  for  good, 
and  falsehood  for  truth ;  the  slothful  hypocrite  wisheth  much  good, 
but  doth  but  little  ;  the  formal,  ceremonious  hypocrite  extols  the 
name  and  image  of  goodness  ;  the  worldly  hypocrite  will  do  good 
if  he  can  do  it  cheaply,  without  any  loss  or  suffering  to  his  flesh ; 
the  libertine  hypocrite  pleadeth  Christ's  merits  against  the  neces- 
sity of  doing  good,  and  looketh  to  be  saved  because  Christ  is  good, 
though  he  be  barren  and  ungodly ;  and  some  ignorant  teachers 
have  taught  them  to  say,  when  they  can  find  no  true  faith,  repent- 
ance, holiness,  or  obedience  in  themselves,  that  it  is  enough  to  be- 
lieve that  Christ  believed  and  repented  for  them,  and  was  holy  and 
obedient  for  them.  He  was,  indeed,  holy  and  obedient  for  peni- 
tent believers ;  not  to  make  holiness  and  obedience  unnecessary  to 
them,  but  to  make  them  sincerely  holy  and  obedient  to  himself, 
and  to  excuse  them  from  the  necessity  of  that  perfect  holiness  and 
obedience  here,  which  is  necessary  to  those  that  will  be  justified 
by  the  law  of  words,  or  innocency.  Thus  all  sorts  of  bad  men 
have  their  oppositions  to  doing  good  ;  but  to  the  sincere  Christian 


HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY.  541 

it  is  made  as  natural ;  his  heart  is  set  upon  it ;  he  is  created,  and 
redeemed,  and  sanctified  for  it,  as  the  tree  is  made  for  fruit.  He 
studieth  it  as  the  chief  trade  and  business  that  he  liveth  for ;  he 
waketh  for  it ;  yea,  he  sleepeth,  and  eateth,  and  drinketh  for  it; 
even  to  enable  his  body  to  serve  his  soul,  in  serving  that  Lord 
whose  redeemed,  peculiar  people  are  all  zealous  of  good  works ; 
Tit.  ii.  14.  The  measure  of  this  zeal  of  doing  good  is  the  utmost 
of  their  power,  with  all  their  talents  in  desire  and  sincere  endeavor ; 
the  extent  of  the  object  is  to  all,  (though  not  to  all  alike,)  that  is, 
to  as  many  as  they  can. 

But  for  order's  sake  we  must  here  consider : — 

I.  Who  this  all  meaneth,  and  in  what  order. 

II.  What  is  good  ;  and  what  is  that  good  which  we  must  do. ' 

III.  What  qualifications  he  must  have  that  will  do  good  to  many. 

IV.  What  rules  he  must  observe  in  doing  it. 

V.  What  works  are  they  that  must  be  done  by  him  that  would 
do  good  to  many. 

VI.  What  motives  should  quicken  us  to  the  practice. 

VII.  Some  useful  consectaries  of  the  point. 

1.  It  is  God's  prerogative  to  do  good  to  all  ;  man's  ability  will  not 
reach  it.     But  our  all  is  as  many  as  we  can  do  good  to.     1.  To 
men  of  all  sorts,  high  and  low,  rich  and  poor,  old  and  young,  kin- 
dred H neighbors,  strangers,  friends,  enemies,  good,  and   bad ;  none 
exce^ed  that  are  within  our  power. 

2.  Not  to  a  few  only,  but  to  as  many  persons  of  all  sorts  as  we 
can ;  as  he  that  hath  true  grace  would  still  have  more  for  himself, 
so  he  that  doth  good  would  fain  do  more  good  ;  and  he  that 
doth  good  to  some  would  fain  do  good  to  many  more.     All  good 
is  progressive,  and  tendeth  towards  increase  and  perfection  :  why 
are  the  faithful  said  to  love  and  long  for  the  day  of  Christ's  appear- 
ing, but  because  it  is  the  great  marriage  day  of  the  Lamb,  when 
all  the  elect  shall  be  perfect  in  our  heavenly  society  ?     And  that 
makes  it  a  more  desirable  day  than  that  of  our  particular  glorifica- 
tion at  death.     The  perfection  of  the  whole  body  addeth  to  the 
perfection  of  every  part,  for  it  is  a  state  of  felicity  in  perfect  love ; 
and  love  maketh  every  man's  good  whom  we  love  to  be  as  sweet 
to  us  as  our  own  ;  yea,  maketh  it  our  own  ;  and  then  the  perfection 
and  glory  of  every  saint  will  be"  our  delight  and  glory  ;  and  to  see 
each  single  one's  love  united  in  one  perfect  joy  and  glory,  will 
add  to  each  person's  joy  and  glory.     And  can  you  wonder  if  our 
little  sparks  of  grace  do  tend  towards  the  same  diffused  multiplica- 
tion ;  and  if  every  member  long  for  the  completing  of  the  body  of 
Christ  ?     O,  how  much  will  this  add  to  every  faithful  Christian's 
joy  !     It  will  not  be  then  a  little  flock  ;  not  despised  for  singulari- 
ty, nor  hid  in   the  crowd  of  impious  sinners,  nor  dishonored  by 


'542  HOW    TO    DO    GOOD    TO    MANY. 

infirmities,  or  paltry  quarrels  among  ourselves,  nor  with  the  mix- 
ture of  hypocrites ;  it  will  not  be  overvoted,  or  trod  down,  and 
persecuted  by  the  power  or  number  of  the  ignorant  enemies.  O 
Christians!  go  on  in  doing  good  to  all  men  with  cheerfulness,  for 
it  all  tendeth  to  make  up  the  body  of  Christ,  and  to  prepare  for 
that  glorious  state  and  day  :  every  soul  you  convert,  every  brick 
that  you  lay  in  the  building,  tendeth  to  make  up  the  house  and 
city  of  God. 

But  as  all  motion  and  action  is  first  upon  the  nearest  object,  so 
must  ours ;  and  doing  good  must  be  in  order  ;  first  we  must  begin 
at  home  with  our  own  souls  and  lives ;  and  then  to  our  nearest  re- 
lations, and  friends,  and  acquaintance,  and  neighbors ;  and  then  to 
our  societies,  church,  and  kingdom,  and  all  the  world.  But  mark 
that  the  order  of  execution,  and  the  order  of  estimation  and  in- 
tention, differ.  Though  God  set  up  lights  so  small  as  will  serve 
but  for  one  room,  and  though  we  must  begin  at  home,  we  must 
far  more  esteem  and  desire  the  good  of  multitudes,  of  city,  and 
church,  and  commonwealth ;  and  must  set  no  bounds  to  our  en- 
deavors, but  what  God  and  disability  set. 

II.  But  what  is  that  good  that  we  must  do  ?     Good  is  an  attri- 
bute of  being,  and  is  its  perfection,  or  well-being:  God's  goodness 
is  perfection  itself;  and  as  he  is  the  fountain  of  being,  so  also  of 
goodness ;  and,  therefore,  his  goodness  is  called  love,  whosekhigh- 
esl  act  is  his  essential  self-love,  which  is  infinitely  above  his'  love 
to  the  world ;  but  yet  it  is  communicative  love,  which  made  all 
things  good,  and  rested  in  seeing  them  all  good.     And  as  he  is 
the  fountain,  so  the  same  will  or  love  is  the  measuring  rule,  and 
the  end  of  all  derived  good.     The  prime  notion  of  the  creature's 
goodness  is  its  conformity  to  the  will  of  God ;  but  the  second  is  its 
perfection  as  its  own,  which,  indeed,  is  but  the  same  conformity. 

Therefore,  the  true  good  which  we  must  do  men,  is  to  make 
them  conformable  to  the  regulating  will  of  God,  that  they  may  be 
happy  in  the  pleased  will  of  God ;  and  to  help  them  to  all  means 
for  soul  and  body  necessary  hereunto ;  and  this  for  as  many  as 
possibly  we  can. 

III.  The  rules  for  judging  and  doing  good  are  these  : — 1.  That 
is  the  greatest  good  which  is  God's  greatest  interest ;  and   his 
interest  is  his  glory,  and  the  complaisance  of  his  fulfilled  will. 

2.  Therefore,  the  good  of  the  world,  the  church,  of  nations,  of 
multitudes,  is  greater  than  the  good  of  few. 

3.  The  good  of  the  soul  is  greater  than  of  the  body. 

4.  The  avoiding  the  greatest  evil  is  better  than  avoiding  less. 

5.  Everlasting  good  is  better  than  short. 

6.  Universal  good,  which  leaveth  no  evil,  is  better  than  a  par- 
ticular good. 


HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY.  543 

7.  That  is  the  best  good,  as  to  means,  which  most  con duceth 
to  the  end. 

8.  There  is  no  earthly  good  that  is  not  mixed  with  some  evil, 
nor  any  commodity  that  hath  not  some  inconvenience  or  discom- 
modity. 

9.  No  sin  must  be  done  for  any  good. 

10.  Some  things  may  be  done   for  good  which  would  be  sin, 
were  it  not  for  the  good  which   they  are   done  for.     It  would  be 
sin  to  give  a  robber  your  money,  were  it  not  to  save  your  life,  or 
some  other  commodity  :  it  would  be  sin  to  do  some  things  on  the 
Lord's  day,  which  necessity,  or  a  greater  good,  may  make  a  duty : 
your  own  defence  may  make  it  a  duty  to  strike   another,  which 
else  would  be  a  sin. 

11.  In  such  cases  there  is  need  of  great  prudence  and  impar- 
tiality to  know  whether  the  good  or  the  evil  do  preponderate ;  and 
a  great  part  of  the  actions  of  our  lives  must  be  managed  by  that 
prudence,  or  else  they  will  be  sinful. 

12.  Therefore  it  is  no  small  part  of  a  minister's  duty  to  counsel 
men,  as  a  wise,  skillful,  and  faithful  casuist. 

IV.  To  do  good  to  many  requireth  many  excellent  qualifica- 
tions :  this  is  so  far  from  being  every  one's  performance,  that  we 
should  be  glad  if  a  great  part  of  mankind  did  not  do  more  hurt 
than  good. 

1 .  Tie  that  will  do  his  country  good,  must  know  what"  is  good, 
and  what  is  bad :  a  fool's  love  is  hurtful :  he  knoweth  not  how  to 
use  it :  he  will  love  you  to  death,  as  an  unskillful  physician  doth 
his  most  beloved  patient ;  or  love  you  into  calamity,  as  amorous 
fondlings  often  do  each  other.  This  is  the  great  enemy  of  human 
peace — men  know  not  good  from  evil ;  like  him  that  killed  his  son, 
thinking  he  had  been  a  thief;  or  like  routed  soldiers,  that  run  by 
mistake  into  the  army  of  the  enemy.  Malignity  and  error  make 
mad  and  doleful  work  in  the  world,  and  worst  in  those  that  should 
be  wisest,  and  the  greatest  instruments  of  public  good :  the  Scrip- 
ture mistaketh  not,  which  tells  us  of  enemies  and  haters  of  God ; 
and  most  of  the  world  are  professed  adversaries  to  Christ :  the 
Jews  crucified  him  as  an  enemy  to  Caesar,  and  to  the  safety  of 
their  law  and  country ;  and  if  we  may  judge  by  their  enmity  to 
holiness,  the  Spirit  of  Christ  is  taken  for  an  intolerable  enemy  by 
no  small  part  of  nominal  Christians :  the  laws  of  Christ  are  judged 
too  strict :  the  hypocrites  that  bow  to  him,  and  hate  his  laws,  do 
call  them  hypocrites  that  are  but  serious  in  the  practice  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  hate  them  that  have  any  more  religion  than  compli- 
ments, ceremony,  and  set  words :  the  image  of  a  Christian  and  a 
minister  is  set  up  %i  militant  opposition  to  them  that  are  Christians 
and  ministers  indeed :  if  men  that  are  called  to  the  sacred  office 


544  HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY. 

would  save  souls  in  good  earnest,  and  pull  them  out  of  the  fire, 
and  go  any  further  than  pomp  and  stage-work,  they  pass  for  the 
most  insufferable  men  in  the  world :  Elias  is  taken  for  the  troubler 
of  Israel,  and  Paul  for  a  pestilent,  seditious  fellow,  and  the  apostles 
as  the  offscouring  of  all  things.  Many  a  martyr  hath  died  by 
fire,  for  seeking  to  save  men  from  the  fire  of  hell ;  and  when  the 
bedlam  world  is  at  this  pass,  what  good  is  to  be  expected  from 
such  men  ?  When  men,  called  Christians,  hate  and  oppose  the 
God,  the  Christ,  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  whom  they  were  vowed  in 
baptism ;  when  drunkenness,  and  whoredom,  and  perjury,  and 
lying,  and  all  debauchery,  is  taken  to  be  more  friendly  and  tolera- 
ble than  the  most  serious  worship  of  God,  and  obedience  to  his 
laws,  and  avoiding  sin  ;  in  a  word,  when  the  greatest  good  is  taken 
for  unsufferable  evil,  you  may  know  what  good  to  expect  from  such. 

They  will  all  tell  you  that  we  must  love  God  above  all,  and 
our  neighbors  as  ourselves ;  but  to  fight  against  his  word,  and 
worship,  and  servants,  is  but  an  ill  expression  of  their  love  to  God  ; 
and  seeking  their  destruction,  because  they  will  not  sin,  is  an  ill 
expression  of  love  to  their  neighbors.  When  men  judge  of  good 
and  evil  as  Satan  teacheth  them,  and  as  selfish  pride  and  worldly 
interest  incline  them,  what  wonder  if  such  love  have  murdered 
thirty  thousand,  or  forty  thousand,  at  once,  in  France,  and  two 
hundred  thousand  in  Ireland,  and  have  filled  the  Christian  world 
with  religious  blood  !  Read  but  the  doleful  histories  of  church 
contentions  for  one  thousand  three  hundred  years,  the  stories  of 
their  wars  and  mutual  persecutions,  the  streams  of  blood  that  have 
been  shed  in  east  and  west,  the  inquisition,  and  bloody  laws  still 
kept  up,  and  all  this  as  good  works,  and  done  in  love,  and  you 
would  think  that  the  sacred  Roman  hierarchy  did  believe  that 
Christ  hath  put  down  the  legal  sacrificing  of  beasts,  that  he  might, 
instead  of  it,  -have  the  blood  of  men ;  and  that  he  who  requireth 
his  disciples  to  lay  down  their  lives  for  him,  would  have  a  priest- 
hood kept  up  to  sacrifice  their  lives  to  him,  that  will  not  willfully 
break  his  laws.  And  all  this  is  but  as  Christ  foretold  us,  that  his 
servants  should  be  killed  as  a  piece  of  service  to  God.  No  won- 
der if  such  men  offer  God  a  ludicrous,  mimical  sort  of  service,  and 
worship  him  in  vain,  by  heartless  lip-labor,  according  to  the  tradi- 
tions of  men,  when  they  dare  sacrifice  saints  to  the  Lord  of  saints, 
and  quiet  their  consciences  by  calling  them  such  as  they  are  them- 
selves. But  to  the  honor  of  goodness,  and  shame  of  sin,  to  show 
that  they  sin  against  the  light  of  nature  itself,  they  put  the  name 
of  evil  upon  good  before  they  dare  openly  oppose  and  persecute 
it ;  and  they  put  the  names  of  good  upon  evil  before  they  dare 
defend  and  justify  it. 

But,  alas !  it  is  not  only  the  ungodly  that  do  mischief,  thinking 


HO\V     TO    DO    GOOD    TO    MANY.  545 

verily  that  itl  is  good.  How  many  doth  the  church  suffer  by, 
while  they  prosecute  their  mistakes,  who  yet  do  much  good  in 
promoting  the  common  truth  which  Christians  are  agreed  in! 

2.  He  that  will  do  good  to  all  or  many,  must  have  an  unfeigned 
Jove  to  them.     Hatred  is  mischievous,  and  neglect  is  unprofitable. 
Love  is  the  natural  fountain  of  beneficence.     Love  earnestly  long- 
eth  to  do  good,  and  delighteth  in  doing  it:  it  maketh  many  to  be 
as  one,  and  to  be  as  ready  to  help  others  as  each  member  of  the 
body  is  to  help  the  rest.     Love  maketh  another's  wants,  sufferings, 
and   sorrows,  to  be  our  own  :   and  who  is  not  willing  to  help  him- 
self?    Love  is  a  principle  ready,  active,  ingenuous,  and  constant ; 
it  studieth  to  do  good,  and  would  still  do  more :   it  is  patient  with 
the  infirmities  of  others,  which  men  void  of  love  do  aggravate  into 
odiousness,  and  make  them  their  excuse  for  all  their  neglects,  and 
their  pretense   for  all   their  cruellies.     Could  you  make   all  the 
slanderers,  backbiters,  revilers,  despisers,  persecutors,  to  love  their 
neighbors  as  themselves,  you  may  easily  judge  what  would  be  the 
effect ;  and  whether  they  would  revile,  or  persecute,  or  imprison, 
or  ruin  themselves,  or  study  how  to  make   themselves  odious,  or 
suborn  perjured  witnesses  against  themselves. 

3.  Yea,  he  that  will  do  good  to  many,  must  love  many  better 
than  himself,  and  prefer  the  common  good  much  before  his  own, 
and  seek  his  own  in  the  common  welfare.     He  that  loveth  good, 
as  good,  will  best  love  the  best ;  and  an  honest  old  Roman  would 
have  called  him  an  unworthy  beast  that  preferred  his  estate  or 
life  before  the  common  welfare.     To  be  ready  to  do,  suffer,  or 
die,  for  their  country,  was  a  virtue  which  all  extolled.     A  narrow- 

. spirited,  selfish  man  will  serve  others  no  further  than  it  serveth 
himself,  or,  at  least,  will  stand  with  his  own  safety  or  prosperity. 
He  will  turn  as  the  weathercock,  and  be  for  them  that  are  for  his 
worldly  interest.  I  confess  that  God  oft  useth  such  for  common 
good :  but  it  is  by  raising  such  storms  as  would  sink  them  with 
the  ship,  and  leaving  them  no  great  hope  to  escape  by  being  false, 
or  by  permitting  such  villanies  as  threaten  their  own  interest.  A 
covetous  father  may  be  against  gaining  and  prodigality  in  his  chil- 
dren :  the  men  of  this  world  are  wise  in  their  generation :  many 
that  have  abbey  lands  will  be  against  Popery  ;  and  even  atheists, 
and  licentious  men,  may  be  loath  to  be  slaves  to  politic  priests,  and 
to  come  under  confession,  and  perhaps  the  inquisition ;  and  those 
that  have  not  sinned  themselves  into  madness  or  gross  delusions, 
will  be  loath  to  set  up  a  foreign  jurisdiction,  and  become  the  sub- 
jects of  an  unknown  priest,  if  they  can  help  it.  God  often  useth 
vice  against  vice  ;  and  if  no  worldly,  selfish  men  were  the  country's 
or  the  church's  helpers,  it  must  suffer,  or  trust  to  miracles. 

But  yet  there  is  no  trust  to  be   put  in  these  men   further  than 
VOL.  ii.  69 


* 

546    ,          HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY. 

their  own  interest  must  stand  or  fall  with  the  common  good.  If 
God,  and  heaven,  and  conscience,  be  not  more  powerful  with  a 
man  than  worldly  interest,  trust  him  not  against  the  stream  and 
tide,  or  when  he  thinks  he  can  make  a  better  bargain  for  himself. 
He  that  will  sell  heaven  and  Christ  for  the  world,  will  sell  you 
for  it,  and  sell  religion,  truth,  and  honesty  for  it ;  and  if  he  escape 
here  the  end  of  Ahithophel  and  Judas,  he  will  venture  on  all  that 
is  out  of  sight.  Christ  was  the  grand  benefactor  to  the  world,  and 
the  most  excellent  teacher  of  love,  and  self-denial,  and  contempt 
of  the  world,  to  all  that  will  follow  him  in  doing  good  to  many. 

4.  He  that  will  do  much  good  must  be  good  himself.  Make 
the  tree  good  if  you  have  good  fruit.  Opcrari  sequitur  csse.  A 
bad  man  is  an  enemy  to  the  greatest  good  that  he  should  do. 
Malignity  abhorreth  serious  piety  ;  and  will  such  promote  it  ?  If 
Elias  be  a  man  of  miracles,  he  shall  hear,  "  Hast  thou  found  me, 
O  my  enemy  !  "  And  Micaiah  shall  hear,  "  I  hate  him,  for  he 
prophesieth  not  good  of  me,  but  evil :  feed  him  with  the  bread 
and  water  of  affliction." 

And  a  bad  man,  if  by  accident  he  be  engaged  for  a  good  cause, 
is  still  suspected  by  those  that  know  him.  They  cannot  trust 
him,  as  being  a  slave  to  lust,  and  to  strong  temptations,  and  a 
secret  enemy  to  the  true  interest  of  his  country.  Alas  !  the  best 
are  hardly  to  be  trusted  far,  as  being  liable  to  miscarry  by  infirm- 
ity ;  how  little,  then,  is  to  be  hoped  for  from  the  wicked ! 

4.  He  that  will  do  much  good  in  the  world,  must  be  furnished 
with  considerable  abilities,  especially  prudence  and  skill  in  knowing 
when,  and  to  whom,  and  how  to  do  it.  Without  this,  he  will  do 
more  harm  than  good.  Even  good  men,  when  they  have  done 
much  good,  by  some  one  miscarriage,  tempted  by  the  remnants  of 
selfishness  and  pride,  and  by  unskillful  rashness,  have  undone  all 
the  good  they  did,  and  done  as  much  hurt  as  wicked  enemies. 
There  goeth  so  much  to  public  good,  and  so  many  snares  are  to 
be  avoided,  that  rash,  self-conceited,  half-witted  men  do  seldom  do 
much,  unless  under  the  conduct  of  wiser  men. 

6.  He  that  will  be  a  public  blessing  to  the  world,  must  have  a 
very  large  prospect,  and  see  the  state  of  all  the  world,  and  foresee 
what  is  like  to  come.  He  must  not  live  as  if  his  neighborhood 
were  all  the  land,  or  his  country  or  his  party  were  all  the  church, 
or  all  the  world  :  he  must  know  what  relation  all  our  actions  have 
to  other  nations,  and  to  all  the  church  of  Christ  on  earth.  The 
wan!  of  this  universal  prospect  involveth  many  in  censorious  and 
dividing  sects,  who  would  abhor  that  way  if  they  knew  the  case 
of  all  the  church  and  world. 

And  we  must  not  look  only  to  a  present  exigent  or  advantage, 
but  foresee  how  our  actions  will  look  hereafter,  and  what  changes 


HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY.  547 

may  put  them  under  other  judgments,  and  what  the  fruits  may  be 
to  posterity.  Many  things  cause  death  which  give  the  patient 
present  ease. 

7.  He  that  will  do  good  to  many  must  have  Christian  fortitude, 
and  not  be  discouraged  with  difficulties  and  opposition.     He  must 
serve  God  for  the  good  of  men  with  absolute  resolution,  and  not 
with  the  hypocrite's  reserves.     He  must  be  armed  with  patience 
against  not  only  the  malice  of  enemies,  but  the   ingratitude  of 
friends.     The  follies,  the  quarrels,  the  mutinies,  and  divisions,  and 
often  the  abuses  of  that  he  would  do  good  to,  must  not  overcome 
him.     He  must  imitate  God,  and  do  good  to  the  evil,  and  bless 
those  that  curse  him,  and  pray  for  them  that  despitefully  use  him. 
He  must  not  promise  himself  more  success  than  God  hath  prom- 
ised him,  nor  yet  despair  and  turn  back  discouraged  ;  but  con- 
science must  carry  him  on  to  the  end  through  all,  whatever  shall 
befall  him. 

8.  Therefore  he  must  look  for  his  reward  from  God,  and  not 
expect  too  much  from  man.     Men  are  insufficient,  mutable,  and 
uncertain :   their  interests  and  many  accidents  may  change  them. 
The  multitude  are  of  many  minds  and  tempers ;  and  if  you  please 
some,  you  shall  displease  others ;  and  it  is  hard  to  please  even  one 
person  long.     Some  great  ones  will  not  be  pleased,  unless  you 
will  prefer  their  wills  before  the  will  of  God,  your  country's  good, 
and  your  own  salvation.     The  poor  are  so  many  and  so  indigent, 
that  no  man  can  answer  their  desires.     If  you  give  twenty  pounds 
to  twenty  of  the  poor,  forty  or  an  hundred,  that  expected  the  like, 
will  murmur  at  you,  and  be  displeased.     What  man  ever  did  so 
much  good  in  the  world  as  not  to  be  accused  by  some,  as  if  he 
were  a  covetous  or  a  hurtful  man  ? 

Therefore,  he  that  will  do  much  good,  must  firmly  believe  the 
life  to  come,  and  must  do  that  he  doth  as  the  work  of  God,  in 
obedience  to  him,  and  look  for  his  reward  in  heaven,  and  not  as 
the  hypocrite,  in  the  praise  of  men,  much  less  as  the  worldling,  in 
the  hope  of  temporal  advantage.  He  must  not  wonder  if  he  be 
rewarded  as  Socrates  was  at  Athens,  and  as  Christ  and  his  apostles 
were  in  the  world.  Themistocles  likened  himself  to  a  great  fruit- 
tree,  which  men  run  for  shelter  under  in  a  storm ;  and  when  the 
storm  is  over,  they  throw  stones  and  cudgels  at  it,  to  beat  down 
the  fruit.  Reckon  not  on  a  reward  from  men,  but  from  God. 

By  what  is  said,  you  may  perceive  what  are  the  great  impedi- 
ments of  doing  good  to  many,  which  must  be  overcome. 

i.  One,  and  the  worst,  is  malignity,  which  is  an  enmity  to  spir- 
itual good  ;  for  who  will  promote  that  which  he  is  against  ? 

ii.  Another  is  unbelief  of  God's  commands  and  promises,  when 


„ 

54b  HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY. 

men  take  not  themselves  to  be  his  subjects  and  stewards,  nor  can 
take  his  promise  for  good  security  for  their  reward. 

iii.  Another  is  the  forementioned  sin  of  selfishness,  which  makes 
a  man's  self  to  be  his  chiefest  love  and  care,  and  more  to  him  than 
Christ's  interest,  or  the  church  or  kingdom. 

iv.  Another  is  a  false  conceit  that  a  man  is  so  obliged  to  provide 
for  his  children  and  kindred,  that  all  that  he  can  get,  how  rich 
soever  he  be,  must  be  left  to  make  them  rich,  except  some  incon- 
siderable pittance. 

v.  Another  is  a  great  neglect  of  parents  to  prepare  their  children 
to  be  profitable  to  the  commonwealth,  but  only  to  live  in  pros- 
perity to  themselves.  1.  Children  should  be  taught  as  much  as 
may  be  to  become  persons  of  understanding,  and  such  wisdom  as 
may  make  them  useful.  2.  And  especially  to  be  truly  religious; 
for  then  they  will  be  devoted  to  do  good,  in  love  and  obedience  to 
God.  3.  They  should  be  taught  what  it  is  to  be  members  of 
societies,  and  what  duty  they  owe  to  church  and  state,  and  how 
great  a  part  of  their  duty  lieth  in  caring  for  the  common  good,  and 
how  sinful  and  damnable  it  is  to  live  only  to  themselves,  and  how 
much  this  selfishness  is  the  sum  of  all  iniquity.  4.  Those  callings 
should  be  chosen  for  them  which  they  are  fittest  for,  and  in  which 
they  may  do  most  public  good. 

vi.  And  a  timorous,  cowardly  disposition  is  a  great  hindrance 
to  public  good  ;  for  such  will  be  still  for  the  self-saving  way,  and 
afraid  of  the  dangers  that  attend  the  greatest  duties.  If  they  are 
called  to  liberality,  they  will  fear  lest  they  should  want  themselves. 
In  all  costly  or  hazardous  duty  there  will  still  be  a  lion  in  their  way. 
They  cannot  trust  God ;  and  no  wonder,  then,  if  they  are  not  to 
be  trusted  themselves. 

vii.  Lastly,  sloth  and  idleness  are  constant  enemies  to  well- 
doing. There  are  two  sorts  especially  guilty  of  this ;  one,  and 
the  better,  is  some  religious  people,  who  think  that  their  business 
is  only  with  God  and  their  own  hearts,  and  that  if  they  could  spend 
all  their  time  in  meditation,  prayer,  and  such  like  exercises,  it 
would  be  the  best  kind  of  life  on  earth.  Among  the  Papists,  mul- 
titudes, by  this  conceit,  turn  friars  and  nuns.  Among  us,  such 
spend  all  their  time  in  hearing  sermons,  and  in  reading,  and  medi- 
tating, and  prayer,  and  such  like  exercises  of  religion  towards  God, 
if  they  are  but  rich  enough  to  live  without  bodily  labor  ;  and  the 
example  of  Mary  and  Martha,  they  think,  will  make  this  good. 

I  know  that  this  is  no  common  error.  The  wicked  are  of  a  far 
different  mind.  And  I  know  no  man  can  do  too  much  to  save  his 
soul ;  but  we  may  do  one  sort  of  our  work  too  much  to  the  neglect 
of  other  parts.  We  have  souls  in  flesh,  and  both  parts  have  their 


HOW    TO    I>0    GOOD    TO    MANY-  519 

proper  necessity  and  work.  Mary  did  somewhat  else  than  hear, 
though  she  wisely  preferred  it  in  its  season.  And  no  one  is  madj 
for  himself  alone.  You  feel  that  religious  exercises  do  you  good  ; 
but  what  good  is  it  that  you  do  to  others  ?  I  confess  a  monk's 
prayers  for  others  is  a  good  work.  But  God  will  have  praying 
and  endeavoring  go  together,  both  for  yourselves  and  others. 
Bare  praying  God  to  relieve  the  poor,  and  to  teach  your,  children', 
and  instruct  the  ignorant,  will  not  excuse  you  from  relieving,  teach- 
ing, or  instructing  them.  Yea,  and  your  own  good  will  best  come 
in  by  your  fullest  obedience  to  God.  Do  what  he  bids  you,  and 
he  will  take  care  of  your  salvation.  Your  own  way  may  seem 
best,  but  will  not  prove  best :  it  will  but  cast  you  into  melancholy 
and  disability  at  last.  "  Six  days  shalt  thou  labor,"  is  more  than 
a  permission.  It  is  St.  Paul's  canon,  "  He  that  will  not  work,  (if 
able,)  let  him  not  eat ; "  and  it  was  King  Solomon's  mother  who 
taught  him  the  description  of  a  virtuous  woman,  (Prov.  xxxi.  27.) 
"  She  eateth  not  the  bread  of  idleness."  God  will  have  mercy 
and  obedience  as  better  than  sacrifice.  The  sentence  in  judgment 
is  upon  doing  to  Christ  in  his  members,  (Matt,  xxv.)  when  many 
that  hear  much,  and  prophesied,  shall  be  cast  out ;  Matt.  vii.  21. 
Doing  good  is  the  surest  way  of  receiving  good.  The  duties  of 
the  first  and  second  table  must  go  together.  He  that  is  not  zeal- 
ous to  do  good,  as  well  as  to  get  good,  hath  not  the  peculiar  nature 
of  Christ's  flock;  (Titus  ii.  14.)  and  zeal  will  be  diligent,  and  not 
for  sloth. 

The  other  sort  of  the  idle  are  rich,  ungodly,  worldly  persons, 
who  live  as  if  God  did  give  them  plenty  for  nothing  but  to  pam- 
per their  own  flesh,  and  feed  their  own  and  others'  sensuality. 
They  think  that  persons  of  wealth  and  honor  may  lawfully  spend 
their  time  in  idleness,  that  is,  in  Sodom's  sin,  (Ezek.  xvi.  49.)  as 
if  God  expected  least  where  he  giveth  most.  How  little  con- 
science do  many  lords  and  ladies  make  of  an  idle  hour,  or  life  ! 
When  poor  men's  labor  is  such  as  tendeth  to  the  common  good,  the 
rich,  by  luxury,  sacrifice  to  the  flesh  the  fruits  of  other  men's  en- 
deavors ;  and  instead  of  living  in  any  profitable  employment,  de- 
vour that  which  thousands  labor  for. 

It  is  not  the  toilsome  drudgery  of  the  vulgar  which  we  take  to 
be  all  rich  folks'  duty  ;  but  idleness  and  unprofitableness  is  a  sin  in 
the  richest.  Any  of  them  may  find  good  work  enough  that  is  fit 
for  them,  if  they  be  willing.  Children,  and  servants,  and  friends, 
and  neighbors,  and  tenants,  have  souls  and  bodies  which  need  their 
help.  None  can  say,  '  God  found  us  no  work  to  do,'  or  that  God 
gave  them  more  time  or  wealth  than  they  had  profitable  use  for. 
Little  do  they  think  what  it  will  be,  ere  long,  to  reckon  for  all 
their  time  and  estates,  and  to  be  judged  according  to  their  works : 


• 


550  HOW    TO    DO    fiOOD    TO    MANY. 

and  their  own  flesh  often  payeth  dear  for  its  ease  and  pleasure,  by 
those  pains  and  diseases  which  God  hath  suited  to  their  sins  ;  and 
which  usually  shorten  the  lives  which  they  no  better  use,  or  snatch 
them  away  from  that  time  and  wealth  which  they  spent  in  prepar- 
ing fuel  for  hell,  and  food  for  the  worm  that  never  dieth. 

V.  But  what  is  it  that  a  man  should  do  that  would  do  good  to 
all  or  many  ?  There  are  some  good  works  which  are  of  far  great- 
er tendency  than  others,  to  the  good  of  many  :  some  of  them  I  will 
name  to  you. 

i.  Do  as  much  good  as  you  are  able  to  men's  bodies,  in  order 
to  the  greater  good  of  souls.  If  nature  be  not  supported,  men  are 
not  capable  of  other  good.  We  pray  for  our  daily  bread  before 
pardon  and  spiritual  blessings,  not  as  if  it  were  better,  but  that 
nature  is  supposed  before  grace  ;  and  we  cannot  be  Christians  if  we 
be  not  men.  God  hath  so  placed  the  soul  in  the  body,  that  good 
or  evil  shall  make  its  entrance  by  the  bodily  senses  to  the  soul. 
This  way  God  himself  conveyeth  many  of  his  blessings,  and  this 
way  he  inflicteth  his  corrections :  ministers  that  are  able  and  will- 
ing to  be  liberal,  find,  by  great  experience,  that  kindness  and  boun- 
ty to  men's  bodies  openeth  the  ear  to  counsel,  and  maketh  them 
willing  to  hear  instruction  :  those  in  France,  that  are  now  trying 
men's  religion  in  the  market,  and  are  at  work  with  money  in  one 
hand,  and  a  sword  in  the  other,  do  understand  this  to  be  true.  All 
men  are  sensible  of  pain  or  pleasure,  good  or  evil,  to  the  flesh,  be- 
fore they  are  sensible  what  is  necessary  for  their  souls.  You  must 
therefore  speak  on  that  side  which  can  hear,  and  work  upon  the 
feeling  part,  if  you  will  do  good. 

Besides  this,  your  charity  may  remove  many  great  impediments 
and  temptations.  It  is  no  easy  thing  to  keep  heavenly  thoughts 
upon  your  mind,  and  especially  to  delight  in  God,  and  keep  the 
relish  of  his  law  upon  your  hearts,  while  pinching  wants  are  calling 
away  your  mind,  and  disturbing  it  with  troublesome  passions.  To 
suffer  some  hunger,  and  go  in  vile  apparel,  is  not  very  difficult ; 
but  when  there-is  a  family  to  provide  for,  a  discontented  wife  and 
children  to  satisfy,  rents,  and  debts  and  demands  unpaid,  it  must 
be  an  excellent  Christian  than  can  live  contentedly,  and  cast  all 
his  useless  care  on  God,  and  keep  up  the  sense  of  his  love,  and  a 
delight  in  all  his  service.  Do  your  best  to  save  the  poor  from  such 
temptations,  as  you  would  yourselves  be  saved  from  them. 

And  when  you  give  to  the  poor  that  are  ignorant  and  ungodly, 
give  them  after  it  some  counsel  for  their  souls,  or  some  good  book 
which  is  suited  to  their  cases. 

ii.  If  you  would  do  good  to  many,  set  yourselves  to  promote  the 
practical  knowledge  of  the  great  truths  necessary  to  salvation. 

1 .  Goodness  will  never  be  enjoyed  or  practiced  without  knowl- 


HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  WANT.  551 

edge.  Ignorance  is  darkness,  the  state  of  his  kingdom  who  is  the 
prince  of  darkness,  who  by  the  works  of  darkness  leadeth  the  blind 
world  to  utter  darkness  ;  God  is  the  Father  of  lights,  and  giveth 
wisdom  to  them  that  ask  and  seek  it ;  he  sent  his  Son  to  be  the 
light  of  the  world ;  his  word  and  ministers  are  subordinate  light ; 
his  servants  are  all  the  children  of  light ;  ignorance  is  virtually 
error,  and  error  the  cause  of  sin  and  misery.  And  men  are  not 
born  wise,  but  must  be  made  wise  by  skillful,  diligent  teaching  : 
parents  should  begin  it,  ministers  should  second  them ;  but,  alas ! 
how  many  millions  are  neglected  by  both  !  and  how  many  neglect 
themselves,  when  ministers  have  done  their  best !  Ignorance 
and  error  are  the  common  road  to  wickedness,  misery,  and 
hell. 

2.  But  what  can  any  others  do  for  such  ?  Two  things  I  will 
remember  you  of ;  1.  Set  up  such  schools  as  shall  teach  children 
to  read  the  Scriptures,  and  learn  the  catechism,  or  principles  of  re- 
ligion. Our  departed  friend,  Mr.  Thomas  Gouge,  did  set  us  an 
excellent  pattern  for  Wales.  I  think  we  have  grammar  schools 
enough.  It  is  not  the  knowledge  of  tongues,  and  arts,  and  curious 
sciences,  which  the  common  people  want,  but  the  right  under- 
standing of  their  baptismal  covenant  with  God,  and  of  the  Creed, 
Lord's  Prayer,  Decalogue,  and  Church  Communion.  A  poor, 
honest  man,  or  a  good  woman,  will  teach  children  thus  much  for 
a  small  stipend,  better  than  they  are  taught  it  in  most  grammar 
schools ;  and  I  would  none  went  to  the  universities  without  the 
sound  understanding  of  the  catechism  ;  yea,  I  would  none  came 
thence,  or  into  the  pulpit,  without  it. 

2.  When  you  have  got  them  to  read,  give  them  good  books, 
especially  Bibles,  and  good  catechisms,  and  small  practical  books, 
which  p'ress  the  fundamentals  on  their  consciences.  Such  books 
are  good  catechisms  :  many  learn  the  words,  of  the  Creed,  Lord's 
Prayer,  Commandments,  and  Catechism,  by  rote,  and  never  under- 
stand them  ;  when  a  lively  book,  that  awakeneth  their  consciences, 
bringeth  them  to  sensible  consideration,  and  to  a  true  understand- 
ing of  the  same  things  which  before  they  could  repeat  with- 
out sense  or  savor..  It  is  the  catechistical  truths  which  most  of  our 
English  sermons  press ;  and  the  lively  pressing  them  maketh  them 
pierce  deeper  than  a  catechism. 

If  men  that  in  life,  or  at  death,  give  a  stated  revenue  for  good 
works,  would  settle  the  one  half  on  a  catechising  English  school, 
and  the  other  half  on  some  suitable  good  books,  it  might  prove  a 
very  great  means  of  public  reformation.  When  a  good  book  is  in 
the  house,  if  some  despise  it,  others  may  read  it ;  and  when  one 
parish  is  provided,  every  year's  rent  may  extend  the  charity  to 


552  HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  KANT. 

other  parishes ;  and  it  may  spread  over  a  whole  county  in  a  little 
time.  Most  of  the  good  that  God  hath  done  for  me,  for  knowledge 
or  conscience,  hath  been  by  sound  and  pious  books. 

iii.  A  great  means  of  public  good  is  the  right  ordering  of  fami- 
lies all  the  week,  but  especially  on  the  Lord's  day.  Though  the 
ministry  be  the  usual  means  of  converting  heathens  and  infidels, 
Christian  education  by  parents  is  the  first  means  appointed  by  God 
for  the  holy  principling  of  youth:  parents  must  teach  them  with 
unwearied  diligence,  lying  down  and  rising  up;  Deut.  vi.  11. 
And  they  that  will  expect  God's  blessings  must  use  his  appointed 
means.  Nature  teacheth  men  and  brutes  to  provide  for  their  off- 
spring with  diligence  and  patience  ;  and  as  grace  teacheth  believers 
to  expect  far  greater  things,  for  themselves  and  their  children, 
than  this  world  affordeth,  so  it  obligeth  them  to  be  at  so  much 
greater  diligence  to  obtain  it.  An  everlasting  kingdom  deserveth 
more  labor  than  a  trade  or  full  estate  for  the  flesh.  If  all  parents  did 
their  parts  to  make  their  children  sanctified  believers,  as  well  as 
they  expect  the  schoolmaster  should  do  his  part  to  make  them 
scholars,  and  the  master  do-his  part  to  teach  them  their  trades,  we 
might  hope  that  ministers  woula  find  them  fitter  for  church  work, 
and  that  godliness  would  not  be  "SD" rare,  nor  so  many  wicked  chil- 
dren break  their  parents'  hearts.  But  of  this  I  have  spoken  lately 
in  my  '  Counsel  to  Young  Men.' 

Religion  is  never  like  to  prosper  if  it  be  not  made  a  family  work. 
If  it  be  there  made  the  business  of  the  house,  and  done  with  rev- 
erent seriousness  and  constancy,  if  magistracy  and  ministry  should 
fail,  yet  families  would  propagate  and  preserve  it.  Begin  with  a 
reverent  begging  the  help  and  blessing  of  God  ;  then  read  his  word, 
and  call  upon  his  name  ;  speak  serious  words  of  counsel  to  inferiors  ; 
spend  the  Lord's  day,  as  much  as  may  be,  in  public  worship^tmd 
th'e  rest  in  reading  gjpdly  books,  and  in  singing  God's  praise,  and 
calling  on  his  name  ;  put  suitable  books  into  the  hands  of  servants 
and  children  to  read  when  they  have  leisure1;  encourage  them  in  it 
with  love  and  rewards ;  and  keep  out  of  the  way  of  temptation  ; 
and  then  God's  blessing  will  dwell  in  your  families,  and  they  will 
be  as  churches  of  God.  If  any  complain  of  negligent  ministers,  or 
persecuting  magistrates,  and  will  not  do  their  own  family  duties, 
which  none  forbid,  they  condemn  themselves. 

iv.  If  you  would  be  public  blessings,  and  do  good  to  many,  do 
your  best  to  procure  a  skillful,  faithful  ministry  in  the  church. 

1.  Send-no  son  to  the  university  who  doth  not  first  show  these 
three  qualifications  :  a  capable,  natural  wit  and  utterance  ;  a  love  to 
serious,  practical  religion ;  a  great  desire  to  serve  God  in  the  minis- 
try, though  it  should  be  in  suffering  from  men.  If  they  want  any 


HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY.  553 

one  of  these,  design  them  to  some  other  calling  ;  devote  not  an  in- 
disposed lad  to  the  ministry,  in  hope  that  God  will  make  him  bet- 
ter, but  stay  till  he  is  better. 

2.  Seeing  pastors  are  here  obtruded  upon  the  flock,  it  is  a  work 
of  great  importance  for  religious  gentlemen  to  buy  as  many  ad  vow- 
sons  or  presentations  as  they  can,  that  they  may  introduce  the  best 
that  they  can  get. 

God  hath  hitherto  made  use  of  the  qualifications  of  the  ministers 
as  the  special  means  for  the  welfare  of  his  church.  The  bare  title 
and  office  is  so  far  from  sufficing,  without  the  skill  and  fidelity  of 
the  persons,  that  such  have  been  the  great  corrupters  and  disturb- 
ers of  the  church.  When  pious  men  have  heaped  up  riches  and 
honors  upon  the  clergy,  these  have  been  baits  for  the  worst  men 
to  become  seekers,  and  make  the  sacred  ministry  but  a  trade  for 
wealth  :  and  if  carnal,  worldly  men  be  ministers,  alas  !  what  plagues 
may  they  be  to  the  people  and  themselves  !  They  will  hate  the 
spiritual  practice  of  doctrine  which  they  preach.  When  they  have 
told  men  of  a  heaven  and  hell,  and  the  necessity  of  a  holy  heart  and 
life,  as  if  they  had  been  in  jest,  they  will  take  those  for  hypocrites 
that  believe  them,  and  live  accordingly.  They  will  take  the  best 
of  the  flock  for  their  enemies,  because  they  are  enemies  to  their 
hypocrisy  and  vice.  Instead  of  imitating  St.  Paul,  (Acts  xx.) 
who  taught  them  publicly,  and  from  house  to  house,  day  and  night, 
with  tears,  they  will  turn  the  ministry  into  compliment  and  formal- 
ity, and  think,  by  saying  a  cold,  unskillful  sermon,  and  by  roting 
over  a  few  heartless  words,  they  have  laudably  performed  their 
part.  They  will  take  those  for  their  best  hearers  who  will  most 
honor  them,  and  best  pay  them,  though  ever  so  ignorant  and  un- 
godly ;  and  their  spleen  will  swell  against  the  best  and  most  reli- 
gious people,  because  they  dislike  their  unfaithful  lives  and 
ministra'lon.  If  religion  should  be  in  public  danger,  these  will  be 
the  Judases  that  will  sell  it  for  gain.  They  will  do  any  thing 
rather  than  suffer  much.  They  are  ministers  of  the  world,  and 
not  of  Christ ;  readier  to  make  crosses  for  others  than  to  bear  the 
cross  of  Christ  ;  for  it  is  gain  that  is  their  godliness  ;  and  when  their 
treachery  is  seen  and  hated,  they  will  hate  the  haters  of  it ;  and 
the  studies  of  malignant  men  will  be  their  laboratories,  and  the 
pulpits  the  place  where  the  sublimate  and  essence  of  malice  must 
be  vended.  How  effectually  will  Satan's  work  be  done  when  it  is 
performed  in  the  formalities  of  the  sacred  ministry,  and  in  the 
i.ame  of  Christ !  O,  what  hath  the  church  suffered  by  a  worldly, 
graceless  ministry  these  thousand  years,  and  more !  and  what 
doth  it  yet  surfer  by  them  in  the  east  and  west ! 

But,  on  the  other  side,  a  skillful,  faithful  minister  will  preach 
sound   doctrine,  and  worship   Gcd  with  serious  devotion,  and  live- 
VOL.  n.  70 


554  HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANV. 

to  Christ  and  the  church's  good.  He  will  speak  the  word  of 
truth  and  life  with  truth  and  liveliness,  as  one  that  believeth  what 
he  saith,  and  feeleth  the  power  of  it  on  his  heart.  Though  he 
must  have  food  and  raiment  as  other  men,  it  is  the  saving  and 
edifying  of  souls  which  is  his  work,  to  which  he  bendeth  all  his 
studies,  for  which  he  prayeth  and  longeth,  and  in  which  he  rejoi- 
ceth,  and  to  which  all  his  worldly  interest  not  only  givelh  place, 
but  is  made  to  serve.  He  will  think  no  price,  no  pains  or  suffer- 
ing too  dear,  so  that  the  souls  of  men  be  saved :  this  is  the  riches 
and  preferment  which  he  desireth.  He  hath  nothing  too  good  or 
too  dear  for  Christ,  or  for  the  meanest  of  his  servants,  when  Christ 
requireth  it.  He  is  willing  to  spend  and  be  spent  for  their  sakes. 
It  is  them,  and  not  theirs,  that  he  desireth.  He  feareth  the  un- 
belief and  hard-heartedness  of  his  hearers,  and  lest  they  should 
reject  their  own  salvation,  more  than  all  the  slanders  or  persecutions 
of  their  enemies.  In  a  word,  his  heart,  his  study,  his  life,  and 
business,  is  to  do  all  the  good  he  can ;  and  they  that  under  such  a 
ministry  remain  impenitent,  and  hardened  in  sin,  are  the  most 
hopeless,  miserable  people  in  the  world. 

v.  And  it  greatly  conduceth  to  public  good  to  keep  up  true 
order  and  Christian  discipline  in  the  particular  churches.  Though 
Popish  church  tyrants  have  turned  the  church  keys  into  a  military, 
reigning,  or  revenging  sword,  yet  Christ  did  not  in  vain  commit 
them  into  his  ministers'  hands.  Religion  seldom  prospereth  well 
where  the  church  is  no  enclosure,  but  a  common,  where  all  sorts, 
undistinguished,  meet ;  where,  as  the  people  know  not  who  shall 
be  made  their  pastors,  but  must  trust  their  souls  to  the  care  of  any 
that  a  patron  chooseth,  so  the  pastor  knoweth  not  who  are  his 
communicating  flock  until  he  see  them  come  to  the  Lord's  table, 
no,  nor  when  he  seeth  them ;  when  it  goeth  for  a  sufficient 
excuse  to  the  pastors  if  the  rabble  of  wicked  men  communicate,  or 
pass  for  his  church  members,  though  they  communicate  not,  if  he 
can  but  say.  I  knew  them  not  to  be  wicked,  (and  how  should  he, 
when  he  knew  them  not  at  all  ?)  and  that  none  accused  them, 
when  they  are  mere  strangers  to  each  other.  In  Christ  Jesus, 
neither  circumcision  nor  uncircumcision  availeth  any  thing,  but  a 
new  creature,  and  faith  that  worketh  by  love.  And  if  Christ 
made  his  servants  no  better  than  the  world,  who  would  believe 
that  he  is  the  Savior  of  the  world  ?  There  will  be  some  tares  in 
Christ's  field  till  his  judgment  cast  them  out  forever.  But  if  it  be 
not  a  society  professing  holiness  and  disowning  unholiness,  and 
making  a  difference  between  the  clean  and  the  unclean,  him  that 
sweareth  and  him  that  feareth  an  oath,  him  that  serveth  God  and 
.hirn  that  serveth  him  not,  Christ  will  disown  them  as  workers 
of  iniquity,  though  they  had  ate  and  drank  with  him,  and  done 


HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY.  555 

miracles  in  his  name  ;  Matt.  vii.  Much  more  if  it  be  a  society 
where  godliness  is  despised,  and  the  most,  godly  excommunicated, 
if  they  differ  but  in  a  formality  of  ceremony  from  Diotrephes, 
and  the  wicked  rabble  tolerated  and  cherished  in  reviling  serious 
godliness,  on  pretense  of  opposing  such  dissenters.  Christ  will 
not  own  that  pastor  nor  society  which  owneth  not  conscience 
and  serious  piety. 

If  the  pastors  set  up  their  wills  and  traditions  before  the  laws 
and  will  of  Christ,  and  call  out,  '  Who  is  on  our  side? '  instead  of 
'  Who  is  on  Christ's  side  ? '  and  fall  out  with  the  sheep,  and  worry 
and  scatter  them,  and  cherish  the  goats,  and  tolerate  the  wolves, 
woe  to  those  shepherds,  when  Christ  shall  judge  them  !  I  wonder 
not  if  such  incline  to  infidelity,  though  they  live  by  the  name  and 
image  of  Christianity,  and  if  they  be  loath  to  believe  that  there  will 
be  such  a  day  of  judgment  which  they  have  so  much  cause  to  fear. 

But  the  prudent,  loving  guidance  of  faithful  pastors  is  so  neces- 
sary to  the  church,  that  without  it  there  will  be  envy  and  strife, 
confusion,  and  every  evil  work  ;  and  a  headless  multitude,  though 
otherwise  well-meaning,  pious  people,  will  be  all  wise,  and  all 
teachers,  till  they  have  no  wise  teachers  left,  and  will  crumble  all 
into  dissolution,  or  into  shameful  sects.  St.  Paul  told  us  of  two 
games  that  Satan  hath  to  play,  (Acts  xx.)  one  by  grievous  wolves, 
that  shall  devour  the  flock,  (though  in  sheep's  clothing,  yet  known 
by  their  bloody  jaws,)  the  other  by  men  from  among  yourselves, 
who  shall  speak  perverse  things,  to  draw  disciples  after  them. 

vi.  If  you  would  promote  the  good  of  all  or  many,  promote  the 
love  and  concord  of  all  that  deserve  to  be  called  Christians. 

To  which  end  you  must,  1.  Know  who  those  are :  and,  2.  Skill- 
fully and  faithfully  endeavor  it. 

1.  Far  be  it  from  any  Christian  to  think  that  Christ  hath  not  so 
much  as  told  us  what  Christianity  is,  and  who  they  be  that  we 
must  take  for  Christians,  when  he  hath  commanded  them  all  so 
earnestly  to  love  each  other.  Is  not  baptism  our  christening? 
Every  one  that  hath  entered  into  that  covenant  with  Christ,  and 
understanding!)'  and  seriously  professeth  to  stand  to  it,  and  is  not 
proved  by  inconsistent  words  or  deeds  to  nullify  that  profession, 
is  to  be  taken  for  a  Christian,  and  used  in  love  and  communion 
as  such. 

Consider  of  these  words,  and  consider  whether  all  churches  have 
walked  by  this  rule,  and  whether  swerving  from  it  have  not  been 
the  cause  of  corruption  and  confusion. 

He  is  a  Christian  fit  for  our  communion,  who  is  baptized  in 
infancy,  and  owneth  it  solemnly  at  age ;  and  so  is  he  that  was  not 
baptized  till  he  himself  believed. 

He  is  a  Christian  that  believeth  Christ  to  be  true  God  and  tru« 


556  HOW  TO  DO  OOOU  TO  MANY. 

man  in  one  person,  and  trusted)  him  as  our  only  Redeemer,  by 
his  merits  and  passions,  and  our  Mediator  in  the  heavens ;  and 
obeyeth  him  as  our  sovereign  Lord,  for  pardon,  for  his  Spirit,  and 
for  salvation.  And  as  a  Christian  this  man  is  to  be  loved  and 
used,  though  he  have  not  so  much  skill  in  metaphysics  as  to  know 
whether  it  he  a  proper  speech  to  call  Mary  the  mother  of  God,  or 
that  one  of  the  Trinity  was  crucified  ;  or  to  know  in  what  sense 
Christ's  natures  might  be  called  one  or  two ;  and  in  what  sense  he 
might  be  said  to  have  one  will  or  two  wills — one  operation  or  two  ; 
and  know  not  whether  the  tria  cctpitula  were  to  be  condemned  ; 
yea,  though  he  could  not  define,  or  clearly  tell,  what  hypostasis 
persona,  yea,  or  substantial,  signifieth  in  God  ;  nor  tell  whether 
God  of  gods  be  a  proper  speech. 

This  man  is  a  Christian,  though  he  know  not  whether  patriar- 
chal, and  metropolitical,  and  diocesan  church  forms,  be  according 
to  the  will  of  Christ,  or  against  it ;  and  whether  symbolical  signs, 
in  the  worship  of  God,  may  lawfully  be  devised  and  imposed  by 
men ;  and  whether  some  doubtful  words,  in  oaths  and  subscriptions 
of  men's  imposing,  being  unnecessary,  be  lawful;  and  how  far  he 
may,  by  them,  incur  the  guilt  of  perjury,  or  deliberate  lying;  and 
though  he  think  that  a  minister  may  preach  and  pray  in  fit  words 
of  his  own,  though  he  read  not  a  sermon  or  prayer  written  for  him 
by  others,  who  think  that  no  words  but  theirs  should  be  offered  to 
God  or  man. 

2.  If  Christ's  description  of  a  Christian  be  forsaken,  and  mere 
Christianity  seem  not  a  sufficient  qualification  for  our  love  and 
concord,  men  will  never  know  where  to  rest,  nor  ever  agree  in 
any  one's  determination  but  Christ's.  All  men  that  can  get 
power  will  be  making  their  own  wills  the  rule  and  law,  and  others 
will  not  think  of  them  as  they  do ;  and  the  variety  of  fallible, 
mutable  church  laws,  and  terms  of  concord,  will  be  the  engine  of 
perpetual  discord,  as  Ulpian  told  honest  Alexander  Severus  the 
laws  would  be,  which  he  thought  to  have  made  for  sober  concord, 
in  fashions  of  apparel.  Those  that  are  united  to  Christ  by  faith, 
and  have  his  sanctifying  Spirit,  and  are  justified  by  him,  and  shall 
dwell  with  him  in  heaven,  are  certainly  Christians ;  and  such  as 
Christ  hath  commanded  us  to  love  as  ourselves.  And  seeing  that 
it  is  his  livery  by  which  his  disciples  must  be  known,  by  loving 
one  another,  and  the  false  prophets  must  be  known  by  the  fruits 
of  their  hurtfulness,  as  wolves,  thorns,  and  thistles,  I  must  profess 
(though  order  and  government  have  been  so  amiable  to  me  as  to 
tempt  me  to  favorable  thoughts  of  some  Roman  power  in  the 
church)  I  am  utterly  irreconcilable  to  it,  when  I  see  that  the  very 
complexion  of  that  hierarchy  is  malice  and  bloodiness  against  men 
most  seriously  and  humbly  pious,  that  dare  not  obey  them  in  their 


HOW    TO    DO    GOOD    TO    UA.N\  .  557 

sinful  usurpations,  and  that  their  cause  is  maintained  by  belying, 
hating,  and  murdering  true  Christians. 

And,  on  the  other  side,  too  many  make  laws  of  love  and  com- 
munion to  themselves,  and  confine  Christ's  church  within  their 
little  various,  and  perhaps  erroneous,  sects ;  and  all  others  they 
love  with  pity  ;  but  only  those  of  their  cabin  and  singular  opinions 
they  love  with  complacency  and  communion :  those  that  condemn 
such  as  Christ  justified),  and  say  that  Christians  are  not  his,  are 
near  of  kin  to  one  another,  though  one  sort  show  it  by  persecution, 
and  the  other  but  by  excommunication,  or  schismatical  separation. 
"We  are  all  one  in  Christ  Jesus;"  Gal.  iv.  28.  And,  there- 
fore, I  advise  all  Christians  to  hate  the  causes  and  ways  of  hatred, 
and  love  all  the  causes  and  means  of  love.  Frown  on  them  that 
so  extol  their  singular  sentiments  as  to  backbite  others,  and  speak 
evil  of  what  they  understand  not ;  especially  such  as  the  pamphlet- 
eers of  this  age,  whose  design  is  weekly  and  daily  to  fight  against 
Christian  love,  and  to  stir  up  all  men,  to  the  utmost  of  their  pow- 
er, to  think  odiously  of  one  another,  and  plainly  to  stir  up  a  thirst 
after  blood :  never  did  Satan  write  by  the  hand  of  man  if  he  do  it 
not  by  such  as  these :  the  Lord  of  love  and  mercy  rebuke  them. 

And  take  heed  of  them  that  can  find  enough  in  the  best  that 
are  against  their  way  to  prove  them  dishonest,  if  not  intolerable  ; 
and  can  see  the  mote  of  a  ceremony,  or  nonconformity  to  a  cere- 
mony, in  their  brother's  eye,  and  not  the  beam  of  malice,  or  cruel- 
ty, in  their  own.  Take  heed  of  those  that  are  either  for  confound- 
ing toleration  of  all,  or  for  dissipating  cruelty  on  pretense  of  unity. 

That  land,  or  church,  shall  never  truly  prosper  where  these  three 
sorts  are  not  well  distinguished  :  1.  The  approved,  that  are  to  be 
encouraged.  2.  The  tolerable,  that  are  to  be  patiently  and  loving- 
ly endured.  3.  The  intolerable,  that  are  to  be  restrained.  They 
may  as  well  confound  men  and  beasts,  wise  men  and  mad  men, 
adults  and  infants,  as  confound  these  three  sorts,  in  reference  to 
religion. 

I  add  this  note  to  prevent  objections,  that  though  meekness 
and  gentleness  promote  peace;  yet  to  speak  sharply  and  hatefully 
of  hatred,  unpeaceableness,  and  cruelty,  and  all  that  tends  to  de- 
stroy love,  is  an  act  of  love,  and  not  of  an  uncharitable,  unpeacea- 
ble  man. 

vii.  If  you  love  the  common  good  of  England,  do  your  best  to 
keep  up  sound,  serious  religion  in  the  public  parish  churches,  and 
be  not  guilty  of  any  thing  that  shall  bring  the  chief  interest  of  re- 
ligion into  private  assemblies  of  men  only  tolerated,  if  you  can 
avoid  it. 

Indeed,  in  a  time  of  plagues,  and  epidemical  infection,  tolerated 
churches  may  be  the  best  preservatives  of  religion,  as  it  was  the 


558  HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY. 

first  300  years,  and  in  the  Arians'  reign,  and  under  Popery;  but 
where  sound  and  serious  religion  is  owned  by  the  magistrate,  toler- 
ated churches  are  but  as  hospitals  for  the  sick,  and  must  not  be  the 
receptacle  of  all  the  healthful.  And,  doubtless,  if  the  Papists  can 
but  get  the  Protestant  interest  once  into  prohibited  or  tolerated 
conventicles,  (as  they  will  call  them,)  they  have  more  than  half 
overcome  it,  and  will  not  doubt  to  use  it  next  as  they  do  in  France, 
and  by  one  turn  more  to  cast  it  out.  The  countenance  of  authori- 
ty will  go  far  with  the  vulgar  against  all  the  scruples  that  men  of 
conscience  stick  at,  and  they  will  mostly  go  to  the  allowed  churches, 
whoever  is  there.  Let  us,  therefore,  lose  no  possession  that  we 
can  justly  get,  nor  be  guilty  of  disgracing  the  honest  conformists, 
but  do  all  we  can  to  keep  up  their  reputation  for  the  good  of  souls. 
They  see  not  matters  of  difference  through  the  same  glass  that  we 
do :  they  think  us  unwarrantably  scrupulous.  We  think  the  mat- 
ter of  their  sin  to  be  very  great ;  but  we  know  that  before  God  the 
degree  of  guilt  is  much  according  to  the  degree  of  men's  negligence 
or  unwillingness  to  know  the  truth,  or  to  obey  it ;  and  prejudice, 
education,  and  converse,  make  great  difference  on  men's  appre- 
hensions. Charity  must  not  reconcile  us  to  sin  ;  but  there  is  no  end 
of  uncharitable  censuring  each  other. 

It  hath  made  me  admire  to  hear  some  men's  words  against  com- 
prehension, as  they  call  it ;  that  they  would  not  have  rulers  revoke 
that  which  they  judge  to  be  heinous  sin  in  their  impositions,  unless 
they  will  revoke  all  that  they  think  unlawful,  lest  it  should  strength- 
en the  parish  churches,  and  weaken  the  tolerated  or  suffering  part. 
I  will  not  here  open  the  sin  of  this  policy  as  it  deserves ;  but  I  wish 
them  to  read  a  small  book  called  '  The  Whole  Duty  of  Nations,' 
said  to  be  Mr.  Thomas  Beverley's. 

viii.  If  you  love  the  common  good,  take  heed  lest  any  injuries 
tempt  you  into  sedition  or  unlawful  wars  :  no  man,  that  never  tried 
them,  can  easily  believe  what  enemies  wars  and  tumults  are  to  reli- 
gion, and  to  common  honesty  and  sobriety.  Men  are  there  so  se- 
rious about  their  lives  and  bodily  safety  that  they  have  no  room  or 
time  for  serious  worshiping  of  God  :  the  Lord's  day  is  by  necessity 
made  a  common  day ;  and  all  men's  goods  are  almost  common  to 
the  will  of  the  soldiers :  either  power  seems  to  authorize  them,  or 
necessity  to  allow  them  to  use  the  goods  of  others  as  their  own, 
as  if  they  were  incapable  of  doing  wrong :  it  is  their  honor  that 
can  kill  most ;  and  how  little  place  there  is  for  love  it  is  easy  to 
conceive. 

I  doubt  not  but  it  is  lawful  to  fight  for  our  king  or  country  in  a 
good  cause.  As  nature  giveth  all  private  men  a  right  of  private 
self-defence,  and  no  more,  so  the  same  law  of  nature,  which  is 
God's  law,  giveth  all  nations  a  right  of  public  self-defence  against 


HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY.  559 

its  public  enemies  ;  that  is,  against  any  that,  by  his  religion,  or  his 
own  profession,  bindeth  himself  to  destroy  that  nation  if  he  can, 
or  by  open  arms  seeketh  no  less  than  their  destruction  :  but  as  few 
calamities  are  worse  to  a  land  than  war,  so  much  is  to  be  endured 
to  prevent  it.  It  is  like  a  red-hot  iron  which  fools  lay  hold  on, 
thinking  it  is  gold,  till  it  fetch  off  skin  and  flesh  to  the  bones,  and 
perhaps  set  the  house  on  fire.  If  your  cause  be  bad,  God  will 
not  be  for  you ;  and  he  that  so  taketh  the  sword  shall  perish  with 
the  sword ;  and  if  you  bite  and  devour  one  another,  you  shall  be 
devoured  one  of  another.  And.  alas  !  thousands  of  the  innocent 
usually  perish,  or  are  ruined  in  the  flames  that  furious  men  do 
kindle ;  no  doubt  as  suffering  in  prison,  so  venturing  in  war,  is  a 
duty,  when  God  calls  you  to  it ;  but  in  itself  a  prison  is  a  far  more 
desirable  sort  of  suffering  than  a  war.  Therefore,  between  the 
danger  of  the  miseries  of  an  unlawful  war,  and  the  danger  of  be- 
traying our  king  or  kingdom,  for  want  of  necessary  defence,  how 
cautelous  should  all  sober  Christians  be  ! 

ix.  If  you  would  promote  the  common  good,  do  your  best  to 
procure  wise  and  faithful  rulers. 

Quest.  What  can  private  men  do  in  this  ? 

Ans.  1 .  In  cases  where  they  have  choosing  voices,  they  ought  to 
prefer  the  best  with  greatest  resolution,  and,  not  for  slothfulness,  to 
omit  their  part,  nor,  for  worldly  interest  or  the  fear  of  men,  betray 
their  country,  as  ever  they  would  escape  the  punishment  of  the 
perfidious.  Woe  to  that  Judas  that  sells  his  country  and  con- 
science for  any  bribe,  or  by  self-saving  fear  ! 

2.  In  other  cases,  where  you  have  no  choosing  vote  with  men, 
you  have  a  praying  voice  with  God :  pray  for  kings,  and  all  in  au- 
thority, that  we  may  live  a  quiet  and  peaceable  life,  in  all  godli- 
ness and  honesty.  God  hath  commanded  no  duty  in  vain  :  do  it 
earnestly  and  constantly,  and  hope  for  a  good  issue  from  God  :  do 
it  not  selfishly,  that  you  may  have  prosperity  or  preferment  by 
them,  but  sincerely,  for  their  own  and  the  common  good.  God  is 
the  fountain  of  power,  the  absolute  Sovereign  of  all  the  world  ; 
men  are  but  his  provincial  officers ;  none  claimeth  an  universal 
government  of  the  world  but  one  that  pretendeth  to  be  Christ's 
vicar-general ;  and  none  believe  his  claim  but  blinded  men.  There 
is  no  power  but  of  and  under  God,  who  hath  made  rulers  his 
ministers  for  our  good,  to  be  a  praise  to  them  that  do  well,  and  a 
terror  to  evil  doers ;  that  they  that  will  not  be  moved  with  the 
hopes  of  God's  future  rewards,  and  the  fears  of  his  punishments, 
may  be  moved  by  that  which  is  near  them  within  the  reach  of 
sense.  And  all  men  regard  their  bodies,  though  only  believers 
are  ruled  by  the  everlasting  interest  of  their  souls. 

Therefore,  pray  hard  for  kings  and  magistrates  ;  for  if  they  be 


560  HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY. 

good  they  are  exceeding  great  blessings  to  the  world.  They  will 
remember  that  their  power  is  for  God,  and  the  common  good,  and 
that  to  God  they  must  give  a  strict  account :  they  will  take  God's 
law  for  the  only  universal  law  to  the  world,  and  conform  their  own 
as  by-laws  to  it.  They  will  take  their  own  interest  to  consist  in 
pleasing  God,  and  promoting  the  gospel  and  kingdom  of  Christ, 
and  the  piety  and  saving  of  men's  souls.  They  will  be  examples 
of  serious  godliness,  of  justice  and  sobriety,  trustiness,  and  temper- 
ance, and  chastity,  to  their  subjects  :  in  their  eyes  a  vile  person 
will  be  condemned,  but  they  will  honor  those  that  fear  the  Lord  ; 
I^salm  xv.  4.  They  will  love  those  most  that  love  Christ  best, 
and  most  diligently  obey  him,  and  tenderly  fear  to  sin  against  him  : 
those  please  them  best  that  please  God  best,  and  are  most  useful 
to  the  common  good :  they  will  set  their  hearts  on  the  people's 
welfare,  and  are  watching  for  all,  while  all  securely  live  under 
their  vigilancy.  They  will  cherish  all  that  Christ  cherisheth, 
and  especially  the  faithful  pastors  of  the  churches,  that  seek  not 
the  world,  but  the  welfare  of  the  flocks:  when  some  are  saying, 
'  In  this  mountain  we  must  worship  God,'  and  some,  '  at  Jerusalem,' 
they  will  teach  them  all  to  worship  God  in  spirit  and  truth. 
When  pastors  and  people  grow  peevish  and  quarrelsome  for  their 
several  interests,  opinions,  and  wills,  a  Constantine  will  cast  all 
their  libels  into  the  fire,  and  rebuke  the  unpeaceable,  and  restrain 
the  violent,  and  teach  them  to  forgive  and  love  each  other,  and 
will  be  the  great  justice  of  peace  to  all  the  churches  in  the  land, 
and  pare  their  nails  that  would  tear  and  scratch  their  brethren :  he 
will  countenance  the  sound  and  peaceable,  and  tolerate  all  the  tol- 
erable, but  will  tie  the  hands  of  strikers,  and  the  tongues  of  revi- 
lers  ;  he  will  contrive  the  healing  of  exasperated  minds,  and 
take  away  the  occasions  of  division,  and  rebuke  them  that  call  for 
fire  from  heaven,  or  for  the  sword,  to  do  that  which  belongeth  to 
the  word,  or  to  execute  their  pride  and  wrath.  Godliness  will  have 
all  the  encouragement  they  can  give  it,  and  innocency  a  full  de- 
fence:  malignity,  and  persecution,  and  perjury,  and  unpeaceable 
revenge,  will  be  hateful  where  they  rule  ;  and  they  had  rather  men 
feared  sin  too  much  than  too  little ;  and  would  have  all  men  prefer 
the  law  and  honor  of  God  to  theirs.  Where  the  righteous  bear 
rule,  the  people  rejoice ;  the  wisdom,  piety,  and  impartiality  of 
their  governors  suppresseth  profaneness,  oppression  and  contention, 
and  keepeth  men  in  the  way  of  love  and  peace ;  and  as  the  wel- 
fare of  all  is  the  care  of  such  a  ruler  above  his  own  pleasure,  wealth 
or  will,  so  he  will  have  the  hearts,  and  hands,  and  wealth  of  all 
with  readiness  to  serve  him.  No  wonder  if  such  are  called  nursing 
fathers,  and  the  light  of  our  eyes,  and  the  breath  of  our  nostrils, 
and  the  shadow  of  a  rock  in  a  weary  land.  As  they  bear  the  im- 


HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY.  561 

age  of  God's  supereminency,  and  doubly  honor  him,  they  are 
doubly  honored  by  him ;  so  that  the  names  of  pious  princes  show 
not  only  the  sense  of  mankind,  but  the  special  providence  of  God 
in  making  the  memory  of  the  just  to  be  blessed ;  and  as  they 
could  not  endure  to  see  in  their  days  ungodliness  triumph,  or  se- 
rious godliness  made  a  scorn,  or  conscience  and  fear  of  sinning 
made  a  disgrace,  or  the  gospel  hindered,  and  faithful  ministers  for- 
bid to  preach  it,  so  God  will  not  suffer  their  consciences  to  want 
the  sense  of  his  love,  nor  their  departing  souls  to  fail  of  their  ever- 
lasting hopes,  nor  their  memories  to  be  clouded  by  obscurity  or  re- 
proach. Even  among  heathens,  what  a  name  have  those  emperors 
left  behind  them  who  lived  in  justice,  charity,  and  all  virtue,  and 
wholly  studied  the  good  of  all!  What  a  wonder  is  it  that  M.  An- 
tonine  should  be  so  extolled  by  so  many  writers,  and  not  one  of 
them  all,  as  I  remember,  speak  one  word  of  evil  of  him,  save  that 
a  small,  short  persecution  of  the  Christians  was  made  in  his  time, 
till  he  restrained  it !  And  all  the  people  almost  deified  him,  and 
would  have  perpetuated  his  line  and  name  in  the  throne,  but 
that  the  horrid  wickedness  of  his  posterity  forced  them  to  a  change. 
What  a  name  hath  excellent  Alexander  Severus  left  behind  him! 
And  what  a  blessing  have  wise,  and  godly,  and  peace-making 
Christian  princes  been  in  divers  ages  to  the  world  ! 

And  both  the  inferior  magistrates  and  the  clergy  usually  much 
conform  themselves,  at  least  in  outward  behavior,  to  their  example  ; 
for  they  will  choose  men  of  wisdom,  conscience,  and  justice,  un- 
der them,  to  judge  and  govern.  The  bishops  and  pastors  which 
they  choose,  will  be  able,  godly,  laborious  men ;  not  seekers  of 
worldly  wealth  and  honor,  nor  envious  silencers  of  faithful  preach- 
ers, nor  jealous  hinderers  of  religious  duties,  nor  flattering  men- 
pleasers,  nor  such  as  lord  it  over  God's  heritage  ;  but  such  as  rule 
not  by  constraint,  but  willingly,  as  examples  of  love  and  piety  to 
the  flock.  Pray  hard,  therefore,  for  kings  and  all  in  authority, 
and  honor  all  such  as  unspeakable  blessings  for  the  good  of  all. 

But,  on  the  contrary,  wicked  rulers  will  be  Satan's  captains, 
against  Jesus  Christ,  and  men's  sanciification  and  salvation.  They 
will  be  wolves  in  the  place  of  shepherds,  and  will  study  to  de- 
stroy the  best  of  the  people,  and  to  root  out  all  serious  godliness 
and  justice.  Conscience,  and  fearing  sin,  will  be  to  them  a  sus- 
pected, yea,  a  hated  thing.  If  any  abuse  it,  it  serves  them  for  a 
pretense  against  it.  They  take  the  people's  welfare  and  their  own 
interest  to  be  enemies,  and  presently  look  on  those,  whom  they 
should  rule  and  cherish,  as  the  adversaries  whom  they  must  tread 
down.  They  will  purposely  make  edicts  and  laws  that  are  con- 
trary to  God's  law,  that  they  may  have  advantage  to  persecute  the 
faithful,  and  to  destroy  them  as  disobedient.  They  will  study  to 


562          now  TO  no  GOOD  TO  MANY. 

conquer  conscience  and  obedience  to  God,  lest  his  authority  snould 
be  regarded  above  theirs ;  and  Christ  is  used  by  them  as  if  he  were 
an  usurper,  and  not  their  Sovereign,  but  were  again  to  be  taken 
for  an  enemy  to  Caesar ;  and  their  hatred  to  true  ministers  will  be 
such  as  Paul's  accusers  intimate,  who  said,  "  He  preached  another 
king,  one  Jesus."  Wicked  riders  will  be  the  capital  enemies  to 
all  that  will  be  enemies  to  wickedness,  and  resolved  to  please  God 
and  save  their  souls.  They  will  not  be  obeyed  under  God,  but 
before  him,  nor  served  by  the  faithful  servants  of  Christ,  nor  pleas- 
ed but  at  the  rate  of  men's  damnation,  by  displeasing  God.  All 
men  love  their  like.  The  worst  men,  if  flatterers,  will  seem  the 
best  to  them,  and  the  best  the  worst  and  most  intolerable ;  and 
church  and  state  is  like  to  be  written  by  their  c.opy.  O,  what 
dreadful  plagues  have  wicked  rulers  been  to  the  world,  and  what 
a  dismal  case  do  they  continue  the  earth  in  to  this  day  !  Not  but 
that  people,  and  especially  priests,  do  contribute  hereto,  but  the 
chief  authors  are  men  in  greatest  power.  Five  parts  of  six  of  the 
world  at  this  day  are  heathens  and  infidels.  And  what's  the 
cause?  Rulers  will  not  suffer  the  gospel  to  be  preached  to  them. 
The  eastern  Christians  were  all  torn  in  pieces  by  the  wickedness 
and  contention  of  the  governors  of  the  state  and  church,  banishing 
and  murdering  one  another,  so  that,  when  the  Turks  invaded  them, 
the  promise  of  liberty  to  exercise  their  religion  tempted  them  to 
make  the  less  resistance,  thinking  they  could  not  be  much  worse 
than  before.  But  the  vulgar  are  so  apt  to  follow  the  rulers, 
that,  ever  since,  the  most  of  the  easterns  are  apostatized  from 
Christ,  and  turned  to  Mahometanism ;  though  in  those  countries 
where  the  Turk  alloweth  the  Christian  people  to  have  governors 
of  their  own,  religion  somewhat  prospereth,  yet  where  that  privi- 
lege is  denied  them,  and  Turks  only  are  their  rulers,  it  withereth 
away,  and  comes  to  almost  nothing. 

And  what  keepeth  out  reformation,  that  is,  the  primitive,  simple 
Christianity,  from  the  Popish  countries  that  have  religion  corrupted 
by  human  superfluities,  but  the  seduction  of  priests,  and  tyranny 
of  rulers,  that  will  not  endure  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  and  the 
opening  of  the  Scriptures  to  the  people  in  a  known  tongue  ?  How 
much  holy  blood  have  Roman  and  Spanish  inquisitors,  and  French 
and  Irish  murderers,  and  most  other  Popish  rulers,  to  answer  for? 
Even  Walsh,  the  Papist,  in  his  Irish  history,  tells  us  all,  out  of 
Ketin  and  others,  how  commonly,  for  ages,  they  lived  there  in  the 
sin  of  bloody  wars,  and  murders,  yea,  even  when  they  professed 
great  holiness.  Wicked  rulers  are  as  the  pikes  in  the  pond,  which 
live  by  devouring  all  about  them.  It  is  Satan's  main  design  in  the 
world  to  corrupt  God's  two  great  ordinances  of  magistracy  and 
ministry,  and  turn  them  both  against  Christ's  kingdom,  and  to  de- 


HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANV.  563 

stroy  Christians  in  Christ's  name.  O,  therefore,  pray  hard  that 
all  Christian  nations  may  have  good  rulers,  and  be  v.ery  thankful 
to  God  lor  such. 

x.  And  if  you  would  be  instruments  of  public  good,  know  what 
are  public  sins  and  dangers,  that  you  may  do  your  part  against 
them,  and  join  not  with  any  that  will  promise  never  to  endeavor 
any  reforming  alteration.  The  chiefest  are  ignorance,  pride,  and 
self-willeclness  in  teachers  and  people,  malignant  enmity  to  good- 
ness, impatience  with  the  infirmities  of  good  men,' judging  of  per- 
sons and  things  by  self-interest,  covetousness,  sensuality,  and  tak- 
ing Christianity  but  as  the  religion  of  the  land,  without  diligent 
study  to  be  rooted  in  the  truth.  And  the  scandals  of  hypo- 
crites and  tempted  Christians  hardening  the  enemies,  especially 
by  divisions,  and  public  temerities,  and  miscarriages,  is  not  the 
least. 

xi.  I  would  also,  in  order  to  public  good,  persuade  serious 
Christians  to  be  more  zealous  in  communication  with  their  neigh- 
bors, and  live  not  overstrans;ely  to  others,  and  say  not,  as  Cain, 
"  Am  I  my  brother's  keeper  ?  "  Be  kind  and  loving  to  all  about 
you,  and  live  not  as  unknown  men  to  them  ;  nor  alienate  them  by 
sourness,  contempt,  or  needless  singularity,  but  become  all  things 
lawful  to  all  men,  to  save  some  :  lend  them  good  books,  and  draw 
them  to  hear  God's  faithful  ministers:  persuade  them  to  pray  in 
their  families,  even  with  a  form  or  book,  till  they  need  it  not. 

xii.  Lastly,  if  you  would  do  good,  be  such  as  you  would  have 
others  be,  and  teach  them  by  examples  of  piety,  charity,  patience, 
self-denial,  forbearing,  and  forgiving,  and  not  by  mere  words 
contradicted  by  your  lives.  These  are  the  materials  by  which 
you  must  do  good  to  all. 

VI.  What  now  remaineth  but  that  we  all  set  ourselves  to  such 
a  fruitful  course  of  life  ?  I  greatly  rejoice  in  the  grace  of  God, 
which  I  daily  see  in  many  such  of  my  familiar  accjuaintance, 
who  study  to  do  good  to  all,  and  to  live  in  love,  and  peace,  and 
holiness,  by  example,  and  by  self-denial,  and  constant  charity, 
using  Christ's  talents  to  their  Master's  ends,  for  the  temporal  and 
eternal  good  of  many.  But,  alas !  too  many  live  as  if  it  were 
enough  to  do  no  harm,  and  say,  as  the  slothful  servant,  "  Here  is 
thy  talent  which  I  hid."  •- 

And  some  there  be  that,  in  a  blind  jealousy  of  the  doctrine  of 
justification,  (not  understanding  what  the  word  justification  signifi- 
eth,)  cry  down  even  the  words  of  James,  as  if  they  were  irrecon- 
cilable with  Paul's,  and  can  scarce  bear  him  that  saith,  as  Christ, 
(Matt,  xii.)  "  By  thy  words  thou  shalt  be  justified,  and  by  thy 
words  thou  shalt  be  condemned ;  "  as  if  they  had  never  read, 


564  HO\V    TO. -DO    GOOD    TO    MANV, 

"  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant,"  &:c.  ;  "  For  I  was  hun- 
gry and  ye  fed  me,"  fcc.;  nor  (Heb.  v.  9.)  "  He  is  the  author  of 
eternal  salvation  to  all  them  that  obey  him  ;  "  or  (Heb.  xiii.)  "  With 
such  sacrifice  God  is  well  pleased  ;  "  or  "  He  that  doeth  righteous- 
ness is  righteous  ; "  or  "That  we  shall  be  judged  according  to 
our  works;  "  or  (Rev.  xxii.  14.)  "  Blessed  are  they  that  do  his 
commandments,  that  they  may  have  right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and 
may  enter  in  by  the  gates  into  the  city  ;  "  or  (Gal.  vi.  7,  8.)  "  What 
a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  reap.  lie  that  soweth  to  the  Spirit,  of 
the  Spirit  shall  reap  everlasting  life  ;  "  with  many  such. 

-  No  man  well  in  his  wits  can  think  that  any  thing  we  do  can 
merit  of  God  in  commutative  justice,  as  if  he  received  any  thing 
from  us.  This  were  even  to  deny  God  to  be  God.  But  are  we 
not  under  a  law  of  grace,  and  doth  not  that  law  command  us  obe- 
dience, and  the  improvement  of  our  talents  in  doing  good?  And 
shall  we  not  be  judged  by  that  law  ?  And  what  is  judging,  but 
justifying  or  condemning  ?  No  works  of  ours  can  stand  the  trial 
by  the  law  of  innocency  or  works,  but  only  the  perfect  righteous- 
ness of  Christ.  But  he  that  is  accused  of  final  impenitency,  in- 
fidelity, hypocrisy,  or  unholiness,  if  truly  accused,  shall  never  be 
justified,  and  if  falsely,  must  be  justified  against  that  charge  by 
somewhat  besides  what  is  done  out  of  him  by  Jesus  Christ. 

It  is  an  easier  thing  to  be  zealous  for  an  opinion,  which  is  sound, 
or  supposed  such,  about  works  and  grace,  than  to  be  zealous  of 
good  works,  or  zealously  desirous  of  grace.  How  sad  use  did  Sa- 
tan make  .of  men's  zeal  for  orthodox  w?ords,  when  the  Nestorian, 
Eutychian,  and  Monothelite  controversies  were  in  agitation  !  He 
went  for  a  hollow-hearted  neuter,  that  did  not  hereticate  one  side 
or  other.  And  I  would  that  factious,  ignorant  zeal  were  not  still 
alive  in  the  churches.  How  many  have  we  heard  on  one  side  re- 
viling Lutherans,  Calvinists,  Arminians,  Episcopals,  Presbyterians, 
Independents,  &c.,  to  render  them  odious,  that  never  understand 
the  true  state  of  the  difference  !  And  how  fiercely  do  some  Pa- 
pists and  others  cry  down  Solifidians,  and  persuade  men  that  we 
are  enemies  to  good  works,  or  think  that  they  are  not  necessary 
to  salvation,  (because  some  rashly  maintained  that,  in  a  faction 
against  George  Major,  long  ago,)  or  at  least  that  they  are  no  fur- 
ther necessary,  but  as  signs  to  prove  that  which  God  knoweth  with- 
out them  !  And  on  the  other  side,  how  many  make  themselves 
and  others  believe  that  the  true  expositors  of  Saint  James's  words 
are  almost  Papists,  and  teach  men  dangerously  to  trust  to  works 
for  their  justification,  while  they  understand  not. what  either  of  the 
apostles  mean  by  justification,  faith,  or  works !  Many  so  carefully 
avoid  trusting  to  good  works,  that  they  have  none  or  few  to  trust 


HOW  TO  DO  COOP  TO  MANV.  565 

to.  No  doubt,  nothing  of  man  must  be  trusted  to  for  the  least  part 
that  belongs  to  Christ,  but  all  duty  and  means  must  be  both  used 
and  trusted  for  its  own  part. 

Consider  well  these  following  motives,  and  you  will  see  why  all 
Christians  must  be  zealous  of  doing  all  the  good  they  can. 

1.  It  rendereth  a  man  likest  to  God  to  be  good,  and  to  do  good  ; 
on  which  account  Christ   required!  it  even  towards  our  enemies, 
(Matt,  v.)  that  we  may  be  perfect,  as  our  heavenly  Father  is  per- 
fect, who  doth  good  even  to  the  unjust.     And   he  that  is  likest 
God    is  the  best  man,  most    holy,  and    most    happy,  and   shall 
have  most  communion  with  God. 

2.  And  when  Christ  came  down  in  flesh  to  call  man  home  by 
making  God  better  known  to  the  world,  he  revealed  him  in  his  at- 
tractive goodness  ;  and  that  was  by  his  own  beneficence  to  man. 
He  came  to  do  the  greatest  good ;  to  be  the  Savior  of  the  world, 
and  to  reconcile  revolted  man  to  God  ;  and   all   his  life,  yea,  his 
death  and  heavenly  intercession,  is  doing  good  to  those  that  were 
God's  enemies.     And  to  learn  of  Christ  and  imitate  his  example, 
is  to  be  his  true  disciples.     And  what  else  do  his  laws  command 
us  ?     They  are  all  holy,  just,  and  good ;  and  our  goodness  is  to 
love  them  and  obey  them.     By  keeping  these,  we  must  show  that 
we  are  his  disciples.     When  he  tells  you  who  you  must  do  good 
to,  in  the  instance  of  the  Samaritan,  he  addeth,  "  Go  thou  and  do 
likewise."     He  largely  tells  us  of  what  importance  it  is  for  every 
branch  that  is  planted  into  him  to  bring  forth  fruit ;  John  xv. 

3.  It  is  much  of  the  end  of  all  sanctifying  operations  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.     Grace  is  given  us  to  use ;  even  natural  powers  are 
given  us  for  action.     What  the  better  were  man  for  a  tongue,  or 
hands,  or  feet,  if  he  should  never  use  them  ?     Life  is  a  principle 
of  action.     It  were  as  good  have  no  life,  as  not  to  use  it.     And 
why  doth  God  make  men  good,  but  that  they  may  do  good,  even 
in  their  duty  to  God,  themselves,  and  one  another? 

4.  And  it  is  God's  great  mercy  to  mankind,  that  he  will  use  us 
all  in  doing  good  to  one  another ;  and  it  is  a  great  part  of  his  wise 
government  of  the  world,  that  in  societies  men  should  be  tied  to 
it  by  the  sense  of  every  particular  man's  necessity  ;  and  it  is  a  great 
honor  to  those  that  he  maketh  his  almoners,  or  servants,  to  convey 
his  gifts  to  others  :  God  bids  you  give  nothing  but  what  is  his,  and 
no  otherwise  your  own  but  as  his  stewards.     It  is  his  bounty,  and 
your  service  or  stewardship,  which  is  to  be  exercised.     He  could 
have  done  good  to  all  men  by  himself  alone,  without  you  or  any 
other,  if  he  would  ;  but  he  will  honor  his  servants  to  be  the  mes- 
sengers of  his  bounty.     You  best  please  him,  when  you  readily 
receive  his  gifts  yourselves,  and  most  fully  communicate  them  to 


566  HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY. 

others.     To  do  good  is  to  receive  good ;  and  yet  lie  will  reward 
such  for  doing  and  receiving. 

5.  Self-love,  therefore,  should  persuade  men  to  do  good  to  all. 
You  are  not  the  least  gainers  by  it  yourselves.     If  you  can  trust 
Christ,  sure  you  will  think  this  profitable  usury.     Is  not  a  cup  of 
cold  water  well  paid  for,  when  Christ  performs  his  promise?     And 
is  it  not  a  gainful  loss  which  is  rewarded  in  this  life  an  hundred 
fold,  and  in  the  world  to  come  with  life  eternal  ? 

Those  that  live  in  the  fullest  exercise  of  love,  and  doing  good, 
are  usually  most  loved,  and  many  are  ready  to  do  good  to  them. 
And  this  exercise  increaseth  all  fruitful  graces  ;  and  there  is  a  pres- 
ent delight  in  doing  good,  which  is  itself  a  great  reward.  The 
love  of  others  makes  it  delightful  to  us ;  and  the  pleasing  of  God, 
and  the  imitation  of  Christ,  and  the  testimony  of  conscience,  make 
it  delightful.  An  honest  physician  is  far  gladder  to  save  men's 
lives  or  health  than  to  get  their  money.  And  an  honest  soldier  is 
gladder  to  save  his  country  than  to  get  his  pay.  Every  honest  min- 
ister of  Christ  is  far  gladder  to  win  souls  than  to  get  money  or  pre- 
ferment. The  believing  giver  hath  more  pleasure  than  the  re- 
ceiver ;  and  this  without  any  conceit  of  commutative  meriting  of 
God,  or  any  false  trust  to  works  for  justification. 

6.  Stewards  must  give  account  of  all.     What  would  you  wish 
were  the  matter  of   your  true    account,  if  death    or  judgment 
were  to-morrow  ?     Would  you  not  wish  you  had  done  all  the  good 
you  could  ?     Do  you  believe  that  all  shall  be  judged  according  to 
their  works  ?     Did  you  ever  well  study  that  great  prediction  of 
Christ  ?  Matt.  xxv. 

And  it  is  some  part  of  a  reward  on  earth,  that  men  that  do  much 
good,  especially  that  to  whole  nations,  are  usually  honored  by  pos- 
terity, however  they  be  rewarded  by  the  present  age. 

7.  Every   true   Christian  is  absolutely   devoted   to   do   good. 
What  else  is  to  be  devoted  to  God,  our  Creator  and  Redeemer  ? 
What  live  we  for,  or  what  should  we  desire  to  live  for,  but  to 
do  good  ? 

But  this  exhortation  is  especially  applicable  to  them  that  have 
special  opportunity. 

i.  Magistrates  are  the  capitals  in  the  societies  and  public  affairs 
of  mankind.  They  are  placed  highest  that  they  may  have  an  uni- 
versal influence.  Though  it  be  too  high  a  word  to  call  them  gods 
or  God's  vicegerents,  (unless  secundum  quid?)  yet  they  are  his 
officers  and  regent  ministers  ;  but  it  is  for  the  common  good.  In 
them  God  shows  what  order  can  do  in  the  government  of  the 
world.  As  the  placing  the  same  figure  before  many,  doth  accord- 
ingly advance  its  value  in  signification,  so  it  is  a  wonder  to  note 


HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY.  56T 

what  the  place  of  one  man  signifieth  at  the  head  of  an  army,  of  a 
city,  of  a  kingdom.  They  are  appointed  by  God  to  govern  men 
in  a  just  subordination  to  God's  government,  and  not  otherwise  ; 
to  promote  obedience  to  God's  laws  by  theirs,  and  by  their  judg- 
ment and  execution  to  give  men  a  foretaste  what  they  may  at  last 
expect  from  God  ;  and  by  their  rewards  and  punishments  to  fore- 
tell men  whom  God  will  reward  and  punish  ;  and  by  their  own  ex- 
amples to  show  the  subjects  how  temperately,  and  soberly,  and 
godly,  God  would  have  them  live.  Atheists  can  see  and  fear  a 
magistrate,  that  fear  not  God,  because  they  know  him  not. 

They  that  prefer  those  as  the  most  worthy  of  honor  whom  God 
abhorreth  for  their  wickedness,  and  hate  and  oppress  those  whom 
God  will  honor,  do  show  themselves  enemies  to  him  that  giveth 
them  all  their  power.  And  they  that  by  countenance  or  practice 
do  teach  men  to  despise  the  fear  of  God,  and  to  make  light  of 
drunkenness,  whoredom,  lying,  perjury,  and  such  like  odious  crimes, 
do,  in  a  sort,  blaspheme  God  himself,  as  if  he  who  exalted  them 
were  a  lover  of  sin,  and  a  hater  of  his  own  laws  and  service. 
There  are  few  rulers  that  are  unwilling  of  power,  or  to  be  account- 
ed great ;  and  do  they  not  know,  that  it  is  a  power  to  do  good  that 
God  has  given  them ;  and  that  obligation  to  do  it  is  as  essential  to 
their  office  as  authority  ?  And  that  they  who  govern  as  the  offi- 
cers of  God,  and  pretend  to  be  liker  him  in  greatness  than  their 
subjects,  must  also  be  liker  to  him  in  wisdom  and  goodness  ? 

Woe  to  that  man  who  abuseth  and  opposeth  the  just  and  faithful 
in  the  name  of  God,  and  by  pretense  of  authority  from  him  to  do 
it  !  Woe  to  him  that  in  God's  name,  and  as  by  his  authority,  coun- 
tenanceth  the  wicked  whom  God  abhorreth,  and  under  Christ's 
banner  fighteth  against  him !  As  Christ  saith  of  the  offensive,  "  It 
were  good  for  that  man  that  he  had  never  been  born."  "  He  that 
saith  to  the  wicked,  Thou  art  righteous,  him  shall  the  people  curse  ; 
nations  shall  abhor  him ;  "  Prov.  xxiv.  24.  "  He  that  justifieth 
the  wicked,  and  he  that  condemneth  the  just,  even  they  both  are 
an  abomination  to  the  Lord;  "  Prov.  xvii.  15. 

God  looketh  for  great  service  from  great  men  :  great  trust  and 
talents  must  have  great  account :  a  prince,  a  lord,  a  ruler,  must  do 
much  more  good,  in  promoting  piety,  conscience,  virtue,  than  the 
best  inferiors  :  to  whom  men  give  much,  from  them  they  expect 
the  more. 

It  greatly  concerneth  such  men  seriously  to  ask  their  conscience, 
Can  I  do  no  more  to  encourage  godliness,  conscience,  and  justice, 
and  to  disgrace  malignity,  brutish  sensuality,  and  fleshly  lusts,  than 
I  have  done  ?  O,  when  they  must  hear,  "  Give  account  of  thy 
stewardship,  thou  shalt  be  no  longer  steward."  little  think  many 
rulers  what  an  account  it  is  that  will  be  required  of  them !  O, 


568  HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY. 

what  a  deal  of  good  may  the  rulers  of  the  earth  do,  if,  instead  of 
overminding  their  partial  interests,  and  serving  the  desires  of  the 
flesh,  they  did  but  set  themselves  with  study  and  resolution  to  pro- 
mote the  common  good,  by  disgracing  sin,  and  encouraging  wis- 
dom, piety,  and  peace  !  And  where  this  is  not  sincerely  done,  as 
surely  as  there  is  a  righteous  God,  and  a  future  judgment,  they 
shall  pay  for  their  emissive  treachery.  And  if  Satan  do  prevail  to 
set  his  own  captains  over  the  armies  of  the  Lord,  to  betray  them 
to  perdition,  they  shall  be  deepest  in  misery,  as  they  were  in  guilt. 
One  would  think  the  great  delight  that  is  to  be  found  in  doing 
good  to  all,  should  much  more  draw  men  to  desire  authority  and 
greatness,  than  either  riches,  or  voluptuousness,  or  a  domineering 
desire  that  all  men  should  fulfill  their  wills. 

ii.  The  ministers  of  Christ  also  have  the  next  opportunity  to 
do  good  to  many  ;  and  it  is  a  debt  that  by  many  and  great  obliga- 
tions they  owe  to  Christ  and  men.  But  it  will  not  be  done  with- 
out labor,  and  condescension,  and  unwearied  patience.  It  is  under- 
taken by  all  that  are  ordained  to  this  office  ;  but  O  that  it  were  per- 
formed faithfully  by  all !  What  a  doleful  life  would  the  perfidious 
soul-betrayers  live,  if  they  knew  what  a  guilt  they  have  to  answer 
for! — even  the  contempt  of  the  people's  souls,  and  of  the  blood 
of  Christ  that  purchased  them  !  O  hear  that  vehement  adjuration 
(2  Tim.  iv.  1,  2.)  "  I  charge  thee  before  God,  and  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  who  shall  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead  at  his  appearing 
and  kingdom,  preach  the  word ;  be  instant  in  season  and  out  of 
season  ;  reprove,  rebuke,  exhort,  with  all  long-suffering  and  doc- 
trine." Speak  with  holy,  studied  skill ;  speak  with  love  and  melt- 
ing pity  ;  speak  with  importunity ;  take  no  denial ;  speak  as  St. 
Paul,  (Acts  xx.)  publicly,  and  from  house  to  house ;  speak  be- 
fore you  are  silenced  in  the  dust ;  speak  before  death  have  taken 
away  your  hearers.  It  is  for  souls,  it  is  for  Christ,  it  is  for  your- 
selves too:  while  you  have  opportunity,  do  good  to  all.  But  of 
this  I  have  formerly  said  more  in  my  '  Reformed  Pastor.' 

iii.  And  let  all  men  take  their  common  and  special  opportuni- 
ties to  do  good:  time  will  not  stay  ;  yourselves,  your  wives,  your 
children,  your  servants,  your  neighbors,  are  posting  to  another 
world  :  speak  now  what  you  would  have  them  hear ;  do  them  now 
all  the  good  you  can.  It  must  be  now  or  never ;  there  is  no  re- 
turning from  the  dead  to  warn  them.  O  live  not  as  those  infidels, 
who  think  it  enough  to  do  no  harm,  and  to  serve  their  carnal 
minds  with  pleasure,  as  born  for  nothing  but  a  decent  and  delight- 
ful life  on  earth.  You  are  all  in  the  vineyard  or  harvest  of  the 
Lord :  work  while  it  is  day,  the  night  is  at  hand  when  none  can 
work:  woe  to  the  slothful,  treacherous  hypocrite,  when  the  judg- 
ment cometh. 


HOW    TO    DO    GOOD    TO    MANY.  569 

Stay  not  till  you  are  entreated  to  do  good ;  study  it,  and  seek 
it.  Give  while  there  are  men"  that  need,  and  while  you  have  it, 
especially  to  the  household  of  faith.  Fire  and  thieves  may  deprive 
you  of  it ;  at  the  furtherest,  death  will  quickly  do  it.  Happy  are 
they  that  know  their  day,  and,  trusting  in  Christ,  do  study  to  serve 
him  in  doing  good  to  all. 

And  the  doctrine  in  hand  doth  further  teach  us  some  consec- 
taries  which  all  do  not  well  consider. 

I.  That  living  chiefly  to  the   flesh   in  worldly  prosperity,  and 
dropping  now  and  then  some  small  good  on  the  by,  to  quiet  con- 
science, is  the  property  of  an  hypocrite.     But  to  sound  Christians, 
fruitfulness  in  doing  good  is  the  very  trade  of  their  lives,  of  which 
they  are  zealous,  and  which  they  daily  study. 

II.  That  all   Christians  should  be  very  careful  to  avoid  doing 
public  hurt.     It  woundeth  conscience  to  be  guilty  of  wronging  of 
any  one  man ;  we  find  it  in  dying  men,  that  cannot  die  in  peace  till 
they  have  confessed  wrongs,  and  made  satisfaction,  and  asked  for- 
giveness.    And  who  knovveth  but  the  many  apparitions  that  have 
certainly  been  on  such  occasions  may  be  done  by  miserable  souls, 
to  seek  some  ease  of  the  torment  of  their  own  consciences  ?     But 
to  hurt  many,  even   whole   parishes,  cities,  churches,  kingdoms, 
how  much  more  grievous  will  it  prove !     And  yet,  alas !   how 
quickly  may  it  be  done ;  and  how  ordinarily  is  it  done !     What 
grievous  mischief  may  even  well-meaning  men  do  by  one  mistaken 
practice,  or  rash  act !     by  the  fierce  promoting  one  error ;  by  let- 
ting loose  one   passion,  or  carnal  affection ;  by  venturing  once  on 
secret  sin  ;   yea,  by  one  rash,  sinful  word.     How  much   more  if 
they  are   drawn  and  set  in  an  unlawful  interest  and  way !     And 
little  know  we,  when  a  spark  is  kindled,  how  it  will  end,  or  how 
many  ways  Satan  hath  to  improve  it.     And  one  hurtful  action,  or 
unwarrantable  way,  may  blast  abundance  of  excellent  endowments, 
and  make   such  a  grievous  damage  to  the  church,  who  else  might 
have  been   an  eminent  blessing.     And  if  good  men  may  do  so 
much   hurt,  what  have  the  enemies  of  godliness  to  answer  for, 
who,  by    worldliness  and   malignity,  are  corrupters,  dividers,  and 
destroyers ! 

III.  The  text  plainly  intimateth  that  it  is  a  great  crime  in  them 
that,  instead  of  doing  good  while   they  have  opportunity,  think  it 
enough  to  leave  it  by  will  to  their  executors  to  do  it.     When  they 
have  lived  to  the  flesh,  and  cannot  take  it  with  them,  they  think 
it  enough   to  leave   others  to  do  that   good  which  they  had  not  a 
heart  to  do  themselves;  but  a  treasure  must  be  laid  up  in  heaven 
beforehand,  and  not  be  left  to  be  sent  after;  (Matt.  vi.  20,  21.) 
and   he  that  will  make  friends  of  the  mammon  of  unrighteousness 

VOL.    II.  1'2 


570  HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY. 

must  now  be  rich  towards  God;  Luke  xii.  21.  It  is  no  victory 
over  the  world  to  leave  it  when  you  cannot  keep  it ;  nor  will  any 
legacy  purchase  heaven  for  an  unholy,  worldly  soul. 

IV.  Yet  they  that  will  do  good  neither  living  nor  dying  are 
worst  of  all.  Surely  the  last  acts  of  our  lives,  if  possible,  should 
be  the  best ;  and  as  we  must  live  in  health,  so  also  in  sickness,  and 
to  the  last,  in  doing  all  the  good  we  can ;  and,  therefore,  it  must 
needs  be  a  great  sin  to  leave  our  estates  to  those  that  are  like  to 
do  hurt  with  them,  or  to  do  no  good,  so  far  as  we  are  the  free  dis- 
posers of  them. 

The  case,  I  confess,  is  not  without  considerable  difficulties,  how- 
much  a  man  is  bound  to  leave  to  his  children,  or  his  nearest  kin- 
dred, when  some  of  them  are  disposed  to  live  unprofitably,  and 
some  to  live  ungodlily  and  hurtfully.  Some  think  men  are  bound 
to  leave  them  nothing ;  some  think  they  ought  to  leave  them 
almost  all ;  and  some  think  that  they  should  leave  them  only  so 
much  as  may  find  them  tolerable  food  and  raiment.  I  shall  do 
my  best  to  decide  the  case  in  several  propositions. 

1 .  The  case  is  not  with  us  as  it  was  with  the  Israelites,  who 
might  not  alienate  their  inheritances  from  the  tribes ;  yet  even 
they  had  power  to  prefer  a  younger  son,  that  was  more  deserving, 
before  an  elder,  that  was  worse. 

2.  Where  either  law  or  contract  have  disabled  a  man  to  alienate 
his  estate  from  an  ungodly  heir,  there  is  no  room  for  a  doubt  what 
he  must  do. 

3.  Nature  teacheth  all  men  to  prefer  a  child  that  is  pious  and 
hopeful  in  his  provisions,  and  legacies,  before  a  stranger  that  is 
somewhat  better,  and  not  to  alienate  his  estate  for  want  of  a  higher 
degree  of  goodness. 

4.  When  there  is  just  cause  to  disinherit  an  elder  son,  a  young- 
er is  to  be  preferred  before  a  stranger ;  or  a  kinsman,  if  there   be 
ao  tolerable  son. 

•  5.  And  a  son  that  ought  not  to  be  trusted  with  riches,  or  a  great 
estate,  yet  ought  to  have  food  and  raiment ;  (unless  he  come  to 
that  state  of  obstinate  rebellion  in  sin,  for  which  God's  law  com- 
manded the  Israelites  to  bring  forth  their  sons  to  be  put  to  death  ; 
in  such  cases  the  house  of  correction  is  fittest  for  them ;)  yet 
should  he  have  such  food  as  may  humble  him,  and  not  to  gratify 
his  lust. 

6.  If  a  man  that  hath  the  full  power  to  dispose  of  his  estate, 
real  or  personal,  have  sons  and  kindred,  that,  according  to  the 
judgment  of  sound  reason,  are  like,  if  they  had  this  estate,  to  do 
mischief  with  it,  or  maintain  them  in  a  wicked  life,  or  in  a  mere 
unprofitable  life  of  idleness,  living  only  to  themselves,  and  fleshly 


HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY.  571 

ease  and  pleasure,  that  man  ought  to  give  his  estate  from  such  to 
some  that  are  more -likely  to  do  good  with  it,  and  to  use  it  for 
God,  and  the  public  benefit. 

This  is  much  contrary  to  the  common  course  of  most,  that  think 
no  estate  too  great  for  their  heirs,  nor  any  portion  too  great  for 
their  daughters,  be  they  what  they  will,  or  what  use  soever  they 
are  like  to  make  of  it :  but  these  following  reasons  prove  it  to 
be  true : — 

Reason  1.  Every  man  hath  his  estate  from  God,  and  for  God, 
and  is  bound,  as  his  steward,  accordingly  to  use  it.  This  is  past 
doubt ;  and  how  doth  that  man  use  it  for  God,  who  leaveth  it  to 
one  that  is  likely  to  use  it  for  the  devil,  in  a  fleshly,  unprofitable 
life  ?  What  account  can  such  a  steward  give  ?  Did  God  give  it 
you  to  maintain  idleness  and  sin  ? 

Objection.  O,  but  it  is  a  son  whom  I  am  bound  to  provide  for. 
Answer.  Are  you  more  bound  to  your  son  than  to  yourself?  God 
doth  not  allow  you  to  spend  it  on  yourself,  to  maintain  idleness 
and  vice ;  Rom.  xiii.  -13,  14.  "  Make  no  provision  for  the 
flesh  to  satisfy  the  lust  (or  will)  thereof."  And  may  you  leave  it 
for  such  a  use  as  is  forbidden  both  your  son  and  you  ?  It  is  God 
that  is  the  owner  of  it,  and  it  is  to  him  that  you  must  both  use  and 
leave  it :  "  Whether  you  eat  or  drink,  or  whatever  you  do,  do  all 
to  the  glory  of  God."  And  will  you  leave  it  to  be  the  fuel  of  lust 
and  sin  ? 

Obj.  I  leave  it  not  for  sin ;  but  if  he  misuse  it,  I  cannot  help  it. 
Ans.  Would  that  excuse  you,  if  you  put  a  sword  into  a  madman's 
hand,  to  say,  I  cannot  help  it  if  he  use  it  ill  ?  You  might  have 
helped  it ;  it  is  supposed  that  you  foreknew  how  he  was  like  to 
use  it. 

Obj.  But  he  may  prove  better  hereafter,  as  some  do.  Ans.  It 
is  not  bare  possibilities  that  must  guide  a  wise  man's  actions 
when  probability  is  against  them.  Would  you  commit  yo'ur  chil- 
dren to  the  care  of  a  madman,  or  a  knave,  because  he  may  possibly 
come  to  his  wits,  or  become  honest  ?  Have  you  not  long  tried 
him,  and  have  you  not  endeavored  to  cure  him  of  his  idleness, 
wickedness,  or  lust  ?  If  it  be  not  done,  what  ground  have  you  to 
presume  it  will  be  done  when  you  are  dead  ?  You  may  have  so 
much  hope  as  not  utterly  to  despair  of  him  ;  but  that  will  not  allow 
you  to  trust  him  with  that  which  God  made  you  steward  of  for  his 
use  and  service. 

But  if  such  hopes  may  be  gratified,  give  your  estate  in  trust  to 
some  conscionable  friend,  with  secret  order  to  give  it  your  son,  or 
kinsman,  if  he  become  hereafter  fit  to  use  it  according  to  the  ends 
for  which  God  giveth  it. 

Reas.  2.  The  obligation  in  my  text  of  doing  good  to  all,  extend- 


572  HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY. 

eth  to  the  end  of  our  lives,  and,  therefore,  to  our  last  will  and  tes- 
tament. Therefore  you  must  make  your  wills  so  as  may  do  good 
to  all,  and  not  to  cherish  sin  and  idleness. 

Reas.  3.  You  are  bound  to  your  best  to  destroy  sin  and  idle- 
ness, and,  therefore,  not  to  feed  and  cherish  it. 

Reas.  4.  Doing  good  is  the  very  thing  which  you  are  created, 
redeemed,  and  sanctified  for ;  and,  therefore,  you  must  extend 
your  endeavors  to  the  utmost,  and  to  the  last,  that  as  much  as 
may  be,  may  be  done  when  you  are  dead.  Jf  magistrates  and 
ministers  took  care  for  no  longer  than  their  own  lives,  what  would 
become  of  the  state  or  church  ? 

Reas.  5.  The  common  good  is  better  than  the  plenty  of  a  sinful 
child  ;  yea.  it  is  to  be  preferred  before  the  best  child,  and  before 
ourselves,  and,  therefore,  much  more  before  the  worst. 

Reas.  6.  It  is  a  dreadful  thing  to  be  guilty  of  all  the  fleshly  sins 
which  your  ungodly  sons  will  commit  with  your  estate,  when  they 
shall  by  it  maintain  the  sins  of  Sodom,  pride,  fullness  of  bread,  and 
abundance  of  idleness,  if  not  to  strengthen  their  hands  for  oppres- 
sion or  persecution,  to  think  that  they  will  spend  their  days  in 
voluptuousness,  because  you  give  them  provision  for  the  flesh. 

Reas.  7.  It  is  cruelty  to  them  that  are  already  so  bad,  to  make 
their  temptations  to  sin  much  stronger,  and  their  place  in  hell  the 
worse,  and  to  make  the  way  to  heaven  as  hard  to  them  as  for  a 
camel  to  go  through  the  eye  of  a  needle ;  to  prepare  them  to 
want  a  drop  of  water  in  hell,  who  were  clothed  richly,  and  fared 
sumptuously  on  earth  ;  to  entice  them  to  say,  '  Soul,  take  thine 
ease ;  thou  hast  enough  laid  up  for  many  years ; '  till  they  hear, 
'  Thou  fool,  this  night  shall  they  require  thy  soul ; '  to  cherish 
that  love  of  the  world  which  is  enmity  to  God,  by  feeding  that  lust 
of  the  flesh,  and  lust  of  the  eyes,  and  pride  of  life,  which  are  not 
of  the  Father,  but  of  the  world. 

Reas.  8.  When  this  preferring  unprofitable  and  ungodly  chil- 
dren before  God  and  the  common  good  is  so  common  and  reigning 
a  sin  in  the  world,  it  is  a  great  fault  for  religious  men  to  encourage 
them  in  it  by  their  example,  and  to  do  as  they. 

Reas.  9.  It  is  a  sin  to  cast  away  any  of  God's  gifts.  When 
Christ  had  fed  men  by  a  miracle,  he  saith,  "  Gather  up  the  frag- 
ments, that  nothing  be  lost."  If  you  should  cast  your  money  into 
the  sea,  it  were  a  crime  ;  but  to  leave  to  such  as  you  foresee  are 
most  likely  to  use  it  sinfully,  is  more  than  casting  it  away. 

If  you  saw  men  offer  sacrifice  to  Bacchus,  or  Venus,  you  would 
abhor  it :  do  not  that  which  is  so  like  it,  as  to  leave  bad  men  fuel 
for  fleshly  lust. 

Reas.  10.  It  is  the  more  dreadful,  because  it  is  dying  in  studied 
sin,  without  repentance.  To  put  so  much  sin  into  one's  will, 


- 


HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY.  573 

shows  a  full  consent,  and  leaveth  no  room  and  time  to  repent 
of  it. 

On  all  these  accounts,  I  advise  all  the  stewards  of  God,  as  they 
love  him,  and  the  public  good,  and  their  own  souls,  while  they 
have  opportunity,  even  to  the  last  breath,  to  do  good  to  all,  and  to 
provide  more  for  the  common  good  than  for  superfluities  to  any, 
and  than  for  the  maintaining  ungodly  children  in  sin,  to  the  increase 
of  their  guilt  and  misery. 

Indeed,  in  the  choice  of  a  calling,  employment,  and  condition  of 
life,  and  place  for  their  children,  doing  good  should  be  preferred 
before  their  rising  in  the  world  ;  and  they  that  justly  endeavor  to 
raise  their  families  in  wealth,  honor,  or  power,  should  do  it  only 
that  they  might  do  the  more  good.  But  it  is  Satan's  design  to 
turn  all  God's  mercies  to  the  cherishing  of  wickedness,  and  even 
the  love  of  parents  to  their  children  to  the  poisoning  of  their  souls, 
the  strengthening  of  their  snares,  and  the  hindrance  of  their  own 
and  other  men's  salvation.  But  it  is  shame  and  pity  that  they 
who  in  baptism  devoted  their  children  to  God,  the  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost,  renouncing  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil, 
as  under  the  banner  of  the  cross,  should  labor  all  their  life,  that 
impenitently  at  death  they  may  leave  all  that  they  can  get  to  such 
as,  in  all  probability,  will  use  it  in  pride,  fullness,  and  idleness,  for 
the  flesh,  the  world,  and  the  devil,  against  him  and  his  interest, 
from  whom  they  received  it ;  and  to  whom  both  they  and  all  they 
had  were  once  devoted. 

When  men  are  loath  that  their  estates  should  remove  from  the 
name  and  family,  (for  which  there  may  be  just  cause,)  I  take  it 
for  the  safest  way,  as  aforesaid,  to  trust  some,  as  men  do  their 
children  with  guardians,  by  the  advice  of  lawyers,  to  secure  all 
from  their  unworthy  heirs,  for  the  next,  or  some  other  of  the  name 
and  lineage,  that  proveth  worthy. 

There  are  many  other  good  works  by  which  some  rich  men 
may  be  very  profitable  to  the  commonwealth,  such  as  setting  all 
the  poor  on  work,  and  building  hospitals  for  the  impotent,  &c.; 
but  these  this  city  is  happily  acquainted  with  already  ;  and  though 
still  there  be  much  wanting,  yet  there  is  much  done. 

V.  But  one  more  I  will  presume  to  name  only  to  you  that  are 
merchants,  for  I  am  not  one  who  have  the  ear  of  princes,  who  are 
more  able.  Might  not  somewhat  more  be  done  than  yet  is,  to 
further  the  gospel  in  your  factories,  and  in  our  plantations  ?  Old 
Mr.  Eliot,  with  his  helpers  in  New  England,  hath  shown  that 
somewhat  may  be  done,  if  others  were  as  charitable  and  zealous 
as  they.  The  Jesuits  and  friars  showed  us,  in  Congo,  Japan, 
China,  and  other  countries,  that  much  might  be  done  with  care 
and  diligence.  Though  the  Papal  interest  was  a  corrupt  end,  and 


. 

574  HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY. 

all  the  means  which  they  used  were  not  justifiable,  when  I  read 
of  their  hazards,  unwearied  labors,  and  success,  I  am  none  of  those 
that  would  deprive  them  of  their  deserved  honor,  but  rather  wish 
that  we,  who  have  better  ends  and  principles,  might  do  better  than 
they,  and  not  come  so  far  behind  them  as  we  do,  if  half  be  true 
that  Peter  Maffaeus,  and  the  Jesuits'  epistles,  and  many  other 
writers,  tell  us  of  them.  I  know  that  they  had  the  advantage  of 
greater  helps  from  kings,  and  pope,  and  prelates,  and  colleges 
endowed  with  trained  men  and  copious  maintenance.  But  might 
not  somewhat  more  be  done  by  us  than  is  yet  done  ? 

1.  Is  it  not  possible  to  send  some  able,  zealous  chaplains  to 
those  factories  which  are  in  the  countries  of  infidels  and  heathens ; 
such  as  thirst  for  the  conversion  of  sinners,  and  the  enlargement 
of  the  church  of  Christ,  and  would   labor  skillfully  and  diligently 
therein  ?     Is  it  not  possible  to  get  some  short  Christian  books, 
which  are  fitted  for  that  use,  to  be  translated  into  such  languages 
that  infidels  can  read,  and  to  distribute  them  among  them  ?     If  it 
be  not  possible   also  to  send  thither  religious,  conscionable  factors, 
who  would  further  the  work,  the  case  of  London  is  very  sad. 

2.  Is  it  not  possible,  at  least,  to  help  the  poor  ignorant  Arme- 
nians, Greeks,  Muscovites,  and    other  Christians,  who  have  no 
printing  among  them,  nor  much  preaching  or  knowledge ;  and,  for 
want  of  printing,  have  very  few  Bibles,  even  for  their  churches  or 
ministers  ?     Could  nothing  be  done  to  get  some  Bibles,  catechisms, 
and  practical  books  printed  in  their  own  tongues,  and  given  among 
them  ?     I  know  there   is  difficulty  in  the  way  ;  but  money,  and 
willingness,  and  diligence,  might  do  something. 

3.  Might  not  something  be  done  in  other  plantations,  as  well  as 
in  New  England,  towards  the  conversion  of  the  natives  there? 
Might  not  some  skillful,  zealous  preachers  be  sent  thither,  who 
would  promote  serious  piety  among  those  of  the  English  that  have 
too  little  of  it,  and  might  invite  the  Americans  to  learn  the  gospel, 
and    teach    our  planters    how  to    behave  themselves  christianly 
towards  them,  to  win  them  to  Christ  ? 

4.  Is  it  not  possible  to  do  more  than  hath  been  done  to  convert 
the  blacks  that  are  our  own  slaves,  or  servants,  to  the  Christian 
faith  ?     Hath  not  Mr.  Goodwin  justly  reprehended  and  lamented 
the  neglect,  yea,  and  resistance  of  this  work  in  Barbadoes,  and 
the  like  elsewhere  ?     1 .  Might  not  better  teachers  be  sent  thither 
for  that  use  ?     2.  Is  it  not  an  odious  crime  of  Christians  to  hinder 
the  conversion  of  these  infidels,  lest  they  lose  their  service  by  it, 
and  to  prefer  their  gain  to  men's  souls  ?     Is  not  this  to  sell  souls 
for  a  little  money,  as  Judas  did  his  Lord  ?     And  whereas  the  law 
manumits  them  from  servitude  when  they  turn  Christians,  that  it 

•\y  invitp  *hem  to  conversion,  (and  this  occasioneth  wicked  Chris- 

' 


HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY.  575 

tians  to  hinder  tnem  from  knowledge,)  were  it  not  better  move 
the  government,  therefore,  to  change  that  law,  so  far  as  to  allow 
these  covetous  masters  their  service  for  a  certain  time,  using  them 
as  free  servants  ?  3.  And  whereas  they  are  allowed  only  the 
Lord's  day  for  their  own  labor,  and  some  honest  Christians  would 
willingly  allow  them  some  other  time  instead  of  it,  that  they  might 
spend  the  Lord's  day  in  learning  to  know  Christ,  and  worship 
God,  but  they  dare  not  do  it,  lest  their  \vicked  neighbors  rise 
against  them,  for  giving  their  slaves  such  an  example ;  might  not 
the  governors  be  procured  to  force  the  whole  plantation  to  it  by  a 
law,  even  to  allow  their  infidel  servants  so  much  time  on  another 
day,  and  cause  some  to  congregate  them  for  instruction  on  the 
Lord's  days  ?  Why  should  those  men  be  called  Christians,  or 
have  any  Christian  reputation,  or  privilege  themselves,  who  think 
both  Christianity  and  souls  to  be  no  more  worth  than  to  be  thus 
basely  sold  for  the  gain  of  men's  servilest  labors  ?  And  what, 
though  the  poor  infidels  desire  not  their  own  conversion ;  their 
need  is  the  greater,  and  not  the  less. 

VI.  I  conclude  with  this  moving  inference :  The  great  oppo- 
sition that  is  made  against  doing  good  by  the  devil  and  his  whole 
army  through  all  the  world,  and  their  lamentable  success,  doth  call 
aloud  to  all  true  Christians  to  overdo  them.  O  what  a  kingdom 
of  malignants  hath  Satan,  doing  mischief  to  men's  souls  and  bodies 
through  the  earth !  hating  the  godly  ;  oppressing  the  just ;  corrupt- 
ing doctrine ;  introducing  lies ;  turning  Christ's  laborers  out  of 
his  vineyard ;  forbidding  them  to  preach  in  his  name  the  saving 
word  of  life ;  hiding  or  despising  the  laws  of  Christ,  and  setting 
up  their  own  wills  and  devices  in  their  stead  ;  making  dividing, 
distracting  engines,  on  pretense  of  order,  government  and  unity ; 
murdering  men's  bodies,  and  ruining  their  estates,  and  slandering 
their  names,  on  pretense  of  love  to  the  church  and  souls ;  encour- 
aging profaneness,  blasphemy,  perjury,  whoredom,  and  scorning 
conscience,  and  fear  of  sinning.  What  diligence  doth  Satan  use 
through  the  very  Christian  nations,  to  turn  Christ's  ordinances  of 
magistracy  and  ministry  against  himself,  and  to  make  his  own  offi- 
cers the  most  mischievous  enemies  to  his  truth  and  kingdom,  and 
saving  work ;  to  tread  down  his  family  and  spiritual  worship,  as  if 
it  were  by  his  own  authority  and  commission  !  To  preach  down 
truth,  and  conscience,  and  real  godliness,  as  in  Christ's  own  name, 
and  fight  against  him  with  his  own  word,  and  to  teach  the  people 
to  hate  his  servants,  as  if  this  pleased  the  God  of  love. 

And,  alas  !  how  dismal  is  their  success  !  In  the  East,  the  church 
is  hereby  destroyed  by  the  barbarous  Mahometans :  the  remnants 
by  their  prelates  continued  in  sects,  in  great  ignorance,  and  dead 
formality,  reproaching  and  anathematizing  one  another,  and  little 


576  HOW  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  MANY. 

hope  appearing  of  recovery.  In  the  West,  a  dead  image  of  reli- 
gion, and  unity,  and  order,  dressed  up  with  a  multitude  of  gauds, 
and  set  up  against  the  life  and  soul  of  religion,  unity  and  order, 
and  a  war  hereupon  maintained  for  their  destruction,  with  sad  suc- 
cess; so  that,  usually,  the  more  zealous  men  are  for  the  Papal  and 
formal  human  image,  the  more  zealously  they  study  the  extirpa- 
tion of  worshiping  God  in  spirit  and  truth,  and  thirst  after  the 
blood  of  the  most  serious  worshipers ;  and  cry  down  them  as 
intolerable  enemies  who  take  their  baptism  for  an  obliging  vow, 
and  seriously  endeavor  to  perform  it,  and  live  in  good  earnest,  as 
Christianity  bindeth  them  ;  and  they  take  it  for  an  insufferable 
crime  to  prefer  God's  authority  before  man's,  and  to  plead  his  law 
against  any  thing  that  men  command  them.  In  a  word,  he  is 
unworthy  to  be  accounted  a  Christian  with  them,  who  will  be  a 
Christian  indeed,  and  not  despise  the  laws  of  Christ,  and  unwor- 
thy to  have  the  liberty  and  usage  of  a  man  that  will  not  sin  and 
damn  his  soul :  so  much  more  cruel  are  they  than  the  Turkish 
tyrants,  who,  if  they  send  to  a  man  for  his  head,  must  be  obeyed. 

And  is  the  devil  a  better  master  than  Christ  ?  And  shall  his 
work  be  done  with  greater  zeal  and  resolution  ?  Will  he  give  his 
servants  a  better  reward  ?  Should  not  all  this  awaken  us  to  do 
good  with  greater  diligence  than  they  do  evil  ?  And  to  promote 
love  and  piety  more  earnestly  than  they  do  malignity  and  iniquity  ? 
Is  not  saving  church  and  state,  souls  and  bodies,  better  worth 
resolution  and  labor  than  destroying  them  ? 

And  the  prognostics  are  encouraging.  Certainly,  Christ  and 
his  kingdom  will  prevail.  At  last,  all  his  enemies  shall  be  made 
his  footstool ;  yea,  shall  from  him  receive  their  doom  to  everlasting 
punishment  which  rebels  against  ornnipotency,  goodness  and 
mercy,  do  deserve.  If  God  be  not  God,  if  Christ  will  not  con- 
quer, if  there  be  no  life  to  come,  let  them  boast  of  their  success ; 
but  when  they  are  rottenness  and  dust,  and  their  souls  with  devils, 
arid  their  names  are  a  reproach,  Christ  will  be  Christ,  his  promises 
and  threatenings  all  made  good ;  2  Thess.  i.  6,  &-C.  He  will 
judge  it  righteous  to  recompense  tribulation  to  your  troublers, 
when  he  cometh  with  his  mighty  angels  in  flaming  fire,  to  take 
vengeance  on  rebels,  and  to  be  glorified  in  his  saints,  and  admired 
in  all  true  believers.  And  when  that  solemn  judgment  shall  pass 
on  them  that  did  good,  and  that  did  evil,  described  Matt,  xxv., 
with  a  "  Come,  ye  blessed,  inherit  the  kingdom,"  and  "  Go,  ye 
cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,"  doing  good  and  not  doing  it,  much 
more  doing  mischief,  will  be  better  distinguished  than  now  they 
are,  when  they  are  rendered  as  the  reason  of  those  different 
dooms. 


GOD'S    GOODNESS    VINDICATED; 


HELP  OF   SUCH   (ESPECIALLY   IN    MELANCHOLY)   AS 
ARE   TEMPTED   TO   DENY    IT, 


THINK    HIM   TO   BE   CRUEL, 

BECAUSE    OF    THE 

PRESENT   AND    FUTURE    MISERY    OF    MANKIND; 

WITH    RESPECT    TO    THE 

DOCTRINE   OF   REPROBATION   AND  DAMNATION. 
VOL.  II.  73 


THE   PUBLISHER   TO    THE    READER. 


How  much  the  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of  men  is  con- 
cerned in  the  right  understanding  of  his  goodness,  in  all  his  ways 
and  counsels  towards  them,  is  evidently  seen  by  all  that  have  any 
true  notion  of  the  Divine  Excellency  and  man's  felicity.  God's 
goodness  is  his  most  solemnly  proclaimed  name  and  glory.  It  is 
his  goodness  duly  known,  that  leads  sinners  to  repentance,  and 
unites  their  hearts  to  fear  his  name,  and  excites,  and  forever  ter- 
minates, that  love  which  is  our  holiness  and  happiness  to  eternity. 
It  is  also  too  well  known,  how  much  this  amiable  Divine  Goodness 
is  denied  or  doubted  of.  What  cavils  are  raised  against  it  by  men 
of  corrupt  minds  !  What  secret  prejudice  lies  against  it,  and  how 
deeply  rooted  in  our  depraved  nature !  Yea,  with  how  fearful 
suggestions  and  apprehensions  are  some  godly  Christians  (espe- 
cially those  that  lie  in  the  darkness  of  melancholy)  sometimes  per- 
plexed about  it !  And  even  such  as  are  grounded  and  settled  in 
it,  are  liable  to  be  assaulted,  and  may  sometimes  stagger  and  stum- 
ble at  it.  And  indeed,  though  the  kindness  of  God  towards  men 
hath  appeared  in  the  world,  as  visible  as  the  sun  in  the  firmament, 
yet  man's  darkened  understanding,  and  his  connate  sensuality  and 
selfishness,  taking  occasion  from  the  more  mysterious  parts  of  prov- 
idence, and  those  especially  that  most  contradict  the  wisdom  and 
interest  of  the  flesh,  hath  caused  disputes,  and  raised  doubts,  against 
the  truth  of  that  which  is  in  itself  as  clear  and  sure  as  that  there  is 
a  God  or  a  world,  or  any  thing  existent.  Whereupon  this  author 
was  earnestly  desired,  by  a  friend,  to  collect  some  principles  in  a 
narrow  compass,  that  might  silence  cavilers,  succor  the  tempted, 
and  confirm  the  sound  mind.  And  for  these  ends  they  are,  with 
his  permission,  by  his  friend  made  public  ;  Hosea  xiv.  9.  "  Who 
is  wise,  and  he  shall  understand  these  things  ?  prudent,  and  he  shall 
know  them?  for  the  ways  of  the  Lord  are  right,  and  the  just  shall 
walk  in  them  ;  but  the  transgressors  shall  fell  therein." 

April  27,  1671. 


GOD'S  GOODNESS  VINDICATED. 


To  help  all  such  persons  out  of  the  snare  of  this  dangerous  and 
troublesome  temptation,  as  are  described  in  the  propounded  case, 
we  must  have  respect,  I.  To  the  special  case  of  the  melancholy, 
who  are  more  liable  than  others  to  such  disturbances.  II.  To  the 
common  cause  of  their  trouble  and  perplexity,  as  it  consisteth  in 
such  opinions  as  you  describe. 

1.  With  the  melancholy,  the  greatest  difficulty  lieth  in  making 
them  capable  to  receive  plain  truths ;  for  it  will  work,  not  as  it  is, 
but  as  it  is  received.  And  melancholy  doth  breed  and  feed  such 
kind  of  thoughts,  as  naturally  as  a  dead  carcass  feedeth  vermin. 
Of  forty  or  fifty  melancholy  persons  that  I  have  to  deal  with,  there 
are  scarce  four  that  are  not  hurried  with  suggestions  to  blasphe- 
mous thoughts  against  God  and  the  Sacred  Scriptures ;  and  scarce 
two  that  are  not  under  dismal  apprehensions  that  they  are  misera- 
ble, undone  creatures,  (except  only  some  that  are  all  carried  to 
conceits  of  prophecies,  revelations,  and  some  rare,  exalting  com- 
munications of  light  unto  themselves.)  This  unhappy  disease  of 
melancholy  is  first  seated  in  the  organs  of  imagination  and  passion 
both  ;  that  is,  in  the  spirits,  and  thereby  in  the  very  imagining  fac- 
ulty itself;  though  the  natural  parts  being  without  pain  or  sickness, 
they  will  not  believe  that  it  is  a  disease  at  all.  It  inclineth  them 
usually  to  solitariness,  to  musing,  and  to  dismal  thoughts,  that  they 
are  undone,  graceless,  hopeless,  &tc.,  which  because  they  passion- 
ately seem  to  feel,  no  words  which  silence  them,  will  satisfy  them; 
or  if  you  seem  a  little  to  satisfy  them  to-day,  it  is  all  gone  to-mor- 
row ;  for  a  melancholy  man  is  like  the  eye  that  looketh  on  all 
things  through  a  colored  glass,  or  in  an  ophthalmy,  and  seeth  them 
according  to  the  medium. 

The  disease,  in  some  few,  beginneth  with  over-stretching  thoughts 
and  troubles  about  things  spiritual ;  but  in  most  that  I  have  met 
with,  (ten  to  one,)  it  beginneth  with  some  worldly  cross,  loss,  or 
trouble,  which  grieveth  them,  and  casteth  them  into  troublesome 
anxieties  and  cares  ;  and  then  when  by  these  the  spirits  are  dis- 
eased, it  presently  turncth  upon  conscience  ;  first,  against  them- 
selves, aggravating  sin  and  misery,  apprehending  calamity  from 
every  thing  which  they  see,  hear,  or  think  of;  and  next,  against 
God  and  Scripture,  perplexed  in  every  thing  that  cometh  before 


.. 

• 

580  GOD'S    GOODNESS    VINDICATED. 

them,  and  quarreling  with  all,  and  offended  in  all ;  and  usually  they 
are  importuned,  as  if  it  were  by  something  else  within  them,  to 
say  some  blasphemous  word  against  God,  or  do  some  mischief 
against  themselves  ;  no  doubt  through  Satan's  special  instigation, 
who  can  work  on  men  according  to  the  advantage  of  their  bodily 
and  sensitive  distempers,  and  can  do  that  on  a  melancholy  man, 
(though  a  godly  man,)  which  he  cannot  do  on  another  ;  as  he  can 
also  work  on  the  choleric,  phlegmatic,  &c.  according  to  their 
temper. 

I.  The  cure  of  this  must  be  by  these  means:   (1.)  You  must 
not  suffer  them  to  be  much  alone.     (2.)   You  must  divert  them 
from  all  musing,  and  turn  it  to  discourse.     (3.)  You  must  keep 
from  them  displeasing  things  and  persons,  and  help  them  to  suitable, 
pleasing  company  and  converse.     (4.)  You  must  change  their  air 
and  company  sometimes,  that  strange  objects  may  change  their 
imagination.     (5.)  Above  all,  if  they  have  strength,  you  must  not 
suffer  them  to  be  idle,  to  lie  in  bed  longer  than  they  sleep  in  the 
day ;  nor  to  sit  musing,  but  must  get  them  upon  the  work  of  a  law- 
ful calling,  and  drive  them  on  to  so  much  diligence,  that  body  and 
mind  may  be  closely  employed.     This  will  be  more  than  all  other 
ordinary  means.     (6.)    In  most,  meet  physic  also  will   do  very 
much,  which  must  be  ordered  by  an  experienced  physician  that  is 
with    them,  or   well   knoweth    them.     (7.)  Lastly,    Their   false 
thoughts  also  must  be  confuted,  and  their  minds  have  due  satisfac- 
tion.    And  if  you  cannot  have  all,  or  most  of  these  done,  you  can 
hardly  expect  a  cure,  unless  time  wear  it  off,  which  is  doubtful. 

II.  The  falsehood  and  vexation  of  such  men's  thoughts,  wheth- 
er the  melancholy  or  others,  are  brought  to  pass,  i.  By  a  false 
method  of  reasoning,     n.  By  false  opinions  which  they  have  be- 
fore received,     i.  It  is  a  grossly  deluding  and  subverting  way  of 
reasoning,  to  begin  at  dark  and  doubtful  consequents,  thence  to 
argue  against  certain,  clear,  fundamental   principles.     As  if  from 
some  doubts  about  the  position  and  motion  of  the  stars,  or  of  the 
nature  of  light,  heat,  and  motion,  men  shouldvargue  that  there  is 
no  sun,  or  moon,  or  stars  at  all  ;  or  that  they  have  no  power  of 
light,  heat,  or  motion  ;  or  as  if,  from  the  many  difficulties  in  anato- 
my, about  the  circulation  of  the  blood,  the  '  oleum  nervosum,'  the 
'  lympha,'   and   its  vessels,  the  passages  and  the  '  succus '  of  the 
pancreas  and  gall,  the  transcolation  through  the  intestines  into  the 
'  ven?e  lactese,'  the  chyly  glandules,  and  such  like,  one  should  arise 
to  a  conclusion,  that  there  is  no  blood,  no  chyle,  no  veins,  no  glan- 
dules, no  head,  no  body ;  or  from  the  controversy,  whether  the 
heart  be  a  mere  muscle  without  any  proper  '  parenchymas,'  one 
should  grow  to  conclude  that  there  is  no  heart ;  so  such  persons, 
from  points  beyond  man's  reach,  about  God's  decrees  and  inten- 


GOD  S    OOODXKSS    VINDICATED.  5^1 

tions,  and  the  mysteries  of  providence,  conclude  or  doubt  against 
God's  goodness  ;  that  is,  v^hether  indeed  there  be  a  God.  I  have 
spoken  so  fully  to  this  case  in  my  "  Reasons  of  the  Christian  Reli- 
gion," chapter  iv.  that  I  would  desire  you  to  peruse  it.  I  shall 
now  only  give  you  twenty  questions,  which  the  tempted  person  may 
challenge  all  the  sabtlety  and  malice  of  hell  to  answer ;  for  it  is  easy 
to  justify  the  goodness  of  God. 

Quest.  1.  'Is  it  not  certain  that  there  is  a  world,  in  which  is 
abundance  of  created  goodness  ? '  The  earth  is  but  a  point  as  to 
all  the  world.  There  is  a  sun,  and  moon,  and  multitudes  of  glori- 
ous stars,  which  are  many  of  them  manifold  greater  than  the  earth. 
There  are  angels,  there  are  men,  there  are  variety  of  creatures 
in  this  lower  part  of  the  creation,  which  have  all  their  excellency  : 
all  the  men  on  earth  cannot,  by  any  contribution  of  their  counsels, 
discern  the  ten  thousandth  part  of  the  excellency  of  this  little  par- 
cel of  God's  works.  And  as  to  the  whole,  it  is  next  to  nothing 
which  we  comprehend  :  every  worm,  every  plant  excelleth  the 
highest  human  apprehension.  Is  there  no  physical  goodness  in  all 
this  immeasurable,  this  harmonious,  this  glorious  frame  ?  Look 
about  you,  look  upwards,  and  deny  it  if  you  can.  And  is  there  no 
moral  goodness  in  holy  men  and  angels  ?  And  is  there  no  felicity 
and  glorious  goodness  in  all  the  heavens  ?  What  mind  can  be  so 
black  as  to  deny  all  created  goodness  ? 

Quest.  2.  '  Is  not  all  the  goodness  of  the  whole  creation  com- 
municated from  God '; '  Did  it  make  itself?  Or  who  else  made  it  ? 
Are  not  all  effects  from  their  causes  ?  And  is  he  not  the  first  cause  ? 
See  what  I  have  said  to  prove  this  fully  in  the  aforesaid  Treatise. 

Quest.  3.  '  Hath  God  made  a  world  that  is  better  than  him- 
self? '  Could  he  give  more  goodness  than  he  had  to  give  ?  Must 
not  he  needs  be  better  than  all  his  works  ? 

Quest.  4.  '  Is  he  fit  to  be  quarreled  with  for  want  of  goodness, 
who  hath  infinitely  more  goodness  than  the  whole  world  besides  ? ' 
More  than  sun  and  stars,  heaven  and  earth,  angels  and  men, 
all  set  together  in  all  their  single  and  their  united,  harmonious 
worth  ?  If  he  be  better  than  all,  is  he  not  most  beyond  accusation 
or  exception  ? 

Quest.  5.  '  Must  not  God  necessarily  excel  his  works  ? 
Must  he  needs  make  every  worm  a  god  ?  Or  must  he  make  any 
god,  or  equal  to  himself?'  Is  not  that  a  contradiction?  And  is 
there  not  necessarily  an  imperfection  in  all  that  is  not  God  ?  Noth- 
ing can  be  so  great,  so  wise,  so  good,  so  holy,  so  immutable,  so 
self-sufficient,  so  blessed,  as  God. 

Quest.  6.  '  Is  not  God's  creation  a  harmonious  universe,  of 
which  individuals  are  but  the  parts  ? '  Are  not  the  parts  for  the 


582  GOD'S    GOODNESS    VINDICATED. 

whole,  and  their  worth  to  be  valuer!  for  the  whole,  or  for  the  com- 
mon ends?  Must  every  pin  in  a  waieh^  or  every  stitch  in  your 
garment,  or  every  part  of  your  house,  or  every  member  of  your 
body,  and  every  humor  or  excrement  in  it,  have  that  excellency 
which  may  simply  dignify  itself  in  a  compared  or  separated 
sense  ?  Or  rather  must  it  not  have  that  excellency  which 
belongeth  to  it  as  a  part  of  the  whole  for  the  common  end  of  all 
together?  Is  not  that  best,  that  is  best  to  the  order,  beauty,  and 
usefulness  of  the  universal  frame  ? 

Quest.  7.  '  Is  it  necessary  to  this  end,  or  to  prove  God's  goodness, 
that  all  individuals,  or  species  of  creatures,  must  be  of  the  highest 
rank  or  excellency  ? '  Is  God  wanting  in  goodness,  if  every  man 
be  not  an  angel,  or  every  angel  made  unchangeable,  or  every  un- 
learned man  a  doctor,  or  every  star  a  sun,  or  every  cloud  or  clod 
a  star,  or  every  beast  a  man,  or  every  worm  an  elephant,  or  every 
weed  a  rose,  or  every  member  a  heart  or  head,  or  every  excre- 
ment blood  and  spirits  ?  Will  you  think  that  a  man  doth  reason 
like  a  man,  who  thus  disputeth,  '  He  that  doth  not  do  that  which 
is  best  when  he  can  do  it,  is  not  perfectly  good,  and  therefore  is 
not  God.  But  he  that  maketh  toads  and  serpents,  and  maketh 
the  guts  the  passage  of  filthy  excrements,  when  he  could  have 
made  them  equal  with  the  heart,  doth  not  do  that  which  is  best, 
when  he  can  do  it.  Therefore  he  is  not  perfectly  good  ;  therefore 
he  is  not  God  :  therefore  there 'is  no  God;  therefore  there  is  no 
Creator ;  therefore  the  world  hath  no  cause,  or  made  itself,  and 
preserveth  itself.  Therefore  I  made  myself,  and  must  rule  and 
preserve  myself.'  Conclude  next,  '  Therefore  I  will  never  suf- 
fer nor  die ; '  and  thus  prove  the  wisdom  of  such  reasoning,  if 
you  can. 

Quest.  8.  If  God  made  man  and  all  things,  '  did  he  not  make 
them  for  himself,  for  the  pleasure  of  his  own  will  ?  Must  he  not 
needs  in  reason  be  the  end  of  all,  who  is  the  beginning  and  cause 
of  all  ? '  And  is  not  that  means  the  best  which  is  aptest  to  the 
end  ?  And  doth  not  the  proper  goodness  of  a  means  consist  in  its 
aptitude  to  promote  the  end  ?  And  then  is  not  that  the  goodness 
of  all  creatures  (partly  to  be  what  the  Creator  efficiently  maketh 
them,  and  partly)  to  fulfill  his  will  ?  And  what  creature  hath  not 
this  goodness,  as  to  the  absolute  will  of  his  decrees,  which  all 
fulfill  ? 

Quest.  9.  '  Are  not  now  both  these  conclusions  of  infallible 
certainty,  and  therefore  not  at  all  contradictory?'  1.  That  God 
is  most  good,  because  he  is  the  cause  of  all  the  good  in  the  whole 
creation  ?  2.  And  yet  that  there  are  toads,  serpents,  darkness, 
death,  sickness,  pains,  &c.,  which,  therefore,  are  no  whit  inconsistent 


(iOD's    GOODNESS    VINDICATED.  583 

with  his  goodness  ?  Neither  of  them  being  capable  of  a  denial, 
or  of  a  sober  doubt . 

Quest.  10.  '  Is  not  an  angel  and  man  endued  with  reason  and 
free-will,  and  left  to  choose  or  refuse  his  own  rectitude,  and  felicity, 
(or  misery,)  capable  of  knowing,  loving,  serving,  and  enjoying  God, 
if  he  will,  and  instructed  by  a 'perfect  holy  law  (with  rewards  and 
punishments)  to  choose  aright : — I  say,  is  not  such  a  creature  as 
noble  and  as  meet  for  God  to  make  as  a  stone,  or  a  toad,  or  worm,  or 
serpent? '  If  God  choose  to  please  his  own  holy  will,  by  making 
a  world  of  such  intellectual,  free  agents,  whom  he  will  (ordinarily) 
rule  by  the  way  of  moral  laws  and  motives,  is  this  any  disparage- 
ment to  his  wisdom  and  goodness  ?  It  is  true,  that  such  a  muta- 
ble free-will  is  below  a  confirmed,  immutable  will.  But  it  is  as 
true,  that  a  toad  is  below  a  man  ;  and  that  infinite  w'isdom  thought 
not  meet  to  make  all  his  creatures  of  one  rank  or  size,  nor  to 
make  all  faces  alike,  nor  all  the  stones  in  the  street  alike,  but  in 
wonderful  variety.  It  is  not  then  unbeseeming  God  to  make  a 
world  of  rational  free  agents,  under  such  a  moral  government  by 
laws. 

Quest.  11.  If  all  these  free  agents  have  abused  their  liberty  and 
undone  themselves,  if  he  so  far  show  mercy  to  them  all,  as  that 
they  may  be  all  happy  if  they  will,  and  none  of  them  shall  perish 
but  for  willful  and  final  refusing  of  the  saving  means  and  mercy 
which  is  offered  to  them  ;  and  if  they  will  they  may  live  with  God 
himself,  and  Christ,  and  angels  in  endless  glory  ;  and  none  shall 
lose  this  free-given  felicity,  but  for  final  refusal  and  contempt,  pre- 
ferring certain  vanity  and  dung  before  it ;  and  if  officers  be  com- 
missioned, and  means  provided,  to  acquaint  all,  in  several  measures, 
with  the  reasons  why  they  should  choose  heaven  and  holiness  be- 
fore the  dirty  pleasures  of  sin,  and  to  importune  them  daily  to  such 
a  choice ;  and  if  a  life  of  mercies  be  granted  to  allure  them,  and 
afflictions  to  drive  them,  and  examples  to  invite  them  to  choose 
aright ; — I  say,  after  all  this,  '  have  any  of  these  persons  cause  to 
complain,  that  God  dealeth  "not  mercifully  with  them  ? '  Shall 
they,  that  will  not  accept  of  life  and  mercy,  offered  them,  accuse 
him  as  cruel  that  importuneth  them  to  accept  it  ? ' 

Quest.  12.  '  Is  the  goodness  of  a  king  to  be  judged  of  by  the 
interest  of  murderers  in  the  gaol ; '  when  he  restrained  them  by 
laws  ;  when  he  warned  them  by  legal  penalties ;  when  he  encour- 
ageth  and  protecteth  all  the  good  ;  when  the  lives  of  the  innocent 
need  this  severity  against  the  wicked ;  when  the  commonwealth 
would  take  him  to  be  bad  that  would  not  restrain  thieves  and  mur- 
derers by  penalties  ?  Yea,  though  this  king  could,  if  he  would, 
have  set  constant  guard  on  these  men  to  have  kept  these  men 


584  GOD'S  GOODNESS  VINDICATED. 

from  murdering,  but  he  thinketh  meet  only  to  govern  them  by  laws  ; 
will  you  rather  argue,  that  the  gaol  is  a  place  of  misery,  therefore 
the  king  is  cruel,  than,  the  rest  of  the  kingdom  flourish  in  prosper- 
ity and  peace,  therefore  the  king  is  wise  and  gracious.  And  is 
not  this  little  dirty  spot  of  earth,  the  next  door  to  hell,  a  place  de- 
filed by  willful  sin,  and  unfit  to  be  the  index  of  God's  benignity, 
from  whence  we  should  take  an  estimate  of  it  ? 

Quest.  13.  '  Do  not  all  men  in  the  world  confess  God's  good- 
ness first  or  last  ? '  Do  not  all  true  believers,  that  are  themselves, 
acknowledge  that  he  is  infinitely  good,  and  good  to  them,  and  that 
his  mercy  is  over  all  his  works,  and  endureth  forever?  And  do 
not  the  consciences  of  the  damned  grind  and  tear  them  for  the 
contempt  of  goodness,  and  setting  against  mercy,  even  mercy  to 
themselves  ?  This  is  the  fuel  that  feedeth  hell,  not  by  way  of  de- 
lusion, but  experimental  conviction.  If  the  man  that  doubteth  of 
God's  goodness  and  mercy  to  him,  do  despair  or  fear  damnation, 
he  foolishly  contradicteth  himself.  For  hell  and  damnation  is  a 
state  of  misery  and  torment  in  the  loss,  and  in  the  conscience  and 
sense,  of  refused  and  abused  mercy.  If,  therefore,  God  be  not 
merciful  to  you,  then  you  need  not  fear  being  damned  for  sinning 
against  and  refusing  mercy.  For  that  which  is  not,  cannot  be 
sinned  against  or  abused.  If  God  be  merciful,  you  may  be  saved 
if  you  will  accept  this  mercy;  if  he  be  not,  you  cannot  in  justice 
be  damned  for  rejecting  that  mercy  which  was  none.  And  if  God 
be  not  merciful  and  just,  he  is  not  God.  And  if  there  be  no  God, 
there  is  none  to  damn  you.  But  all  confess,  in  heaven  and  hell, 
some  with  joy,  and  some  with  self-tormenting  anguish,  that  God 
was  inconceivably  good  and  merciful. 

Quest.  14.  '  What  if  it  were  but  one  or  two  in  a  whole  kingdom 
that  were  damned,  and  that  only  for  obstinate,  unpersuadable,  final 
refusal  of  grace  and  salvation,  and  all  the  rest  of  the  world  should 
be  saved;  tell  me,  would  you  then  still  suspect  God  of  cruelty,  or 
deny  his  goodness  ? '  If  not,  I  further  ask  you  : — 

Quest.  15.  '  Have  you  so  good  an  acquaintance  with  the  extent 
of  the  universe,  the  superior  world,  the  number  of  angels  and  blessed 
spirits,  as  that  you  are  sure  that  it  is  proportionably  more  in  the 
whole  universe,  that  are  miserable  ? '  Though  some  peevish  men 
have  wrangled  at  what  I  have  said  of  this  in  my  forecited  books,  I 
am  so  far  from  flattering  their  self-conceited  wisdom  that  I  will  say 
it  over  again  :  That  it  is  agreed  on  by  philosophers,  that  the  earth, 
as  to  the  universe,  is  no  bigger  than  a  point  or  inch  is  to  the  whole 
earth  :  we  see  over  our  heads  a  wonderful  sun,  a  multitude  of  fix- 
ed and  unfixed  stars,  of  wonderful  magnitude,  divers  of  them  ma- 
ny times  bigger  than  all  the  earth  ;  besides  the  vast  ethereal  inter- 


~ 
GOD  S    GOODNESS    VINDICATED.  585 

spaces  :  we  see  in  a  tube  or  telescope  a  marvelous  likeness  of  the 
moon  to  this  earth,  with  shades,  inequalities,  &tc.  Multitudes  of 
stars,  in  the  galaxy  and  elsewhere,  are  discernible  in  the  telescope, 
which  without  it  no  eye  can  see :  little  know  we  how  far  the  world 
extendeth  itself,  beyond  all  these  stars  and  sun  which  we  can  see ; 
or  whether  there  be  millions  of  the  like  beyond  our  sight.  The 
Scripture  telleth  us  of  innumerable  angels,  holy  and  glorious  spirits 
that  attend  Christ  in  the  service  of  this  lower  world.  ISo  Scrip- 
ture telleth  us  whether  all  the  glorious  or  blessed  spirits  be  thus 
employed  as  angels  for  mankind,  or  whether  ten  thousand  thou- 
sandfold more  be  otherwise  employed.  No  Scripture  or  reason 
telleth  whether  sun  or  rnoon,  stars  and  intermediate  ether,  be  in- 
habited or  not.  It  is  temerity  to  affirm  that  they  are.  And  it  is 
a  great  temerity  to  say  that  they  are  not.  It  is  lawful  to  doubt, 
and  it  is  lawful  to  conjecture  that  it  is  most  probable  they  are, 
considering,  1.  That  life  is  the  excellency  of  the  creation,  and  the 
deadest  parts  are  the  basest.  2.  That  the  earth,  and  water,  and 
air,  are  full  of  men,  beasts,  fishes,  birds,  worms,  flies,  &c.  3.  That 
it  is  incredible  to  him  that  looketh  upward,  that  sun,  moon,  stars, 
and  ether,  are  baser  regions  than  this  dirty  earth  ;  and  consequent- 
ly that  they  are  baser  as  to  their  use  and  inhabitants.  These 
thoughts  of  an  uncertain  thing  are  lawful  to  him  that  will  go  no 
further  than  he  hath  evidence,  and  not  make  an  uncertain  thing 
seem  certain  ;  and  certain  it  is  that  spirits  are  innumerable.  And 
though  some  of  these  have  fallen  to  be  devils,  God  hath  not  told 
us  how  many  ;  nor  can  we  know  that  it  is  one  to  a  million  of  hap- 
pier creatures.  And  can  that  man,  then,  who  is  offended  with 
God,  not  for  damning  a  very  lew,  but  for  the  proportion  of  the 
damned  in  comparison  of  others,  tell  what  he  saith?  Can  he  say, 
if  God  had  cast  off  all  this  earth,  that  it  had  been  more  than  one 
of  a  million  of  millions  as  to  the  whole  creation?  It  is  true  I  can- 
not tell  the  number :  but  it  is  as  true  that  when  our  foundation  is 
sure,  that  God  is  infinitely  wise  and  good,  it  is  madness  to  accuse 
him  as  unwise,  or  evil,  or  cruel,  for  that  which  we  must  confess 
we  do  not  know  ;  and  to  talk  against  him  in  the  dark.  Stay  till 
you  see  who  dwelleth  in  all  the  superior  regions,  and  then  take 
yourselves  for  fitter  discerners  of  your  Maker's  ways. 

Quest.  16.  '  Are  you  well  acquainted  with  the  nature  and  de- 
grees of  the  future  miseries  which  tempt  you  to  think  that  God  is 
cruel  ? '  They  are  not  all  of  one  degree ;  what  if  much  of  them 
be  still  voluntary  to  the  miserable  souls  ?  The  devils  who  are 
now  tormented  in  hell,  are  yet  inhabitants  of  the  air,  and  exercis- 
ed in  voluntary  acts  of  malice.  I  take  it  to  be  no  small  degree  of 
hell  which  the  ungodly  choose,  and  love,  and  possess  among  us 
VOL.  ii.  74 


586  GOD'S  GOODNESS  VINDICATED. 

here  on  earth,  and  will  not  be  dissuaded  from  :  they  are  without 
all  holy  communion  with  God,  and  they  would  be  so  ;  they  are 
out  of  heaven,  and  they  would  be  so  ;  they  are  debased  and  coo- 
fined  to  sensual  pleasures,  and  worldly  vanities,  and  they  will  be  so  ; 
they  are  the  drudges  of  the  devil,  and  the  servants  of  the  flesh,  and 
the  slaves  of  men,  and  they  would  be  so  ;  they  are  defiled  with  sin, 
and  imprisoned  in  their  own  concupiscence,  and  they  would  be  so  ; 
they  are  corrupted,  and  tantalized,  and  vexed,  and  tossed  up  and 
down,  by  their  irregular  desires  ;  in  a  word,  they  have  the  plague  of 
sin,  and  have  neither  holiness,  nor  true  happiness;  and  so  they  will 
have  it  to  be,  and  will  not  be  cured :  now  these  tempted  persons 
can  see  a  misery  in  pain  ;  but  can  see  no  such  evil  in  sin,  for  which 
such  pain  should  be  inflicted  ;  when  as  sin  itself,  and  that  which 
they  are  willing  of,  is  so  great  a  part  of  their  misery,  as  that,  in  this 
life,  the  rest  is  as  nothing  to  it.  And  though,  no  doubt,  much  will 
be  involuntary  hereafter,  we  know  not  what  the  proportion  will  be 
between  the  voluntary  and  involuntary  part. 

And  what  makes  these  men  that  they  do  not  pity  a  drunkard, 
a  fornicator,  a  worldling,  a  sensual  lord  or  gentleman,  that  hath  no 
better  than  the  shadows  which  he  chooseth  ?  Neither  the  tempt- 
ed, nor  they  themselves,  would  call  God  cruel  if  he  would  let 
them  so  live  in  health  forever ;  even  a  healthful  beggar  would  call 
God  merciful  if  he  might  never  die,  nor  be  more  miserable.  But 
princes  or  lords  would  call  him  cruel,  if  he  should  put  them  into 
the  beggar's  or  laborer's  case.  You  accuse  not  God  as  cruel  for 
making  toads  and  serpents,  worms  and  vermin,  because  they  are 
not  troubled  with  their  own  condition  ;  but  if  you  could  imagine 
them  to  have  the  knowledge  how  much  happier  men  are,  the  case 
would  alter.  Or  if  God  should  change  men  into  toads  and  ser- 
pents, you  would  call  him  unmerciful ;  when  yet  he  is  no  more 
bound  antecedently  to  man  than  unto  them.  Thus  because  these 
tempted  persons  have,  as  Adam  when  his  eyes  were  opened,  a 
disquieting  knowledge  to  know  good  and  evil  penally,  their  own 
apprehension  (as  Adam's  of  his  nakedness)  maketh  that  seem 
cruelty,  which  seemed  a  fruit  of  goodness  before. 

The  sum  is,  when  you  come  into  another  world,  and  see  what 
manner  of  punishment  it  is  that  God  exerciseth  on  the  damned, 
(as  well  as  on  how  many,)  you  will  then  be  perfectly  satisfied,  that 
there  is  nothing  but  that  amiable  justice,  which  is  the  fruit  of  ho- 
liness, goodness  and  wisdom  in  it  all ;  and  you  shall  see  nothing  in 
the  punishment  of  the  miserable  which  you  shall  either  blame  or 
wish  were  otherwise,  if  you  come  to  heaven. 

To  which  let  me  add,  when  you  come  to  see  the  heavenly  glo- 
ry, and  how  the  God  of  infinite  goodness  hath  advanced  such  in- 


GOD'S  HOODNKS*  VINDICATED.  587 

numerable  hosts  (if  not  worlds)  of  men  and  angels  into  such  won- 
derful felicity,  and  compare  this  with  the  sufferings  of  the  devil, 
and  of  his  damned  followers,  instead,  then,  of  quarreling  with  the 
goodrllss  of  God,  you  will  be  wrapt  up  in  the  admirations  and 
praises  of  it  with  full  delights,  to  all  eternity. 

Quest.  17.  '  And  tell  me,  Is  he  fit  to  entertain  suspicions  and 
quarrels  with  God,  who  knoweth  God  to  be  God,  and  knoweth 
himself  to  be  but  a  man  ? '  I  speak  not  only  in  respect  of  our  in- 
feriority, as  the  potsherd  should  not  quarrel  with  the  potter ;  but 
in  respect  of  our  great  and  certain  ignorance.  Are  we  not  puzzled 
about  the  poorest  worm  and  pile  of  grass,  whose  manifold  myste- 
ries no  mortal  man  can  yet  discover?  Are  we  not  grossly  igno- 
rant about  every  thing  (even  visible  and  palpable)  which  we  see, 
and  touch,  and  have  to  do  with?  Do  we  not  know  that  we  know 
but  little,  even  of  ourselves,  or  of  any  thing  about  us  in  the  world? 
And  shall  the  darkened  soul,  while  it  must  operate  in  such  a  pud- 
dle of  brains  and  humors,  be  so  madly  proud,  as  to  presume  of  a 
knowledge  which  findeth  out  errors  and  badness  in  God,  who  is 
infinitely  wise  and  good  ?  Nothing  is  more  sure  than  that  God  is 
most  wise  and  good ;  and  nothing  should  be  more  easily  known  to 
us,  than  that  we  are  very  blind  and  bad.  And  if  such  wretches, 
then,  cannot  reconcile  their  thoughts  about  God's  works,  should 
they  not  rather  suspect  themselves  than  him  ?  Suspect,  did  I  say  ? 
should  they  not  take  it  as  the  surest  verity,  that  it  is  God,  that  is 
not  only  justifiable,  but  infinitely  amiable  and  laudable,  and  that  it 
is  worse  than  brutishness  for  such  moles  to  be  his  accusers  ? 

Quest.  18.  Yea,  {is  this  accusing  God  a  fit  employment  for 
that  person  who  liveth  in  a  land  of  mercies  ;  who  hath  been  bred 
up  in  mercy,  preserved  by  mercy,  yea,  differenced  by  saving  mer- 
cy from  the  ungodly  ;  who  hath  been  called  from  blindness,  carnal- 
ity, and  profaneness,  and  entertained  many  a  time  in  holy  worship 
with  God  ;  who  hath  been  washed  in  Christ's  blood,  and  justified 
from  so  many  and  grievous  sins,  and  made  of  an  enemy  an  adopt- 
ed child,  and  of  an  heir  of  hell  an  heir  of  heaven,  and  all  this  by 
the  tender  mercies  of  a  provoked  God,  a  gracious  Redeemer,  and  a 
holy  Sanctifier  ? '  Shall  this  person,  I  say,  this,  be  one  that,  instead 
of  praising  God  with  the  raptures  of  continual  joy,  shall  turn  his 
accuser  ?  O  let  the  guilty  that  readeth  this  stop  here,  and  fall 
down  on  his  knees  to  God,  and  melt  into  tears  in  the  sense  of  such 
unkindness. 

Quest.  19.  '  But  can  a  child  of  God  be  possibly  guilty  of  so 
great  a  sin  as  this  ? ' 

Answ.  I  speak  not  now  of  the  malignant  atheist ;  but  of  the 
melancholy,  tempted  persons.  Alas!  it  is  the  melancholy  disease, 


I 

588  COn's    GOODNESS    VINDICATED. 

and  the  devil  more  than  he.  God  pitieth  his  children's  froward- 
ness,  especially  when  necessitated  naturally  by  diseases  ;  and  he 
that  pardoned  peevish  Jonas,  that  said,  "  I  do  well  to  be  angry  to 
the  death  ; "  and  complaining  Job ;  and  excused  his  sleepy  disci- 
ples with  "  The  spirit  is  willing,  but  the  flesh  is  weak."  will  not 
condemn  an  upright  soul,  for  the  effect  of  a  feverish  deliration,  or 
a  melancholy  that  overcomes  his  natural  power  of  resistance. 

Quest.  20.  '  Would  you  thus  argue  or  quarrel  against  God's 
greatness  and  wisdom,  as  you  do  against  his  goodness?'  You 
suspect  him  to  be  unmerciful,  because  he  cureth  not  men's  sins, 
and  preventeth  not  their  damnation.  And  have  you  not  the  like 
occasion  to  argue  against  his  other  perfections?  Do  you  think  he 
reasoneth  soberly  that  saith,  '  He  that  maketh  asses  when  he  might 
have  made  them  men,  or  maketh  idiots,  or  maketh  stones  that 
know  nothing  ;  he  that  is  the  governor  of  such  a  foolish,  distracted, 
confused  world  as  mankind  is,  is  foolish  himself,  or  unskillful  in 
government,  or  wanteth  wisdom.  But  God  doth  thus.'  Is  he  not 
worse  than  a  fool  that  will  accuse  his  God  of  folly  ?  Doth  not 
the  admirable  harmony  of  all  the  world,  and  his  wonderful  work 
in  every  creature,  prove  his  incomprehensible  wisdom  ?  And 
what  would  you  say  to  him  that  should  thus  reason  :  '  He  that  ma- 
keth impotent  worms,  that  suffereth  the  good  to  die,  that  suffereth 
the  tyrants  of  the  earth  to  persecute  his  church  and  cause,  is  im- 
potent, and  not  almighty.  But  so  doth  God.'  Would  you  not 
say,  '  I  have  the  wonderful  frame  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  sun 
and  stars,  the  sea  and  land,  to  prove  to  me  that  he  is  almighty. 
This,  therefore,  is  a  proved  foundation  truth,  to  which  all  doubts 
must  be  reduced.'  And  if  you  dare  not  be  so  impudent  as  to  deny 
his  omniscience  or  omnipotence,  when  you  think  there  is  error  or 
impotency  in  his  works,  why  will  you  any  more  deny  his  goodness 
when  you  dream  that  there  is  badness  in  his  works  ?  Do  you  not 
know,  that  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness  are  God's  three  essential 
principles  of  operation,  virtues,  or  properties?  And  that  they  are 
none  of  them  greater  or  less  than  other?  And  that  his  goodness 
(though  not  as  to  be  measured  by  human  interest)  is  equal  to  his 
wisdom  and  his  greatness  ?  And  do  you  not  know,  that  to  deny 
any  one  of  the  three,  yea,  to  deny  the  perfection  of  any  one  of 
them,  is  to  deny  that  there  is  any  God  ?  And  is  he  sober  that 
will  argue,  '  There  are  frogs  and  toads,  there  are  worms  and  asses, 
there  are  fools  and  miserable  sinners,  therefore  there  is  no  God ; ' 
when  as  there  could  neither  be  any  of  these,  nor  any  world  or 
being,  if  there  were  no  God  ? 

Quest.  21.  Lastly,  now  consider,  '  whether,  evidently,  the  root 
of  all  this  sin  be  not  (besides  melancholy  and  Satan)  the  power 


GOD'S    GOODNESS    VINDICATED.  589 

ft 

of  selfishness,  and  sensual  or  fleshly  interest.'  Alas !  poor  nierf, 
that  were  made  for  their  God,  to  rejoice  wholly  in  pleasing  him, 
and  to  show  forth  the  lustre  of  his  glory,  are  fallen  to  themselves 
and  flesh ;  and  now  they  that  should  wholly  devote  and  refer 
themselves  to  God,  do  strive  to  make  God  a  servant  to  themselves, 
and  measure  his  goodness  by  the  standard  of  their  fleshly  sense 
and  interest ;  and  God  shall  be  with  them  no  longer  good,  that  is, 
no  longer  God,  than  he  will  give  them  their  wills,  and  serve  their 
flesh,  and  keep  them  from  crosses,  and  losses,  and  pains,  and 
govern  the  world  according  to  their  fancies ;  and  when  they  are 
committing  this  odious,  self-exalting  idolatry,  and  abasing  God, 
even  then  will  they  judge  themselves  both  wiser  and  more  mer- 
ciful than  he.  Yea,  when  a  melancholy  man  despaireth  in  the 
sense  of  his  own  sin  and  badness,  at  that  very  time  he  thinketh 
himself  more  merciful  than  the  God  of  infinite  goodness,  and 
accuseth  his  God  for  being  more  cruel  than  he  himself.  O  man, 
into  what  distraction  and  confusion  art  thou  fallen,  when  thou  de- 
partest  from  thy  God,  and  sinkest  into  that  blind  and  wretch- 
ed self! 

And  tell  me,  what  if  but  the  wills  of  all  the  poor,  the  pained, 
the  dying,  &,c.,  were  but  reconciled  to  their  suffering  state  ?  Would 
that  which  pleaseth  the  will  be  matter  of  any  complaint  ?  You 
may  see,  then,  that  it  is  not  God's  providence,  &c.,  but  the  wills 
and  ways  of  sinners,  that  are  the  diseased  causes  of  all  their  wran- 
glings.  And  if  our  wills  were  cured,  and  reduced  to  God's  will, 
we  should  find  no  fault  with  him  ;  if  I  can  but  be  truly  willing  of 
imprisonment,  poverty,  or  death,  how  can  I  feel  any  thing  in  it  to 
complain  of?  When  even  sinners,  as  aforesaid,  do  obstinately 
here  take  their  misery  for  their  happiness,  and  are  contented  with 
it  so  far  as  it  is  voluntary. 

By  that  time  these  twenty  questions  are  answered,  the  accu- 
sations of  God,  as  wanting  goodness,  will  all  turn  to  the  accuser's 
shame. 

ii.  I  am  next  briefly  to  detect  the  false  opinions  which  do  ordi- 
narily cause  these  persons'  errors. 

1.  It  is  false  doctrine  to  affirm  that  God  condemneth  the  great- 
est part  of  his  intellectual  creatures,  (as  I  have  showed,)  though  he 
condemn  never  so  many  of  this  ungodly  world. 

2.  It  is  not  true  that  God   decreeth  to  condemn  any  man  but 
for  sin,  (for  sin,  I  say,  as  the  cause  of  his  damnation.) 

3.  God  decreeth  to  condemn  none  at  age  (which  I  add  but  to 
exclude  foolish  cavils)  for  Adam's  sin  only  ;  nor  for  any  other  sin 
only  that  is  not  conjoined  with  an  obstinate,  final  impenitency,  and 
rejecting  offered  mercy,  and  neglecting  means  appointed  for  their 
salvation. 


590  GOD'S    GOODNESS    VINDICATED. 

4.  God's  decrees  do  cause  no  man's  sin,  (nor  his  damnation  any 
further  than  as  supposing  sin  ;)  for  Dr.  T \visse  himself  still  profess- 
eth,  1.  That  reprobation  is  an  immanent  act,  and  '  nihil  ponit  in 
objecto,'  putteth  nothing  at  all  into  the  person.  2.  And  that  rep- 
robation inferreth  no  necessity  of  sin  or  misery,  but  that  which  is 
called  '  necessitas  consequential,'  and  not  any  '  necessitas  conse- 
quentis ; '  and  Arminius  and  all  confess  that  God's  bare  foreknowl- 
edge causeth  or  inferreth  a  '  necessitas  consequential,'  which  truly 
is  but  a  logical  necessity  in  order  of  argumentation,  when  one  thing 
is  proved  by  another ;  and  not  by  physical  necessity  in  order  of 
causation,  as  one  thing  is  caused  by  another. 

And  whereas  they  say, '  Then  man  might  have  frustrated  God's 
decree,'  I  ask  them  whether  man  can  frustrate  God's  foreknowl- 
edge ;  suppose  God  to  foreknow  sin  without  decreeing  it,  (of  which 
more  anon,)  is  not  this  a  good  argument, '  All  that  God  foreknow- 
eth  will  certainly  come  to  pass.  But  God  foreknoweth,  e.  g. 
Judas's  sin ;  therefore  it  will  certainly  come  to  pass.'  And 
what  of  all  this  ?  It  doth  not  come  to  pass,  because  God  fore- 
knoweth it.  any  more  than  the  sun  will  rise  to-morrow,  because 
you  foreknow  it. 

And  if  you  say,  that  no  power  can  frustrate  God's  foreknowl- 
edge, I  answer,  they  are  delusory  words  of  one  that  knoweth  not 
what  he  saith.  For  it  is  one  thing  to  have  power  to  make  God 
ignorant,  and  another  thing  to  have  power  to  do  otherwise  than 
that  which  he  foreknoweth  you  will  do.  No  man  hath  power  to 
make  God  ignorant ;  but  all  sinners  may  have  power  to  do  other- 
wise than  that  which  God  foreknoweth  they  will  do.  For  God 
doth  not  foreknow  that,  e.  g.  Gehazi  shall  not  have  power  to  for- 
bear a  lie  ;  but  only  that  he  will  not  forbear  it.  Yea,  more,  God's 
foreknowledge  doth  prove  that  sinners  have  power  to  do  other- 
wise ;  for  that  which  God  foreknoweth  will  be.  But  God  fore- 
knoweth that  men  will  abuse  their  power  to  sin,  or  will  sin  when 
they  had  power  to  do  otherwise ;  therefore  it  will  be  so  in  the 
event. 

Now,  if  you  will  call  their  power  to  do  otherwise  a  power  to 
frustrate  God's  foreknowledge,  you  will  but  speak  foolishly.  For 
the  power  itself  is  foreknown  ;  and  the  object  of  knowledge  '  in 
esse  cognito,'  is  not  after  the  act  of  knowledge.  And  if  the  person 
will  not  actually  sin,  God  could  not  foreknow  that  he  will  sin.  So 
that  foreknowledge  is  here  (when  it  is  not  casual)  but  a  medium 
in  a  syllogism,  and  inferreth  only  the  necessity  of  the  consequence 
in  arguing,  and  doth  not  cause  the  thing  foreknown. 

Now,  when  Dr.  Twisse  saith,  that  all  the  schoolmen  agree,  that 
no  necessity,  '  consequents,'  or  of  causation,  but  only  '  consequen- 
tiae,'  doth  follow  the  decree  of  reprobation,  see  how  far  he  and 


GOI/S    GOODNESS    VINDICATED.  591 

Arminius  are  in  this  agreed,  (though  I  know  some  give  another 
sense  of  '  necessitas  consequential.')  But  I  come  closer  to  the 
matter  yet. 

5.  God  decreed)  no  man's  sin  ;  neither  Adam's  nor  any  other's. 
He  may  decree  the  effect,  which  sinners  accomplish,  (as  the  death 
of  Christ,)  and   he  may  overrule  men  in  their  sin,  and  bring  good 
out  of  it,  &c.     But  sin  is  not  a  thing  that  he  can  will  or  cause, 
and  so  not  decree,  which  signifieth  a  volition. 

6.  God  cannot  be  proved  to  decree  or  will  the  permission  of 
man's  sin.     For  to  permit  is  nothing.     It  is  but  not  to  hinder ; 
which  is  no  act ;  and  to  decree  and  will  is  a  positive  act.     And  if 
you  fain  God  to  have  a  positive  volition  or  nolition,  of  every  thing, 
or  negative,  then  he  must  have  positive  decrees  of  every  mere 
possible    atom,  sand,  worm,  name,  word,  thought   of  man,  &c. 
that   such    and    such  a  nothing  shall  never  be ;    whereas  there 
needeth  n*o  more  to  keep  any  thing  from  being  (in  this  case)  than 
God's  not  causing  it,  not  willing  it,  not  decreeing  it.     The  crea- 
ture's active  nature,  disposition,  objects,  and  circumstances,  are 
here  presupposed;    and  the  impedition  necessary,  is  by  act,  or 
subtraction  of  these  aforesaid,  and  God's  '  non  agere '  needs  no 
positive  decree.     I  must  tell  the  learned  reader,  that  this  room 
will  not  to  answer  his  foreseen  objections.     But  I  hope  I  have 
done  it  sufficiently  elsewhere. 

7.  God  hath  not  only  decreed  to  give,  but  actually  given,  a 
great  deal  of  mercy  to  them  that  perish,  which  had  a  natural  ten- 
dency to  their  salvation.     Christ  hath  so  far  died  for  all,  as  that 
none  shall  perish  for  want  of  a  sufficiency  in  the  satisfaction  made  : 
he  hath  purchased  and  given  for  all  a  grant  or  gift  of  himself,  with 
pardon,  justification,  adoption,  and  right  to  glory,  on  condition  of 
acceptance,  (where  the  gospel  cometh.)     In  a  word,  so  that  none 
of  them  shall  perish,  that  do  not  finally  refuse  the  grace  and  salva- 
tion offered  them. 

8.  Men  are  not  impenitent  and  unbelievers  for  want  of  that 
called  natural  faculty,  or  power  to  choose  and  refuse  aright ;  but 
for  want  of  a  right  disposition  of  their  own  wills ;  and  by  such  a 
moral   impotency,  which  is  indeed  their  viciousness,  and  the  wick- 
edness of  their  wills,  and  doth  not  excuse,  but  aggravate  the  sin. 
(See  Mr.  Truman,  of"  Natural  and  Moral  Impotency.") 

9.  To  rectify  men's  wicked  wills  and  dispositions.  God  giveth 
them  a  world  of  means;  the  whole  creation,  and  documents  of 
providence ;    all    the    precepts,    promises,  threats    of  Scripture ; 
preaching,    example,   mercies,   judgments,  patience,  and    inward 
motions  of  the  Spirit ;   all  which  might  do  much  to  men's  conver- 
sation and  salvation,  if  they  would  but  do  what  they  could  on  their 
own  part. 


592  GOD'S  GOODNESS  VINDICATED. 

10.  Adam  could  have   stood  when  he  fell  without  any  more 
grace  than  that  which  he  abused  and  neglected.     God's  grace, 
which  was  not  effectual  to  him,  was  as  much  as  was  necessary  to 
his  standing,  if  he  would  have  done  his  best ;  and  it  was  left  to  his 
free-will  to  have  made  that  help  effectual  by  improvement.     He 
fell,  not  because  he  could  not  stand,  but  because  he  would  not. 

11.  For  aught  any  can  prove,  multitudes  that  believe  not  now, 
but  perish,  may  have  rejected  a  help  as  sufficient  to  their  believ- 
ing, as  Adam's  was  to  his  standing. 

12.  All  men  have  power  to  do  more  good,  and  avoid  more  evil 
than  they  do ;  and  he  that  will  not  do  what  he  can  do,  justly  suf- 
fereth. 

13.  Heathens  and  infidels  are  not  left  unredeemed  under  the 
remediless  curse,  and  covenant  of  innocency,  which  we  broke  in 
Adam ;  but  are  all  brought  by  the  redemption  wrought  by  Christ, 
under  a  law,  or  terms,  of  grace.     (1.)  God  made  a  covenant  of 
grace  with  all  mankind  in  Adam  ;  (Gen.  iii.  15.)  who  was  by  tra- 
dition to  acquaint  his  posterity  with  it,  as  he  did  to  Cain  and  Abel 
the  ordinances  of  oblation  and  sacrifice.     (2.)  This  covenant  was 
renewed  with  all  mankind  in  Noah.     (3.)  This  covenant  is  not 
repealed,  otherwise  than  by  a  more  perfect  edition  to  them  that 
have    the    plenary    gospel.     (4.)    The   full   gospel   covenant  is 
made  for  all,  as  to  the  tenor  of  it,  and  the  command  of  preaching 
and  offering  it  to  all.     (5.)  They  that  have  not  this  edition,  may 
yet  be  under  the  first  edition.     (6.)  The  Jews,  under  the  first 
edition,  were  saved  without  believing  in  this  determinate  person  of 
Jesus,  or  that  he  should  die  for  sin,  and  rise  again,  and  send  down 
the  Spirit ;  for  the  apostles  believed  it  not  beforehand ;    (Luke 
xviii.  34.     John  xii.  16.     Luke  ix.  45.     Mark  ix.  34.     Luke 
xxiv.  21.  25,  26.     Acts  i.  6 — 8.)  yet  were  they  then  in  a  state 
of  saving  grace,  as  appeareth  by  John  xiv.  xv.  xvi.  xvii.  through- 
out.    (7.)  The  rest  of  the  world  that  had  not  the  same  supernat- 
ural  revelation,  were  not  then  bound  to  believe  so  much  as  the 
Jews  were  about  the  Messiah.     (8.)  God  himself  told  them  all, 
that  they  were  not  under  the  unremedied  curse  of  the  covenant 
of  innocency,  by  giving  them  a  life  full  of  those  mercies  which 
they  had  forfeited,  which  all  did  tend  to  lead  them  to  repentance, 
and  to  seek  after  God   (Rom.  ii.  4.    Acts  xvii.  27.)   and  "  find 
him  ;  yea,  he  left  not  himself  without  witness,  for  that  which  may 
be  known  of  him,  and  his    invisible  things  are    manifested   and 
clearly  seen  in  his  works  ; "  so  that  the  wicked  are  without  excuse  ; 
Rorn.  i.  19,  20.     Acts  xiv.  17.     So  that  all  heathens  are  bound 
"  to  believe  that  God  is,  and  that  he  is  a  rewarder  of  them  that 
diligently  seek  him ; "  (Heb.  xi.  6.)   and  are  all  under  the  duty 


GOD's    GOODNESS    VINDICATED.  593 

of  using  certain  means,  in  order  to  their  own  recovery  and  salva- 
tion, and  to  believe  that  they  are  not  commanded  to  do  this  in 
vain ;  so  that  God's  own  providence,  by  a  course  of  such  mercies, 
which  cannot  stand  with  the  execution  of  the  unremedied,  violated 
law  of  innocency,  together  with  his  obliging  all  men  to  repentance, 
and  to  the  use  of  a  certain  course  of  means,  in  order  to  their  sal- 
vation, is  a  promulgation  of  a  law  of  grace,  according  to  the  first 
edition,  and  distinguished!  man  from  unredeemed  devils. 

And  they  that  say  that  all  the  infidel  world  have  all '  this  mer- 
cy, duty,  means,  and  hope,  without  any  redemption  or  satisfac- 
tion of  Christ  as  the  procuring  cause,  are  in  the  way  to  say 
next,  '  That  the  church's  mercies  too  might  have  been  given  with- 
out Christ.'  (9.)  "Of  a  truth,  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons, 
but  in  every  nation  he  that  feareth  God  and  worketh  righteousness 
is  accepted  with  him  ;  "  Acts  x.  34,  35.  For  "  God  will  render 
to  every  man  according  to  his  deeds  ;  to  them  who,  by  patient 
continuance  in  well  doing,  seek  for  glory,  and  honor,  and  incorrupt- 
ibility, eternal  life  ;  "  Rom.  ii.  6,  7.  "  Glory,  honor,  and  peace, 
to  every  man  that  worketh  good,  to  the  Jew  first,  and  also  to  the 
Greek;"  ver.  10.  "For  there  is  no  respect  of  persons  with 
God;"  ver.  11.  "  For  when  the  Gentiles,  which  have  not  the 
law,  do  by  nature  the  things  contained  in  the  law,  these,  having 
not  the  law,  are  a  law  unto  themselves,  which  show  the  work  of 
the  law  written  in  their  hearts,  their  consciences  also  bearing  wit- 
ness, and  their  thoughts  the  meanwhile  accusing  or  else  excusing 
one  another;  "  ver.  14,  15.  And  they  shall  be  judged  according 
to  that  law,  which  they  were  under,  natural  or  mosaical,  "  even 
by  Jesus  Christ;  "  ver.  12.  16.  And  it  is  the  work  of  the  Spirit 
promised  to  believers,  to  write  the  law  of  God  in  their  hearts. 

(10.)  Though  a  special  promise  was  made  to  Abraham,  as  an 
eminent  believer,  and  the  Jewish  nation  were  the  peculiar  people 
of  God,  advanced  to  greater  privileges  than  any  others  in  the 
world  ;  yet  were  they  not  the  whole  kingdom  of  God  the  Redeem- 
er, nor  the  only  people  that  were  in  a  covenant  of  grace,  or  in  a 
state  of  salvation.  For  Shem  was  alive  after  Abraham's  death, 
who  was  not  like  to  be  less  than  a  king,  and  to  have  a  kingdom 
and  a  people  governed  according  to  his  fidelity.  And  Melchisedec 
was  a  king  of  righteousness  and  peace,  not  like  to  be  Shem  by  the 
situation  of  his  country.  And  a  righteous  king  would  govern  in 
righteousness.  Job  and  his  friends  are  evidences  of  the  same 
truth.  And  we  have  no  proof  or  probability  that  all  Abraham's 
seed  by  Ishmael,  and  Esau,  and  Keturah,  were  apostates,  for  they 
continued  circumcision.  And  what  all  the  rest  of  the  world  was, 
we  know  not,  save  that,  in  general,  most  grew  idolatrous,  and  the 
VOL.  ii.  75 


594  GOD'S  GOODNESS  VINDICATED. 

Canaanites  in  special.  Cut  that  they  all  apostatized  from  the 
covenant  of  grace  made  with  Adam  and  Noah,  there  is  no  proof. 
We  have  not  the  history  of  any  of  their  countries  fully,  so  as  to 
determine  of  such  cases.  In  Nineveh  God  ruled  by  that  law  of 
grace  which  called  them  to  repent,  and  spared  them  upon  their  be- 
lief and  repentance  ;  "  Because  he  was  a  gracious  God,  and  mer- 
ciful, slow  to  anger,  and  of  great  kindness,  and  repenteth  of  the 
evil ;  "  Jonah  iv.  2. 

And  that  God  dc-aleth  not  with  mankind  now  as  the  mere  judge 
of  the  violated  law  of  innocency,  he  declareth  not  only  by  the 
full  testimony  of  his  providence,  or  mercies  given  to  the  sinful 
world,  but  also  by  the  very  name,  which  he  proclaimeth  unto 
Moses  (which  signifieth  his  nature,  and  his  mind  towards  others, 
and  not  what  he  is  to  Jews  alone ;)  Exod.  xxiv.  6,  7.  "  The 
Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious,  long-suffering,  and 
abundant  in  goodness  and  truth,  keeping  mercy  for  thousands, 
forgiving  iniquity,  and  transgression,  and  sin."  All  which  is  in- 
consistent with  the  relation  of  God,  as  a  judge  of  a  people,  only 
under  the  curse  of  an  unremedied,  violated  law,  and  unredeemed, 
though  he  add,  "  and  that  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty,"  &c., 
that  is,  will  neither  judge  them  innocent  that  are  guilty  of  the 
crime,  nor  judge  them  to  life  that  are  guilty  of  death,  according  to 
the  tenor  of  the  law  which  they  are  under;  '  Purificando  non  puri- 
ficabit '  as  the  literal  version  ;  that  is,  will  not  judge  unjustly,  by 
acquitting  him  that  is  to  be  condemned,  or  as  the  Chaldee  para- 
phrase hath  it,  '  not  justifying  those  that  are  not  converted.' 

It  is  enough  for  us,  therefore,  to  know,  that  the  visible  church 
hath  manifold  privileges  above  all  others ;  Rom.  iii.  1 — 3,  &tc. 
And  that  salvation  is  more  easy,  sure,  and  plenteous,  where  the 
gospel  cometh,  than  with  any  others  ;  and  that  we  have,  therefore, 
great  cause  to  rejoice  with  thankfulness  for  our  lot,  and  that  the 
poor  world  lieth  in  wickedness,  and  must  be  pitied,  prayed  for,  and 
helped  to  our  power,  and  that  "  God  is  the  Savior  of  all  men,  but 
especially  of  them  that  believe ;  and  that  he  is  good  to  all,  and 
his  mercies  are  over  all  his  works ; "  and  that  he  will  never  damn 
one  soul  that  loveth  him  as  God.  But  what  is  in  the  hearts  of  all 
men  in  the  world,  and  consequently  how  they  shall  be  used  at 
last,  he  only  that  searcheth  the  heart  can  tell ;  and  it  is  neither 
our  duty  nor  our  interest,  nor  possible  to  us,  to  know  it  of  all  par- 
ticulars, much  less  to  conclude,  that  none  among  them  have  such 
love,  who  believe  him  to  be  infinitely  good,  and  to  be  to  them  a 
merciful,  pardoning  God.  And  we  know  withal,  that  all  they  that 
know  not  Jesus  Christ,  as  this  determinate  person  that  was  born 
of  the  Virgin  Mary,  suffered  under  Pontius  Pilate,  was  crucified, 


GOODNESS    VINDICATED.  595 

dead,  buried,  rose  again,  &c.,  do  yet  receive  all  the  aforesaid  mer- 
cies by  him,  and  not  by  any  other  name  or  mediation,  nor  yet 
without  his  purchasing  mediation. 

14.  And  if,  besides  all  the  mercy  that  God  shcweth  to  others, 
he  do  antecedently  and  positively  elect  certain  persons,  by  an  ab- 
solute decree,  to  overcome  all  their  resistances  of  his  Spirit,  and 
to  draw  them  to  Christ,  and  by  Christ  to  himself,  by  such  a  pow- 
er and  way  as  shall  infallibly  convert  and  save  them,  and  not  leave 
the  success  of  his  mercy,  and  his  Soivs  preparations,  to  the  bare 
uncertainty  of  the  mutable  will  of  depraved  man,  what  is  ihere  in 
this  that  is  injurious  to  any  others  ?     Or  that  represented)  God  un- 
merciful to  any  but  such  whose  eye   is  evil,   because  he  is  good, 
and  as  a  free  benefactor,  may  give  more  mercy  to  some  than  others 
of  equal  demerits  ?     If  they  that  hold  no  grace  but  what  is  univer- 
sal, and  left,  as  to  the  success,  to  the  will  of  rnan,  as  the  determin- 
ing cause,  do  think  that  this  is  well  consistent  with  the  merciful- 
ness of  God  ;  surely  they  that  hold  as  much  universal  grace  as 
the  former,  and  that  indeed  all  have  so  much  as  bringeth  and  leav- 
eth  the  success  to  man's  will,  and  deny  to  no  man  any  thing  which 
the  other  give,  do  make  God  no  less  merciful  than  they  ;  but  more, 
if  they  moreover  assert  a  special  decree  and  grace  of  God,  which, 
with  a  chosen  number,  shall  antecedently  infallibly  secure  his  ends, 
in  their  repentance,  faith,  perseverance,  and  salvation.     Is  this  any 
detraction  from,  or  diminution  of  his  universal  grace  ?     Or  rather 
a  higher  demonstration  of  his  goodness  ?     As  it  is  no  wrong  to 
man  that  God  maketh  angels  more  holy,  immutable  and  happy. 

15.  And  what  if  men  cannot  here  tell  how  to  resolve  the  ques- 
tion '  Whether  any,  or  how  many,  are  ever  converted  and  saved, 
by  that  mere  grace  which  we  call  sufficient,  or  rather  necessary, 
and  common  to  those  that  are  not  converted  ;  and  whether  man 
will  ever  make  a  saving,  determining  improvement  of  it  ; '  must 
plain  truth  be  denied,  because  difficulties  cannot  easily  be  solved  ? 
And  yet  in  due  place  1  doubt    not  but  I   have  showed,  that  this 
question  itself  is  formed  upon  false  suppositions,  and  is  capable  of 
a  satisfactory  solution. 

16.  I  conclude  in  general,  that  nothing  is  more  sure,  than  that 
God  is  most  powerful,  wise,  and  good,  and  that  all  his  works,  to 
those  that  truly  know  them,  do  manifest  all  these  in  conjunction 
and  perfect  harmony ;  and  that,  as  to  his  decrees  and  providences, 
he  is  the  cause  of  all  good,  and  of  no  sin  in  act  or  habit,  and  that 
our  sin  and  destruction  is  of  ourselves,  and  of  him  is  our  holin'ess 
and  salvation ;  and   that  he  attaineth  all  his  ends  as  certainly  as 
if  men's  will  had  no  liberty,  but  were  acted  by  physical  necessita- 
tion ;  and  yet  that  man's  will  hath  as  much  natural  liberty  as  if 


596  .  GOI)'s    GOODNESS    VINDICATED. 

God  had  not  gone  before  it  with  any  decree  of  the  event,  and  as 
much  moral  liberty  as  we  have  moral  virtue  or  holiness. 

And  these  principles  I  have  laid  down  in  a  little  room,  that 
tempted  persons  may  see,  that  it  is  our  dark  and  puzzled  brains, 
and  our  selfish,  diseased  hearts,  that  are  the  cause  of  our  quarrel- 
ing with  God,  his  decrees  and  providences ;  and  as  soon  as  we 
come  to  ourselves  and  are  cured,  these  odious  apprehensions  vanish, 
and  God  appeareth  as  the  unclouded  sun,  in  the  lustre  of  his 
amiable  goodness;  and  when  we  come  to  heaven,  we  shall  see,  to 
Our  joy,  and  his  glory,  that  heaven,  earth  and  hell  declare  him  to  be 
all  perfectly  good,  without  any  mixture  of  evil  in  himself,  or  in  any 
of  his  word  or  works.  And  we  shall  find  all  our  sinful  suspicions 
and  murmurings  turned  into  a  joyful  consent  to  the  angelical 
praises.  Psalm  cxxxvi.  1,  2.  26,  &c.  "  O  give  thanks  unto  the 
Lord,  for  he  is  good,  for  his  mercy  is  forever.  O  give  thanks  unto 
the  God  of  heaven,  for  his  mercy  is  forever."  Rev.  iv.  8.  11. 
"  Holy,  holy,  holy  Lord  God  Almighty,  which  was,  and  is,  and  is 
to  come.  Thou  art  worthy,  O  Lord,  to  receive  glory,  and  honor, 
and  power;  for  thou  hast  created  all  things,  and  for  thy  pleasure 
they  are  and  were  created."  Rev.  vii.  12.  "Amen:  Blessing, 
and  glory,  and  wisdom,  and  thanksgiving,  and  honor,  and  power, 
and  might,  unto  our  God  forever  and  ever :  Amen. — The  Lord  is 
good  to  all,  and  his  tender  mercies  are  over  all  his  works.  The 
Lord  is  gracious  and  full  of  compassion,  slow  to  anger,  and  of  great 
mercy  ;  "  Psalm  cxlv.  8,  9.  "  The  word  of  the  Lord  is  right,  and 
all  his  works  are  done  in  truth  :  he  loveth  righteousness  and  judg- 
ment :  the  earth  is  full  of  the  goodness  of  the  Lord  ; "  Psalm 
xxxiii.  4.  5.  "  O  how  great  is  thy  goodness  which  thou  hast  laid 
up  for  them  that  fear  thee  !  which  thou  hast  wrought  for  them 
that  trust  in  thee  before  the  sons  of  men  !  "  Psalm  xxxi.  19.  "O 
therefore  that  men  (instead  of  quarreling  with  his  unknown  mys- 
teries) would  praise  the  Lord  for  his  goodness,  and  for  his  wonder- 
ful works  to  the  children  of  men  ;  "  Psalm  cvii.  8.  15.  21.  31. 

In  the  conclusion,  I  take  it  to  be  wholesome  advice  to  those  that 
are  under  this  temptation, 

1.  That  they  will  oft  read  over  the  Psalms  of  praise,  and  think, 
when  they  read  them,  whether  David  and  the  ancient  church  were 
not  more  likely  to  know  what  they  said,  than  a  self-conceited,  or  a 
melancholy,  tempted  sinner  ? 

2.  That  they  would  consider  who  it  is  that  is  the  grand  enemy 
of  the  glory  of  God's  goodness,  and  they  shall  soon  find  that  it  is 
none  other  than  the  devil ;  none  but  he  that  is  most  evil  can  most 
envy  Infinite  Goodness  his  honor.      And  is  the  devil  fit  to  be  believ- 
ed against  God  ?     And  that  after  the  warning  of  our  first  parents' 


GOD  S    GOODNESS    VINDICATED.  597 

ruin,  which  befell  them  for  believing  Satan,  when  he  slandered  both 
God's  wisdom,  truth  and  goodness  to  them  ? 

3.  That  they  would  bethink  them  to  what  end  it  is,  that  the 
tempter  and  the  enemy  of  God  do  thus  deny  his  goodness.     Is  it 
not  a  plain  act  of  malice  against  God  and  us  ?     Is  it  not  that  he 
may  disgrace  God  as  evil,  and  rob  him  of  his  glory  ;  and  also  that 
he  may  hinder  man  from  loving  him,  and  so  destroy  all  piety,  and 
virtue,  and  goodness  in  the  world  ?     Who  can  love  him  whom  he 
believeth  to  be  bad,  and  so  unlovely  ?     And  what  grace  or  happi- 
ness can  there  be  without  the  love  of  God  ? 

4.  That  they  would  think  what  horrid  wickedness  this  sin  con- 
taineth,  (where  melancholy  and  involuntariness  do  not  extenuate  it.) 
Is  it  any  better  than  a  denying  that  there  is  any  God  ?     As  is  said 
before  ;  to  be  God,  is  to  be  perfectly  powerful,  wise,  and  good ; 
and  if  there  be  none  such,  there  can  be  no  God.     An'd  then  who 
made  the  world,  and  all  that  is  good  in  it  by  derivated  goodness  ? 
Yea,  is  it  not  to  represent  the  most  amiable,  blessed  God  in  Sa- 
tan's image  ("  who  is  most  evil,  and  a  murderer  from  the   begin- 
ning ; "  John  viii.  44.)  that  so  men  may  hate  him,  and  fly  from  him 
as  they  do  from  devils  ?      And  can  you  tell  how  great  a  crime 
this  is  ? 

5.  That  they  would  consider  how  this  impious  conceit  is  calcu- 
lated for  the  licensing  of  all  manner  of  villany  in  the  world,  and  to 
root  out  all  the  relics  of  goodness  from  among  mankind.     For  who 
can  expect  that  any  man  should  be  better  than  his  Maker,  and 
that  he  should  have  any  good,  who  denieth  God  to  be  good  ? 

6.  That  they  would  labor  hard  to  be  better  themselves ;  for  he 
that  hath  a  true  created  goodness,  is  thereby  prepared  to  relish 
and  admire  God's  primitive,  uncreated  goodness  ;  whereas  a  wicked 
or  a  guilty  sinner  cannot  much  value  that  which  he  is  so  unsuitable 
to,  and  which  he  thinks  will  be  to  him  a  consuming  fire.     "  Truly 
God  is  good  to  Israel,  and  to  such  as  are  of  a  clean  heart ; "  Psal. 
Ixxiii.  1.    But  he  that  liveth  in  the  love  of  sin,  will  be  doubting 
of  the  love  of  God,  and  fearful  of  his  wrath,  and  unfit  to  relish  and 
delightfully  perceive   his    goodness.     "  Taste    and  see  that    the 
Lord  is  good  ;  blessed  is  the  man  that  trusteth  in  him ; "    Psalm 
Ixxxiv.  8. 

7.  Study  God's  love  as  manifested  in  Christ ;    then   you  shall 
see  what  man  on  earth  may  see.     But  think  not  falsely,  narrowly, 
or  basely  of  his  office,  his  performance,  or  his  covenant. 

8.  Dwell   in  the  believing  foresight  of  the  celestial  glory  ;  the 
reflections  of  which  may  wrap  up  a  believing  soul  on  earth,   into 
ecstasies  of  gratitude  and  delight. 

9.  Remember  what  goodness  there  is  in   the  holiness  of  God, 


598  GOD'S  GOODNESS  VINDICATED. 

which  is  demonstrated  in  bffl  severest  justice  ;  yea,  what  mercy  it 
is  to  forewarn  men  of  the  punishment  of  sin,  that  they  may  want 
no  necessary  means  to  escape  it. 

10.  Remember  how  unfit  the  selfish  interest  of  obstinate  despi- 
sers  of  grace  and  salvation  is,  to  be  the  measure  or  index  of  the 
goodness  of  God  ;  and  how  much  more  credible  the  concordant 
testimony  of  the  heavenly  host  is,  who  live  in  the  love  of  Love 
itself,  and  are  everlastingly  delighted  in  the  praises  of  the  infinite 
greatness,  wisdom,  and  goodness  of  the  most  perfect,  blessed,  glo- 
rious God. 


'#• 


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